School

1. Students wear a school t-shirt, but they get to choose which color, and they can wear whatever pants/skirt they want. Staff members don't have a uniform.

2. Students call teachers by their first names, without "Miss" or "Teacher," etc. Therefore, I am "Abby" and Jerry is "Jerry." Funny thing too. There are more than 19 teachers at school, and only 2 are male, and BOTH have the name Jerry, or Gerry (pronounced the same).

3. The school bus that takes us to school is actually the same mustard yellow that's in the U.S. The difference is that the inside looks nicer (each seat with it's own seat cover) and each seat has a seat belt. Our driver, Hernan, was telling me that it's the law in Costa Rica that children must be seat belted when on a bus. Those who are not children do not have to be seat belted, by law.

4. The school rules are pretty much the same. Be respectful of self, others, and property, don't chew gum, don't use profanity or offensive language, be/act safe, and no running in the halls (all halls are outdoors though).

5. The school rule that is not the same as the U.S. is that all students must take OFF their shoes at the door to their classroom, mostly to avoid tracking in dirt and mud, especially during the rainy season.