If I have learned anything in the past two weeks, two months, even two years....it's that the biggest things are actually really small. The small things can be the biggest. Well, indeed, they ARE the biggest.
I've always known that the small things count the most, but knowing and living that philosophy are two very different things. In the past, having a loved one show up to an important volleyball tournament was way more important to me than any congratulatory gift was. When my boyfriend helps with the dishes even though it's his least favorite household chore, it shows me he cares more than any elaborate act can. When my best friend is there for me after a tough day, even when she had a tough one too, even when we are miles apart, her listening ear says more than any grand act of kindness does.
Yes, it's always been about the small things, but things that are even smaller than that can be come important when you miss them. It's true that you often don't miss something until it's gone.
But THEN, when you get it back, you feel like each small token is a million bucks! Like me, after you get used to "roughing it" in the jungle, just being able to paint your toenails (and not having them chip the same day because you're flip-flop walking on gravel roads everywhere), you feel like a D-I-V-A. My toenails are currently shiny purple and they have been that way for A WHOLE WEEK and I'm convinced this is what movie stars feel like.
I've always loved the hot, humid, beachy weather. Essentially, I decided to quit winter when I moved here. Don't get me wrong, I totally dig a good soak in the sun, surfing sick waves, wearing tank tops to work, and never having to wear closed toed shoes. BUT. It sure is nice to not have my hair constantly plastered to my forehead with sweat. I can wear it down for a whole day here without breaking a sweat - I even have to wear pants and long sleeves at night! - and my hair stays clean and dry for more than one millisecond. Sleeping under, well, ANYTHING, is nice after even sheets were unbearable, and I've never been so content snuggling in a fuzzy blanket (except maybe when it included Twinkie Time -shout out Al! haha).
I HAVE INTERNET (5Megs, what up) IN MY HOUSE in case you missed that, and let's be real, in this day in age, that's not such a small thing anymore. But there are small things that come with internet, like listening to music while you cook dinner and watching Netflix with no pants on. Let's just pause. How many of you do that on a daily or weekly basis? Show of hands....Yeah, that's what I thought. So next time you're hanging out in your underpants and oversized hoodie watching the latest episode of Game of Thrones, take a second to reflect on how lucky you are. In so many ways.
As it relates to Netflix, I'm not sure how to handle myself with 112 channels of real-life T.V. I can get yogurt and real portobello mushrooms (as well as most other things actually) here for literally less than half the price of what they were in Guiones. Mostly, having a weekend farmers market less than a block from my house has me counting down the days until Saturday. Not because I don't want to go to work, but because I love market day that much.
(Pause for big small thing #139: There is a power outlet close enough to charge my computer and sit on my porch at the same time. Unpause.)
Speaking of work, the small things couldn't be more black and white after the miserable experience at my previous school. The school here has been nothing but welcoming and helpful in this transition, and that is something I have never had in any transition maybe like ever in my adult life. After putting me up in a (nice) hotel until my apartment was available, they helped me move in! The day before move in, I met with the HR lady. I asked her the directions to my new place so I could find it the next afternoon as I moved my stuff. She looked at me funny and declared, "Oh girl, I'm not that mean!" After a pause and me looking very confused (me: "mean?? uh oh...?? Help, I don't know what's happening..."), she clarified by telling me the school already had a driver set up that would pick me up from school, go get my large inventory of luggage from the hotel, drive me to my new place, and help me move my things. Well then! I was so used to being left to my own devices that I never even considered the possibility that they'd assist me in any of the transition processes. I was wrong again today when I emailed HR concerning my lack of hot water. Listen, I'm so used to not having hot water, that when the previous teacher mentioned the apartment didn't have it, I wasn't worried. I've had no use for it in my past few locations. BUT OH I'm freezing here. It's probably 70 degrees and I'm under a fuzzy blanket with long sleeves on. A shower without hot water ended up being an acrobatic event as I tried to only get my hair wet enough to wash it without it dripping down my back. Think standing-half-back-bend-with-arms-flailing-for-balance-and-squeals-of-surprise-caused-by-ice-water-drops-being-splattered-on-my-back. By 9am this morning, they had the handy man at my house, and upon sticking my hand under the showerhead promptly at 3:30 when I got home, I indeed do have hot water! Whooooo!
My class of ONLY 4th graders already makes fun of me for my marker obsession. They sigh and giggle when I decorate our lesson posters. We have THREE boxes of markers. And no, not the 8 packs like I had ONE of at my old school (that maybe didn't even work). NO, each box has like 50 markers, organized into sections for each of 15 different colors!!! We have more colors of markers here than I had markers period at my old school, even if you count the ones that didn't work. Probably excessive, but for now, it's definitely like Christmas.
OH and I have a microwave to heat up my leftovers for lunch. Try eating a cold, leftover lunch every day (because cold, it was still better than the school lunch), and then we can talk about the special kind of crazy that it makes you.
Among all these small things, of course, there are bigger things that really make a difference. I have a support staff. Previously, my teaching positions required me to wear approximately 14 different hats - teacher (of 3+ grades and 3 core subjects plus multiple specials like art, computer, library, and music), curriculum developer, ESL support, LD coach (learning disabilities), and school counselor all without much planning time or team collaboration mind you. (Then again, when your team is made of 5 in the whole school....well.....let's just say I work with more than that on a daily basis here). But guess what. I wear about 1 hat here. Just 4th grade teacher. Yeah I teach multiple subjects, but I have support staff, and the kids actually go to other teachers for their "specials" classes.
Overall, it's been a good couple weeks here in Escazu. I'm learning more and more that castles cannot be built without each small brick. Dollars cannot be made without pennies. Your glass cannot be full without each droplet of water (or wine, ya know, whichever you prefer).
I've got more and more bricks, pennies, and droplets each day.
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