In Families of Costa Rica, we are invited into the lives of two families, one rural and one urban, and follow them in their daily activities from waking to bedtime, while showing that kids living thousands of miles away in other countries lead everyday lives and participate in daily activities very similar to American children. Ten-year-old Estibaliz is a happy little girl growing up in Cabuya, which is very close to a national nature reserve and has a thriving ecotourism business. Her day begins very early with a few morning activities including breakfast (tortillas, eggs and hot dogs) and some last minute homework. While her mother works as a housekeeper and her father as a groundskeeper for a local hotel, Estibaliz attends private school, studying English, geography, science, math and history. She enjoys eating lunch with her friends and playing in the school band. After school, Estibaliz does chores, including picking up fallen mangoes from the yard and feeding them to the neighboring cows. The following day, we accompany her and her family to an island cemetery to visit her grandmother s grave, then enjoy evening soccer games and a local dance before settling in for bed. Later, we meet 10-year-old José, who lives in Escazu, close to the capital city of San Jose, with his parents and three-year-old brother Gabriel. José also starts his day early, enjoying an egg sandwich for breakfast, followed by Bible study with his father (they re Evangelical Christians), then it s off to private school for him as well. Because his family is building a new home, the trip to school includes a stop to borrow his grandfather s truck to pick up construction supplies. At school, classes include science, art, computers and math. After lessons, José participates in soccer practice. Upon returning home, he walks his dog Sophie, plays music with his brother and does his homework, which includes writing an essay on what he wants to be when he grows up a professional soccer player for Team Barcelona! Then it s off for a well-earned good night s sleep.

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