Lost in Translation

My conversation class has been almost as much about culture as conversation. Today we talked about how Ticos can live on a $300/month salary and whether we should or shouldn't have mission agencies.

The short answer to the first point: Ticos often have to live together with other family members (brothers, etc.) to make ends meet. In that case, each family member would be responsible for paying one of the bills (water, power, rent, etc.). Our teacher started working when she was 11 years old. She worked from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. as a maid, then went to school from 6-10 p.m. After that she did homework, went to sleep, and woke up to do it again.

She now has her first car, for which she prayed twenty years. These discussions definitly cause we to feel humbled.