Thursday, February 18, 2010

Tico school

This is a typical elementary school in a Costa Rican village. This is in Guaitil, a village of pottery artisans, located about a half hour inland from Tamarindo.

As I have mentioned before, Costa Rica abolished its military in 1949 and allocated the military budget instead on education and health care. The result is that today Costa Rica's literacy rate and measures of public health are equivalent to the USA.

There is an emphasis in Costa Rica on teaching children English because so many jobs are in the tourist sector of the economy and, in the Central Valley around San Jose, the high technology manufacturing sector. English is helpful for workers in both industries.

While we are on the subject of learning a language, I would like to take this occasion to comment about all of the Daily Photo bloggers around the world who post their photos and exchange comments in English when it is not their first language. They have my admiration and appreciation.
This week we are sharing some photos of Santa Fe, New Mexico on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.

6 comments:

  1. I second that salute to all those who use English on their blogs though it is not their first language. Thank you, Dave. This school looks so inviting.

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  2. I guess I'll have to make a third salute to all those who use English on their blogs. I am always impressed with people who have multiple language skills.

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  3. As a teenager my daughter volunteered in Costa Rica with Amigos de los Americas and loved it. She lived with a family in San Jose for 6 weeks and learned a great deal. Instead of the lovely condos you have featured in the past, this building to me seems more typical of that little country. Looks like a great school!

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  4. I like the color of this school!

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  5. So good to hear of the educational commitment of Costa Rica. The school looks charming.

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  6. looks exactly like a school I know in Mauritius!

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