Just another day in San Jose

Museo Nacional

As I finish up my last days here (I fly home tomorrow) I am slowly seeing more and more of this amazing city. Sure its dirty by my standards but its really neat! Yesterday I went downtown to the Museo Nacional. The taxi had to drop us off a couple blocks up because the streets were closed for a protest. We walked head on into a protest of the indigenous people. It was very peaceful but amazing to watch. They were protesting for their rights to practice and protect their heritage. The people here (indigenous and non-indigenous) keep many elements of the indigenous culture alive. Many Costa Ricans have indigenous and Spanish blood and celebrate both cultures. Very different from back at home where we've all but eradicated Native American culture.

Smoothies (the one on the R is mine!)

The national museum is really neat. It is an old fort built in 1917 and was used to house the military. Bullet holes splatter the exterior walls from the Civil War of 1948. This Civil War greatly shaped this country. Lasting for 44 days, the rebel army overthrew the current president and legislature. They constructed a new Constitution outlining Costa Rican's Rights and abolished the army. In 1950 the Costa Rican government turned the fort into a museum. Inside the museum we found a butterfly garden, history of the fort, indigenous history and much more. I learned a lot about the first people to live in Costa Rica and how that culture has transformed today.

Walking the streets back to school we came across one of the thousands of smoothie shops that dot San Jose. These places are amazing, you watch them cut the fruit up right in front of you and its far better than any smoothie place in the states. I had Guanabana and Cas in yogurt...yum! It was so good. These are fruits I can't get back in the states and I love them so much!

Campus of Andres' School

This week I also got a chance to see where Andres goes to school. He goes to a private school and it is very different than the public school Indiana goes to. There are lots of gates, security guards, cameras and much more. The primary and secondary schools both have their own gyms and play facilities. It is a Catholic school and the chapel on campus is gorgeous. In a lot of ways this private school reminded me of Concordia's campus. They offer lots of programs to their students and really make the experience worth while. At Indiana's school, where she goes to Kinder, there is one guard, a gate, they say there is a camera but I couldn't find it, and its not very well protected. Her mom told me that drug dealers often stand on the street side of the gate and pass cigarettes, joints and other drugs in to the young students when the teachers aren't looking. The public school system is very corrupt so teachers and administrators often steal money and other resources from the schools. It is a world of a difference. Most people send their students to private school if they have the money and their children can pass the entrance exam. Private schools often prepare students better for University than public schools. In 11th grade (the last grade of Costa Rican school), all students have to take an exam for the University of Costa Rica, if they pass they get in if not they don't, it doesn't matter how much money a person has. Often times students with a lot of money who don't pass this exam will go to private universities in the country, like Veritas, where I studied. Public University is very cheap in Costa Rica. They can go to school for four years for the same price I pay for one year. Its crazy! And because University is so cheap, most families don't mind paying for their child's primary and secondary schools. My host family told me in the US we get free education along the way and pay a lot at the end, in Costa Rica they pay a little the whole way along so its just a little at the end. A very interesting and surprisingly successful system.

The group (minus Kirbs) on my last day in CR. (L to R) Jes, Kas, Me and Hans)

That about wraps up my final adventures in Costa Rica...I am actually home now but there will be one more entry about how I got here.    

Exploring San Jose

Teatro Nacional

Since I arrived in Costa Rica I've spent the majority of my free time traveling to far of beaches and volcanoes of the country. Now as I coast through my last week I find myself with an abundance of free time. The Spanish course I took for 4 hours every morning was done last Friday. This means that I don't have to be to school until 6pm at night. With all this free time I've found myself getting out to explore the city of San Jose.

National Park of Costa Rica

The capitol of Costa Rica is an interesting place full of history, culture and some cool places hidden away. On Monday I found myself sitting at home with nothing to do so when it was time to pick Indiana up from Kinder I asked Claudia if I could come along. This was my first opportunity to see a public school in Costa Rica. Now public schools here are not like public schools at home. They receive insufficient funding and lack the security of private schools here. Kids and teachers need to be extra careful because drug dealers hang around outside the gates and hand drugs in for innocent children to try getting them hooked early. Because its so unsafe most families choose to send their children to private school but in order to get into private school here the students must pass an entrance exam no matter how much money the family has. So the public schools end up having low achieving and poor students. Andres goes to a private school and hopefully I'll get to come with to pick him up later this week. On Monday I also found the coolest little cafe called Musa Confusa 2 blocks away from campus. I never knew it existed and I'm so sad I just found it.

