u/CentauriElephante

How do I stop mourning my father?

This is probably going to make me sound like a jerk, but I don't have much sympathy for people who regret their kids. Yes, I acknowledge this could have everything to do with my own daddy issues.

When my dad was alive, he would periodically tell the three of us we weren't worth having and threaten to leave. He never followed through, though. In fact, he'd forget he ever said it.

Only to start up again just because something didn't go his way. Once, I almost killed myself at the tender age of 13 because of these remarks.

I ended all contact with him three years ago, after he held one of my brothers at gunpoint. Ironically, he took my cutoff hard. Hard enough to say he would spend all his money on coins so we wouldn't have anything to inherit when he died.

Now he's dead. My mom and brothers have recovered all his coins and are slowly selling them off. And I'm still here, picking up the pieces.

Jesus, what am I crying over him for? I would rather have had no father than have him.

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u/CentauriElephante — 2 days ago

I am set to go to Costa Rica in June for a volunteering excursion through IVHQ. I'll be volunteering as an English teacher in San Jose for two weeks. I've been working on my TEFL certification and am hoping to use this trip to fulfill the 20-hour practicum requirement, in addition to getting to know the country on my terms and giving to the community.

For now, I do not know how old my students will be nor where in the city I'll be leading these classes. I was told I would find out this information when I land in the country.

I appreciate any and all advice y'all have on making this a successful trip--perhaps the start of many future ones! In particular, I need the following questions answered:

  1. What is the educational/classroom culture like in Costa Rica? I'm asking this for both younger learners and adult learners, since I don't know which group I'll be working with yet (though I admit I prefer to teach adults).

  2. I am autistic. What is the extent of autism awareness and acceptance in Costa Rica? What are some social rules I should be especially aware of?

  3. I'm staying with a local family. What is home life like in Costa Rica? How may I best get along with my host family?

  4. Packing tips? (Additional context: I'll be concurrently teaching some college courses as an adjunct instructor, so I'll need to bring along my laptop to keep managing my courses.)

Thanks in advance for all your guidance!

u/CentauriElephante — 11 days ago