Friday, November 18, 2011

The Journey Begins

The lesson plans are written. Grades are updated. My suitcase is packed... and unpacked... and repacked in an effort to meet the weight limit for checked luggage. It's not clothing. I have that down to a science. It's the gifts from New Jersey to Costa Rica.
We'll be visiting schools and staying with a host family during our trip around Costa Rica. What did I think represented New Jersey?

  • Pencils with our state symbols including the official state dinosaur - New Jersey's Hadrosaur was the first complete dinosaur skeleton discovered in North America. 
  • Saltwater taffy - This candy earned its name in New Jersey.
  • Cranberry and blueberry Craisins - New Jersey is major producer of cranberries and blueberries and a member of the Ocean Spray cooperative. The blueberry was first cultivated by Elizabeth White in Whitesbog, NJ.
  • Posters showing songbirds in their New Jersey highlands forest nesting habitat and in their Costa Rican wintering habitat
  • Paperback books titled "Nueva Jersey" - The book is small but packed with information about New Jersey in Spanish.
  • Sandalwood fans - These are not made in New Jersey, but they are great for deterring mosquitos and increasing the rate of evaporation from skin in humid conditions. 
  • Letters from Senora Guzman's students - This is the most important packet that has bumped 22 ounces of Saltwater taffy.
And so with hours left to go before boarding the flight form Newark to San Antonio, I continue to pack.. weigh the suitcase... unpack and repack.

No comments:

Post a Comment