National Cathedral

Tuesday was a day for exploring Downtown. I went with a few people from my night class. We took the public bus for the first time. Imagine this giant school bus painted Blue, Yellow and Orange pulling up on the side of the road. Everyone shuffles on paying 150 colones (about 20 cents) and scoots into these plastic old fashion bus seats (and not school bus seats). We were dropped off a few blocks from out destination, el Teatro Nacional (the national theatre). This theatre was built in 1897 and is a replica of the National Theatre in France. The entire interior was hand painted and is absolutely gorgeous. For me the pinnacle of the Theatre was the Chandelier, hundreds of tiny lights make up this gigantic beacon and it looks so cool when all the lights go out. The afternoon show was a selection of Arias from various Operas. The performers were Costa Rican students trying to get a head start before studying in Europe or the US and hopefully having a career. It was an amazing show, especially since it was only 1000 colones ($2). After the show we stopped by this little cafe for lunch. It was kind of spendy but I had a delicious Montecristo sandwich, two cups of coffee and for dessert Tres Leches (3 milks). This dessert has become very popular in Costa Rica but infact it is a Nicaraguan dessert. My host family is actually originally from Nicaragua, my host mom and all her kids were born there but moved here when the youngest was 3. I think its funny that Costa Ricans love tres leches so much because most Costa Ricans strongly dislike Nicaragua (the two countries have had a tense history). Tres leches is a very sweet cake with a light frosting and the whole thing is doused in milk. It is so good but very rich. I want to learn how to make it.




Later today I am going to the Gold Museum and National Museum. More updates on that later.               

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No its Zach!

Today was a national holiday here in Costa Rica. Over the past week thousands of people from across the country made a pilgrimage to Cartago, the old capitol of Costa Rica. Their the masses gather at a Basilica to celebrate La Negrita, the little black virgin. The main event actually occurred last night as people entered Cartago walking on their knees and into the Basilica. Today is the official holiday and everyone rests and parties after the long night. Although I did not make the walk to Cartago I still had a fantastic holiday.

This morning I woke up at 6am for an exciting adventure. 8 students from Veritas along with 3 adults from Europe piled into a van and drove about two hours to San Luis in Alajuela Province. It was a thrilling day! We began our trek with some easy lines. One has to remember when Zip Lining to keep your knees up. The first few lines were very slow because they were so short. After 4 lines we came to the Tarzan Swing! This thing was amazing. A long rope was ready to carry you over a cliff to look out onto the rainforest. I was a little nervous to do it because everyone before me screamed a ton and said it was scary. It takes two guys to get you ready to go but once they let  you go the feeling is amazing. You feel free as you swing over the trees and get a beautiful view of the valley below.

We continued our tour through many other zip lines. They were all longer than the first few and the crew really tried to make the experience fun. On one line they employees would shake the rope while you were riding across which turned out to be a cool bumpy ride. Finally, we came to the Big Daddy of the canopy tour, the Superman! This was like all the other lines expect for two things, first it was the highest and longest of all the lines and second you were strapped into a sack on your stomach so you could "fly" like superman. It was really neat! The view was absolutely gorgeous! Today was such a neat experience and I know I will go again someday.

Los maravillosos del bosque tropical

Walking into Tirimbina

Everyday I look out my window and see the mountains surrounding the San Jose valley. On my walk to school I pass a variety of palm trees and exotic plants yet somehow San Jose has never felt like "the tropics." This past weekend I finally got to experience the tropics for real! One Saturday morning my Tropical Ecology class and I embarked on a journey to Tirimbina Biological Reserve in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica. Just over two hours outside of San Jose exists a wildlife reserve teeming with life. Tirimbina is a private park protecting 345 hectares of rainforest on the Sarapiqui river. Less than 10% of the park has been altered by humans which makes it a great example of Primary Forest (a forest that hasn`t had to regenerate in 70 years or more. Tirimbina is definitely a RAINforest. Therefore, one needed to have a rain jacket on them at all times. During one of our walks it rained more than 8 different times.

