Will work for food?

I had my first one-on-one teaching session yesterday evening. I met a lady at my bus stop on Saturday who started to take the TEFL English courses (they are free to Ticos), but thought that they were too advanced for her, so she quit going.

I told her that I needed a student to teach, so I offered her my services. She asked me how much it costs. I told her the lessons are free because I need to do it to practice to get my certification. She was really excited, and started to recite a few words that she knew in English.

We arranged a day and a time. All of this was done in Spanish, so I was not 100% sure. But what I got out of it was that she was going to San Jose for the weekend, and that she was going to return on Tuesday, return for Semana Santa. We were to meet at her apartment on Tuesday (yesterday) at 7pm.

Yesterday was a tough, long day. Class from 8:30 to 5:20pm. After class, I went down to Quepos (my daily little walk downhill) and caught the first bus to Manuel Antonio. Of course, the waiting for the bus factors into the time schedule. I got home, ate a can of tuna and crackers, rested for a few minutes, then went to my one on one.

It is already dark here at 7pm. Raymond, my roommate, warned me that the area by the soccer fields is a little sketchy. And yes, it was. Emily, my student, lived on the street next to the soccer fields. I went in search of her apartment complex. Of course, nothing was labelled. I ended up walking past her place, then asking a lady I saw on the street. She pointed me in the right direction.

I got to the apartment complex, but again, nothing is labelled. I have no idea where in the complex Emily lives. I knocked on the first door I found, a bit apprehensive. A lady, an expat from somewhere, answered the door. She did not know who Emily was, so she asked someone else, who pointed me in the right direction.

Emily, an older lady who sells lingerie, and her husband Edgar, a pensioner (retiree) are very sweet. The lesson went longer than expected, but was okay. Actually, I did have some issues -- I told her that all of the lesson needed to be in English, but there was Spanish used as well. Didn't quite go as I wanted to. But learning did take place...

Edgar and Emily have been trying to learn, little by little. Edgar brought out a Spanish-English dictionary and was inquisitive of pronunciation and what words actually meant. Needless to say, it was a more of a one on two lesson.

Since the area by the soccer fields is sketchy (Edgar said a lot of people do drugs there), they planned to walk me back to the main road. However, Emily wanted to take a shower first. Edgar and I watched TV -- tennis, to be specific, as Emily showered. Then she made me a watermelon drink and gave me some bread that she had made (pan casero). In my mind was..um..when are they going to walk me up?

I told them that I had to go since I have homework to do. Emily gave me a mango. And then we walked up to the main road. They told me that whenever I wanted to drop by, to drop by for dinner. Anyday. And on Thursday, we have another session together. Edgar showed me a fish that he caught in the river that he may cook up.

So it sounds like I am working for food..hehe. Edgar and Emily are the sweetest couple. I feel a bit intrusive, but I think it is their culture to be very giving people.

Looking forward to dinner tomorrow night!