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Say “yamanga fanaan” (Wolof language) to a Senegalese and notice how much hearing one word in their native tongue means to them, even if the literal translation is simply “good morning.” This extends from the six official languages of the U.N. to the unprecedented myriad of indigenous languages and even to the dialects of each village, city, and state. Costa Rica included. “Tuanis mae” roughly translated as “cool, dude” will put a smile on any tico’s face—a “tico” being a native of Costa Rica. Language is the door to comprehension and comprehension is, well, the door to our future.

I have been in Central America for four months now, two of those living here in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. Of course no one can travel anywhere without some sort of income, whether the source is parents, severance pay from a previous job, or actual work in the country one is visiting. I chose, by pure process of elimination, the third income option. Alas, upon arriving in San Jose, my first goal, before finding work, was to find an affordable place to live. Central San Jose is a bustling city, albeit not very dangerous, however I did not want to live in the chaos, confusion and dirt of downtown.

Staying the first few nights at Costa Rica Backpackers was wonderful. It is a backpacker’s paradise nestled in the hustle and bustle of downtown, complete with swimming pool, spacious kitchen, free coffee, free Internet, affordable prices and lovely staff and clientele. For my apartment search, I headed to explore the two main universities here, UCR and U Latina. Sure enough, in the women’s bathroom of U Latina, I found just the ad I was hoping to find. I called and within no time had moved to La Sabanilla, a safe area near the university at a stone’s throw from the city center. At $60 USD a month, my modest savings would last longer and endorse further explorations. I was ready to begin my job hunt.

I called every number even remotely related to teaching languages, teaching whatever, selling what have you, working with anyone; all in all, a wide array of colorful jobs seemed to surface. Such a wild-goose chase is a particularly interesting way to get to know a city. Far from the tourist traps, I explored some of the less frequented parts of town and met with some rather shady folks.

My main sources were the local Spanish-language newspaper, “La Nación” and Central America’s premiere English-language newspaper, the “Tico Times.” There did not prove to be many useful Internet job listings although many a flyer I ripped off and rang. I had my resume online, ready to send to anyone who requested it. The search paid off and Universal de Idiomas, a highly respected language school in San Jose, called me on my friend’s phone—as the Internet isn’t as indispensable to daily life here as in the US, a contact number proves crucial when seeking employment.

Thus I began teaching English, a prominent lingua franca of our day, as many varied individuals around the world learn it to communicate with people of other origins. Time to share my native language with others, to share my culture and the many cultures I have come across in my travels. In my conversation classes, we have read articles about the state of communist North Korea, Vipassana meditation from India and the hip hop artist Daddy Saj from Sierra Leone—a country whose civil war ended just two years ago. The sky is the limit in the topic of our conversation class.

One project I assigned was to call an airline to acquire the details in English for booking a flight to Tokyo, London, Rio de Janeiro or La Paz. Another was imagining that you could visit any country in the world for two weeks with an unlimited budget; describing when you would go, how you would get there and what you would do whilst there. Specific information was requested such as the currency, current president, climate, visa requirements, and other practical and useful travel tips. This is a way to use the English language while learning about other countries, cultures, and, yes, languages. Finally, each student chose a topic for a final project.

We visited Costa Rica Backpackers and interviewed native and non-native English speakers. This type of interaction is imperative in solidifying one’s ability to communicate and make oneself fluidly understood in a language. Having to react and speak immediately, without the deceptive luxury of a grammar book, magically helps expand one’s vocabulary and arsenal of idiomatic expressions. When learning a language, it is crucial to sense improvement.

Two other charming opportunities while living in a foreign country are learning the local language at the language institute which you teach and engaging in cultural barters with locals who can not attend a formal language institute. The first is possible at Universal de Idiomas where I took a week of Spanish conversation classes. They were not only enjoyable but also wonderful for strengthening my Spanish and increasing my linguistic flexibility, rewarding me with more success in my daily life here. The second opportunity presents itself only by being outgoing and open-minded.

One wonderful woman I met here named Flor works at Panaderia Colombia, my favorite coffee shop and bakery in San Jose. She wished to study English but simply did not have the resources to do so. So I teach her English and rather than money, she offers me delicious coffee whenever I swing by. Not only is the exchange lovely but the friendship which has grown is very special.

Living in another country and teaching one’s native language can be a very positive cultural exchange. I have met many wonderful ticos in the process and learned a great deal from them about this unique tropical country. The way one thinks in a foreign language allows one to learn more about themselves. Many people open up and lose their inhibitions, not just in the acquired language but in their native language too. A foreign language increases one’s understanding of word meanings and causes one to question everything they know. With time, the new language becomes less foreign and in fact integrates in one’s brain. How lovely not only to understand the words a person from another country speaks but their cultural significance as well.

I would recommend anyone to visit Costa Rica and teach English. Yes, it is a wildly interesting adventure but that’s not all, it’s also an unparalleled opportunity to fertilize the progressive globalization of language comprehension. Awareness of the region’s history and its political relationship with your home country is invaluable and will make for a more enriched cultural exchange. For the past two centuries, the US has been extensively involved in Central America, repeatedly strangling domestic attempts at self-government. Many are left bitter towards US citizens.

Be tolerant, be patient, and break the outdated mold of the stereotypical US citizen. Misconceptions aside, you are sure to flourish and have many fascinating interactions. Enjoy the experience of being an integral part of the reconstruction of the Tower of Babel. Cheers and “¡buen viaje!”

Monique Mizrahi is currently studying 62 languages. She always has her world atlas with her, either on her physical person or on her mind. She lives 10° north of the Equator, 84° east of the Prime Meridian, and is currently traveling south. Visit www.honeybird.net.

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