We went on two walks, one during the afternoon and another after dark. Both walks began by crossing the hanging bridge into the park. The bridge hung over the river and blew in the wind. With each step you wanted to grab the railing to steady yourself but each time you had to check to see if bullet ants were walking along the railing. Bullet ants are nearly an inch long and can be extremely aggressive if you are not careful they will bite you and it will knock a person out for a day. Once we entered the forest there was an array of stimuli to take it. If you walk into the rainforest, stand perfectly still and remain perfectly quiet you hear an orchestra of chirps, sqwaks, croaks, and flapping wings. The forest isn`t silent, on the contrary its like an all natural rock concert. The tree are a lot different than you`d think too. There are some palm trees but many look like the trees back at home. There is little vegetation on the forest floor since the soil lacks many nutrients, most of the tree roots are above ground to get the most water possible. Moss grows everywhere blanketing the forest in a permanent green hue.

Preying Mantis

Insects are literally everywhere! During our evening walk a bunch of us got bit by small black ants. It felt like a bunch of pin pricks all over my ankles and they itched really bad. Throughout the night hike we came across spiders big and small, a 5 inch long preying mantis, and the giant flying cockroach of Costa Rica. Despite the fear of these bugs falling on you at any time it was really neat to see the diversity of insects in the forest. Frogs were not hard to find either except we heard them more than we saw them. One frog we saw a lot of was the Blue Jean Frog. This little guys is red with blue legs but watch out because when he feels threatened he secretes a black poison from his back. They are tiny things but they are packing.

Waterfall we saw on the way home

Overall the rainforest was a really cool experience. On Sunday we had presentations in the morning and then we were suppose to have more free time but we had to leave early. The road we used to get to Tirimbina was closed because there was a mudslide due to the amount of rain the night before. We took a around about way back to San Jose but saw some amazing things along the way. We drove through a city that had been destroyed by an earthquake about 3 years ago...it was very eerie to see the destruction and abandoned buildings. Near the ghost town we stopped at a Soda for lunch. Side bar: A soda is a mini restaurant that they have all over Costa Rica. They are owned by families and most make really good food but it can get a little expensive. This Soda was right along the road over looking a steep valley into a river. Amongst the mist and fog we saw tiny waterfalls forming along the walls of the valley from all the rain. The food was very good too! I had chicken in homemade salsa with rice and homemade tortillas yum! Our next stop was only minutes away where we found an amazing waterfall! This country is so beautiful and I cannot believe the new things I find everyday. This quote resonates with me and expresses my thoughts on Costa Rica well

Discovering this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a
     yearning to linger here, where time stands still and beauty
     overwhelms.

-Author Unknown

Sunday was also my birthday! It was a pretty uneventful day, traveling and doing homework for the most part. I was surprised  though when my host family brought out a cake during dinner. We celebrated AJ (one of my housemates) and my birthday that night. AJ's birthday was our second day in Costa Rica so it was good to have a proper celebration for him that night. Following cake we danced some Bachata in the living room. All in all it was a great birthday.

5-4-3-2-1 JUUUUUUUUUUUMP

Studying abroad is all about being open to new experiences. On orientation day told us that we should all be open to changing and growing. When we arrived here our identities had been erased and we had the opportunity to try new things and evolve a people. Since that time I have tried many new things but today may have been the most out of character experience for me. Today, I went bungee jumping. Now earlier this week I was trying to decide what to today since its a holiday in Costa Rica so we had no school. When my friends suggested Bungee Jumping I opposed. After some cajoling I was convinced to do it...I mean you only live once right?

 I was very nervous the hours leading up to the jump and I wasn't even sure if I would jump. They had us sign release forms which was an eerie experience. We were then brought to a bridge going over a deep gorge. Now this bridge wasn't special for bungee jumping, in fact cars would cross every once in a while. The guys that worked for the company made us feel so safe. They were reassuring and got you really pumped up to jump. I was the second person to jump in our group and I was really scared to do it, especially after watching someone else do it first. When its your turn they have you  step up and they tighten all your straps...its kind of weird how few straps they actually use. There is a safety tether they attach around your wait and the bungee is attached to your feet. The bungee is only like 2 inches thick and extremely elastic like a really thick rubber band. Yet despite all of it you feel extremely safe. 

