Grecia, Costa Rica: Part II

Hello again! I hope this finds everyone well and happy!

I have more -itos in the interest of time:

QUESTIONS:
It seems that Spanish-speakers must learn different nonverbal cues than English-speakers. One of my main ires is that I'm constantly unsure when I've been asked a question. I am actually listening to the sound of the speakers voice, and waiting for it to go up at the end to signal a question. No such thing. Or at least, not all the time. And when I ask if the speaker was directing their speech at me, the speaker will take the question as though I either didn't pay attention, or I did not understand a word. They will often repeat the "question" exactly how they did before, without the tell-tale nonverbal cue. Again, I ask if this statement they've made is a question. And yet again, they will try to explain it to me. The joke is this, I understand perfectly the words they have chosen to express themselves. What I don't get is what they are expecting as a result of these words!! Oh well.

FINISHED SENTENCES:
Also, along those lines, it appears that people who live within the same regional group and see each other for most of their lives don't finish certain sentences. Not all, but many. And yet, everyone born in the same region understands perfectly these partial thoughts. It helps to keep in mind that Spanish is a high-context language, where few words are needed to effectively get a point across. However, because I am a contextual learner, I need the context to understand.

PREPARED ANSWERS:
I find it easier to speak in Spanish about something with which I am very familiar versus improvisational speaking. This is very natural for learned speakers.

SAYINGS:
One of the sayings most used that I've heard in Grecia is "¡Que espanto!" which literally means, "What a scare!" It is used like the expression, "Oh for Pete's sake!"

GRAMMAR:
Also in Grecia, I've noticed that most of the people use the verb acordar as a synonym for the verb recordar. This is unusual to me because I'm used to acordar having a connotation of putting one's mind on something, and recordar having the connotation of only remembering.

OVENS:
The kitchen's hidden cookie jar (when not in use).

GAS STATIONS:
There are service gas stations here, meaning, there is no such concept as "self-serve".

SUGARCANE:
Sugarcane here grows in fields like corn grows in Indiana. And the smell of the molasses when the cane is burned in the graneries is overpowering--it smells good in small amounts, but not all at once.

DOORKNOBS:
The only doorknobs I've seen in this country are generally on the front door. All other doors have locks that slide.

I'm out of time!! Next time I'll expound on Northamerican/Latinamerican relationships here in Grecia. We have some stories to tell...

Have a wonderful day!!

Grecia, Costa Rica: Part I

Well, since I wasn't able to write about Nicaragua entirely before coming to Grecia, sorry, but I'm going to save that for later--remind me!!!

One thing I'm going to say about Grecia is this: foliage. Holy cow, I didn't know there were that many different plants in the world, let alone one province of a country...

BUSES:
In San José, all the buses have only two columns of seats going from the front of the bus to the back. There are two seats in each row with an aisle down the middle (except for the very back of the bus where there are five or six seats along that far wall). Here in Grecia, it seems that every bus I've ridden has two columns of seats, but with three seats per row on the left side of the bus. And golly, does it get crowded.

KETCHUP:
It's amazing the number of food possibilities that open up to you when you stop using ketchup as only a condiment and start using it as a sauce... It's not that bad either.

SALAD:
Here, there seem to be two different types of salad, just like in San José. One is the salad that most northamericans are used to, the kind with lettuce. In Costa Rica, the Ticos shred raw cabbage. It gives the salad a little extra kick. Especially when topped with mayonaise and ketchup.

I would like to explain what I'm doing here in Grecia for those of you who don't know: I am working at a local business doing whatever jobs they have for me to better practice speaking. I am actually working in a private school's bio lab testing samples of soil from all over the world, and sending them back. My first day, the gentleman in charge of my work didn't arrive for a long time, so I cleaned everything. Not so hard. I have classes Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the church, but work Mon, Thurs, and Fri.
My host mom is so nice! She practically begs me to eat, so I oblige...

I'll have to write more later--I'm in an internet café and can only afford an hour at a time...
I miss you all!