Grupo de Esposas
Spouse Employment
Gardening
Soccer
Pool/Gym/Tennis
Ping Pong
English Group
Language
Cultural Events
Botanical Garden

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Weather
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SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT:

• Finding:  If you are planning on teaching, it is important to coordinate with the academic year schedule.  The school year starts in Feb/March and ends in December.  Most schools prefer to hire in December for the next school year; however, there are often vacancies year round.  The local universities follow trimester and quarter systems, so timing may not be as crucial.  BRING YOUR ORIGINAL TEACHING CERTIFICATE & CREDENTIALS.
   
• Wages:  Salaries are much lower than you would expect in the US.  A full-time teacher will earn around $500/month.
   
• In order to work, you will need a tax ID number:

1. Take your passport and driver's license to the Ministerio de Hacienda Administración Tributaria in Cartago to get a tax identification number.
2. Get a ticket as soon as you walk in the door.
3. Go to the reception and ask for a form for Servicios Profecionales.
4. Go back to the chairs near the entrance to fill out the form and wait for your turn.
5. Once you are called, the process takes about 15 minutes and the administrator will explain how to keep records and declare your income.
6. Once you have your number you will have to:
   1. Get Recibos printed at a a certified printer.  There is one in Turrialba just up from MegaSuper called Empresor Turrialba.  It costs about ¢6000 for 100 receipts.
   2. Buy a notebook (Diario) to keep track of all of your income and expenses.  Make sure to do this according to the directions they give you when you get your ID number.
   3. The tax year ends Sept. 30 every year and you have until December to declare your income at any local bank.

• If you want to work for a public school, you may need to get an work visa.  The institution has to request the visa for you.

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Gardening:
There aren't any community gardens on campus, but there are flower beds outside of the apartments available for planting.  The married student housing with kids has a couple of large communal areas, the married student housing without kids has an individual flower bed, and each lower level dorm room has a flower box outside the window.

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Soccer:
There is an informal group that plays "indoor" soccer every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7:00 on the basketball court at the school on campus.  Show up and meet some new people!

Throughout the year, different groups organize tournaments in which all students and spouses are welcome to participate.

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Pool/Gym/Tennis:
The pool and gymnasium are private entities and are not included in the CATIE tuition and fees.  You must become a socio for you and your family to use the facilities.  Go to the store on campus behind the Henry Wallace building and pay.

1. The pool costs $10/month.  It's open pretty much all the time.  Talk to Antonio at the pool to find out what mornings the local grade school has swimming lessons.  Each socio can invite up to 10 guests a day, but they must pay ¢400.  558-2460
    
2. The gym costs $15/month.  They have a trainer and offer weight lifting, stationary bicycles, numerous aerobics classes, and a sauna. The owner/manager is Rocio Sáenz Mejía rsaenz@catie.ac.cr 558-2299.
    
3. The tennis courts are included in the $10/month pool fee. The court is near the Club Internacional.  You can either bring your own racket and balls or buy them in Turrialba.  A racket costs about ¢8000.  

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Ping pong:
The Club Internacional has a ping pong table that the students and spouses are welcome to use.  You can borrow paddles and balls from the restraunt.

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English Group:
There is a group of native and non-native English speakers which meets Wednesday evenings from 6:00-7:00.  It's similar to the Spanish group in Moscow where it rotates from home to home each week and everyone sits around and chats to practice English.  It's a great way to meet new people and to help other students with their language skills.  If you are interested in joining the group, contact Stacy Sesnie.

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Language:
For anyone interested in improving your Spanish or teaching English, there are a couple of options:

1. AEC - Adventure Education Center on the edge of campus offers Spanish classes.  They offer private and group lessons.  You must pre-register and pay a deposit ahead of time.
2. There are many students and spouses who are interested in a language exchange, they will help you with Spanish and you will help them with English.
3. There are many spouses on campus who charge about ¢1000 - ¢2000 per hour for private  Spanish lessons.  You'll have to ask around because people are constantly coming and going.

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Cultural Events:
For each country represented at CATIE there is an independence day celebration.  The students from each country are responsible for planning the festivities, for example, cultural dances, power point presentations, food, and music.  Start planning early because these are big productions.  Bring materials and ideas to present on the 4th of July.

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Botanical Garden:
CATIE has a beautiful botanical garden right on campus.  Since CATIE was founded, the institution has been building on its collections of germplasms.  In the early stages, coffee, cocoa, and fruit trees were the priorities.  In the following decades, many other collections including beans, maize, tropical fruits and forest species were introduced.  At present, CATIE's seed, in vitro, and field collections of more than 50 hectares are the most important in Central America and include species such as:  various ornamentals, fruit trees, oil palms, peach palms (pejibaye), cacao, coffee, macadamia, guayaba, achiote, litchi, bananas, plantains, and cinnamon.

The road through the seven cabirias is a nice place to take a morning walk or jog; however, you can arrange for a guided tour through the botanical gardens for $10 per person by calling the CATIE reception at 558-2000.

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