After getting suited up you have to walk to the edge of a tiny platform. Since the bungee connects your feet you have to waddle over to the edge and drop the bungee cord between your feet. You look down and all you see are trees and a river. The countdown begins, 5-4-3-2-1 you put your arms straight out, push off with your feet (barefoot by the way) and begin to free fall. At first you feel like you have "eagles in your stomach," you want to scream but the wind in knocked right out of you. Before hand I thought I'd scream, shut my eyes, panic but none of that happened. The feeling is pure joy absolute euphoria. The best part is the free fall. You feel strangely free and light. Once I snapped the laughing began. I could not believe how amazing the experience had been. Once you snapped the first time you start to swing and you swing a long ways. Imagine hanging there upside down, over a river and swinging from side to side under a bridge. Hanging there is that moment is like nothing else I've ever felt and the feeling lasts for quite some time. You feel more relaxed more.... Pura Vida! 

After you stop swinging they lower a rope down to you. Its kind of tricky because you're hanging upside down, on this endorphin high, blood is rushing to your head and you have to catch this rope that they lower to you and clip it on your belt. Coming back the the bridge is an amazing feeling. I remember thinking "did I just really do that?" and then I said to my friend Jes "I kinda want to do that again." Here is what I learned today. Sometimes we have to do things that scare us because we might actually enjoy it. Experiences help us evolve as a person and personal development is critical to growing up. This is just an example of many experiences I've had so far in Costa Rica. All of these things have changed me in some way and hopefully for the better. I see the world through a slightly different lens. I leave you with this quote:

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions."

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

Irazu

Irazu Volcano Crater

After a crazy day yesterday I woke up for another day of travels. Today we ascended 11,000 feet above sea level to the Irazu volcano the highest active volcano in Costa Rica. On a clear day you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, unfortunately we came on a cloudy day. When we first arrived the main crater wasn't visible so we walked the black sandy plans surrounding the volcano. It almost feels like you're in another world little vegetation clouds and fog all around. Finally, a breeze pushed the clouds away and we had a beautiful view of the main crater. At the center is a green crater lake called Diego de la Haya. The lake is colored because of algae and sulfur chemical reactions. The most famous eruption of this volcano began in 1963 when JFK arrived in San Jose for his tour of the country. This eruption lasted until 1965. The last eruption lasted only a day in 1994 and was contained to the national park causing minimal damage. This park was truly a spectacular to see.

Black Plains around the crater

Following Irazu we descended toward a local community for lunch. Coming down the sides of the volcano was one of the best views I've ever seen. Clouds hang below and around mountain tops as we descend. Crop fields and pastures dot the slops as cattle carefully keep their balance trying to graze a little. It is amazing how these people live. Along the way we stopped to buy homemade bread and organic strawberries from  families selling crops. The bread was amazing and these were some of the best strawberries I've ever had. They served them with sweet and condensed milk a tasty combination. While enjoying our treats we arrived at restaurant for lunch. 

The view descending the volcano

Lunch was at a eco-farm with all the food being grown organically and sustainably (the way of life in Costa Rica). I enjoyed a juicy chicken breast, light salad and mashed yuka (a potato like veggie). The food was amazing! For dessert we had ice cream with papaya mmm! The view from the restaurant was stunning overlooking the Orosi valley. 

We left the eco-farm and desended into the valley to visit an old catholic church built in the 1700s. Our stay was very short and we continued to another church in Cartago Costa Rica. This Basilica is the site of an important holiday in Costa Rica, Virgen de los Angeles. A statuette of a La Negrita (Black Virgin) was found at the site by an indigenous woman. When she tried to take it with her it reappeared from the spot she'd taken it. Since then the site has been considered holy. Each year on August 2nd, the day she was discovered, people form San Jose go on a pilgrimage by foot 22 km to the Basilica usually completing the journey on their knees. When I entered the Basilica people were walking down the main aisle on their knees to the main alter. A very interesting story. 

Perfect view to eat to

All in all today was much more relaxed than yesterday. The sites we saw were far closer to San Jose than Poas and the Doka Plantation. I also didn't sleep well last night and this busy schedule is catching up on me. 3 weeks left in San Jose and I am soaking up every moment. Next weekend I am going to Tirimbina Biological Reserve on the Caribbean side of the country for my Tropical Ecology class. Next weekend is also my birthday. I think this is going to be a VERY busy week.             

Doka--Poas--La Paz

Coffee Cherries

Today has been an absolutely amazing adventure. Woke up at 6am to get ready for my trip to a Volcano! We left so early that our mama tica didn't make us breakfast. About 15 of us loaded onto a small bus a began the 2 hour trek to Alajuela just north of San Jose. The distance from San Jose to Alajuela isn't that long but here in Costa Rica it takes a VERY long time to get anywhere by car. Due to poor road conditions, heavy traffic, and variable terrain something 20 miles away can take nearly an hour to get to. 

The first stop was made at the Doka Coffee Plantation. Sadly we only stayed about an hour, just enough time to learn a little about how they grow their coffee, see some coffee plants, and buy a little coffee. The Doka Plantation is grown on the side of the Poas volcano so the soil produces very good coffee. Doka produces a French Roast, Breakfast Blend, Espresso Blend, and Peaberry. Needless to say I bought 2 pounds of coffee (for less than $20) and a traditional Costa Rican coffee brewer called a "chorreador." The grounds are put in a "coffee sock" and warm water (not boiling) is poured over the top and the coffee drains into the cup below. The sock is better than normal paper filters at home because it allows the oils from the coffee to soak through which enhances the flavor. 

 

 

 

 

Chorreador

 Sadly, my time at Doka was short lived but the coffee was delicious. The next leg of the trip brought us nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, the Poas Volcano. Up in the cloud forest on the side of the volcano we hiked from the visitors center to an outlook above the crater to see the crater lake. Sadly, due to our altitude the crater wasn't visible because it was a cloudy day. However, this adventure was not hopeless, the hike to the outlook was a beautiful example of Mountain and Cloud forest habitats and the views were spectacular. We descended to a lower outlook and the clouds started to clear a little and we were able to see a little of the crater. But I am hopeful because tomorrow we are going to another Volcano, Irazu. 

 

 

My friends Kas, Kerby, Jes, Alejandro and myself at Poas Crater

  Our last stop of the day was to La Paz (The Peace). La Paz is like a natural resort that people can stay at or visit. We ate lunch there and then explored the resort. We came across a garden of Hummingbirds. They were everywhere but we had to be careful because they are territorial so every once in awhile one would dive at your head. We also went into a butterfly garden. It was so cool, the butterflies would land right on your hand and try to suck nectar off of you. I had a butterfly land on my head and stay there for quite some time. When I got out of the garden I took off my sweatshirt and found one hiding inside. After, the butterflies we entered the aviary and saw Tucans. You could actually have them land on your arm. However, the highlight of La Paz was the waterfalls. 5 beautiful waterfalls can be found along a river running through the resort. They were absolutely beautiful but I only have a couple pictures since my camera died (lots of picture taking today). 

All in all today was a ton of fun. Its great to explore new places with my new friends, la ganga, as we call ourselves. I have yet to introduce them so really quick here they are. Alejandro is my housemate and member of la ganga. He is from RI and studying alternative medicine. Kasandra (left in the picture above) is from Ottawa, Canada. We call her Kas because her favorite drink here is Cas (a fruit kind of like an orange that is often made into a juice. Kerby (R of Kas) is from Tampa, Florida and just graduated high school. Kerby is a bundle of fun but often times doesn't know where she is. The final member of la ganga is Jes from Jersey. Jes has truly traveled the world and knows lots of Spanish. We are in the same Spanish class. She can be crazy but is a sweetheart. These are the people I'm spending free time with along with 250 other students from the United States. I've already met 2 other people from MN.

La Paz Catarata (waterfall)

Tucan

 Colibri (Hummingbird)

Mariposa (butterfly)  on my shoulder

   

Mi Familia Tica

Ticos are what Costa Ricans called themselves so here in Costa Rica we all live with Familias Ticas or Tica Families. Due to my schedule I really don't spend a lot of time at home with my family but they are a great bunch. Clarisa is my mama tica and has 7 children. I don't know for sure but I believe she is close to 70. Two of Clarisa's children, Raul and Claudia live in the house behind us with Claudia's children Andres and Indiana. With my other two housemates we make quite the tica family.

I absolutely love my family because in many ways they resemble my family back home. I can't pinpoint similar personalities but the community is very much the same. First, Costa Ricans are very affectionate. We all say good morning, good night, hello, good bye, how was your day? because if we didn't it would be rude. I give and get a kiss on the cheek every morning, evening, and every time I leave or come home. All these little customary actions create a closeness amongst us all. We joke all the time (in Spanish of course) and breakfast or dinner consists of many laughs. In that way dinner is similar to back at home...well minus the food.

Not only am I fed twice a day but Clarisa (or the house help I'm not quite sure) does my laundry daily and folds my clothes....its looks better than anything I could ever do. Every morning I make my bed and pick up my room and everyday when I come home my bed has been remade perfectly, my pictures put in a nice row and my book organized. I am spoiled here!

My clothes are folded perfectly everyday

Tonight, mamita (what I call Clarisa) and I had an hour long conversation while I ate my dinner. Even though I was stressed from school and everything that needed to be done this conversation helped relax me. It was fun to talk, learn more about their culture and touch some interesting topics. Not only did my Spanish improve but my relationship with Clarisa deepened. Today was a reminder of what I've learned over the last few months, family is so important no matter what form it takes. I am thousands of miles away from my family but I have a family here too. They may never be the same as the ones I have back home but I am not a stranger in this how. We all have a general interest in each others lives and it is nice to know that I have people I can depend on here. 

Even though things can be stressful here I always have my family with me. I wake up to these faces everyday.

Tamarindo

Una pipa-Coconut 

This weekend myself and the other students at Veritas took a trip to the Pacific Ocean. The town we went to is called Tamarindo Beach and is located in Guanacaste, Costa Rica in the northwest of the country. In this beautiful paradise I spent an entire day and two nights exploring another part of Costa Rica. In Tamarindo, the people truly embody the idea of Pura Vida (Pure Life). Pura Vida is a popular phrase here in Costa Rica that they use for everything. The phrase shows the "pure" culture here. Costa Ricans pride themselves on eating naturally and organically, not worrying about things all the time, and respecting and conserving nature. 

On Saturday I spent a large chunk of time on the beach. A group of us went out into the ocean and floated around in the waves. The water was very salty, far saltier than I've ever experienced and the sun felt amazing. The sun is extremely intense here because Costa Rica is contained within the 10th parallel and very close to the equator. While walking down the beach we bought pipas (coconuts) from vendors for 1000 colones or $1. At first I was leery but they cut them open right before your eyes. The water is very sweet and the meat inside tastes amazing (although I know people who would disagree with me). 

  

In the afternoon we spent time shopping around Tamarindo but everything was very expensive. However, the food was very good. I tried lots of all naturally fruit smoothies with new types of fruit. My favorite was Cas which kind of tastes like an orange. After awhile we went to the pool at our hotel. At the hotels in Tamarindo they don't have hot tubs because it is very humid and hot there. So we sat in the "jacuzzi" (a smaller pool with jets) for a few hours and talked up a storm. That night a few of us bought ice cream and just walked along the beach. In Costa Rica the sun sets at 6pm everyday all year round so walking on the beach at night is pitch black but when your eyes adjust the view is spectacular.

   

On this excursion I saw lots of wildlife. The hotel we stayed at was up in the rainforest away from the beach and the owners were involved in saving the monkeys. In Costa Rica there are a lot of monkey and also a lot of power lines. Because of the land the power lines are all above ground and the monkeys use them to cross roads, rivers, and paths. The consequence is that most monkeys will be electrocuted, severely injured or die because of the human impact on their environment. To help with this problem locals are collecting funds and building rope bridges to help the monkeys cross safely. We also saw black iguanas and scarlet macaws the last few days as well. 

 

 

 

Mono-Monkey

The salvemonos website is linked below if you'd like to learn more.  

http://salvemonos.org/

Frutas comio en Costa Rica

The best things about food here so far...the fruit. Its true you know. In the US we have embraced GMO (genetically modified organisms) crops while many of the countries of Central American, including Costa Rica, have denounced the idea and have kept them out of the country. Here all the fruit is grown organically by the farmers and tastes amazing. On Sunday we went to the fairia (the farmer's market) and bought food for this week a typical tradition in this household. While there I tried so many fruits, many of which I'd never heard of.

Mamon Chino 

This crazy fruit has become a favorite of mine. At first it looks crazy but its actually very sweet if you eat it at the right time. It needs to be dark and hard before eating it. You peel off the outside and carefully eat the sweet white tissue inside. At the center of the tissue is a seed that is like a cross between a peanut and an almond. It is kind of sour but good. We eat mamon chino at breakfast sometimes or for a snack. 

 Jocote (ho-co-te)

This little fruit is probably my favorite overall. Its no bigger than a ping pong ball and has a bit of a sour/sweet taste to it like a sweet tart candy. You put the whole jocote into your mouth and eat it but the center is hard and you can't eat that so you need to be careful not to swallow it. Jocote are ready to eat when they are yellow or red. Green is okay but there are some toxins that may upset your stomach so its best to eat it mature. Jocote fruit have lost their ability to germinate and scientists don't know why. The only way to plant new Jocote trees is to take a shoot or branch from an established tree, plant it into the ground, and hope it takes. It is the beginning of Jocote season in Costa Rica.

 Papaya

 My first night here we went out to eat at a restaurant. The food was good but my favorite part was the drink I had. Here in Costa Rica all natural fruit juices are everyone and I mean ALL NATURAL. They literally put the fruit through a juicer right in front of you for most cases. The first night I had a papaya con  leche drink, papaya with milk and it had a little cinnamon in it...one of the first and best things I've tried so far!
 

Other food that is really good here: Bananas (banao), Pineapple (pina), salad (ensalada) with lemons (limones), and much much more. I tried a drink at the fairia that was made out of tree bark. They say it is good for two things: Helping your digestive system and for hangovers. Not sure how the last one works but that's what I've been told. 

Guanabana 

This strange fruit that was sitting in the kitchen is a little bigger than a football and weights 5 kilos. This morning for breakfast we had Guanabana con leche. Its like a milk shake. Much like the papaya drink I had, Guanabana is very sweet. It is a little thicker and tastes more like the sugar cane juice I had at the fairia than the papaya juice. 

The food here really had a different taste and I believe its affecting my body in a positive way. I'm feeling a lot better (despite the moist climate and feeling congested a lot) and I think my body is dispelling a lot of toxins. When I first got here I was sick to my stomach after eating but each day I feel much better. I believe the way we eat in the US, with preservatives and chemicals really affects our health in a negative way so our body cannot function naturally. My favorite drink here is the fresh lemonade. Mario, my host mom's son, grows his own lemon and mango trees in the country by the beach. We always have salad with lemon as a dressing. Literally half a lemon is your dressing as you squeeze it onto the salad, mmmmm. The other major difference is that food like this is very very very cheap here. Well, now I am off to school. Ciao!

Mi horario-My Schedule

Now that school has started I have a busy schedule each day.

6am-I wake up and get ready for the day. A quick shower, get dressed and prepare for the day. I have to do this because my 2 other house mates also need to get ready, we have our own bathroom.

7am-Usually earlier for me. We have breakfast together and it is HUGE here. They have a saying here in Costa Rica that doctors and nutritionists use- "For breakfast eat like a king, for lunch like a prince, and for dinner like a peasant." This way of eating is actually better for overall digestion but goes against everything I'm used to. Typical breakfast is: Coffee, Gallo Pinto, Eggs, Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, Salad with Lemon, Bread, Potatoes, Beans, and tons of fruit! (ill talk more about food in another post.)

At 7:45am we leave for school. It is about a 10 min walk from my house and we have to cross a busy highway which can be hard in Costa Rica. Costa Ricans drive like maniacs...they say Minnesotans drive fast...well I see worse everyday. Here, pedestrians never have the right of way so you always need to be looking, yes they will run over you. On the way to school we pick up some of our friends! They are women and their mama tica's like them to walk to school with men.

8am-Spanish class starts and ends at noon. We have one break from 10-10:30 where we can go to the cafe and grab a coffee and chat, en espanol claro. I am in Advanced Spanish 1. Its actually a really fun class but a lot of work. We have lots of readings and homework. But its fun. We've been learning expressions specific to Costa Rica like "Pura Vida" its the same as "Como estas" here and can be used in many other ways.

Noon-1pm: Lunch. For lunch mi ganga (gang) and I go out to a local soda (small restaurant) near Veritas. Today we went to my host mom's daughter's restaurant and I had the best chicken fajita in the whole world. Along with a drink but I can't remember the name. Down here all the drinks and food are 100% organic. NO PRESERVATIVES! The drink its literally the juice of a fruit with milk and very very sweet.

From 3-5 I have a huge break where I do homework. Usually grab a coffee too. Since I have night class my mama tica makes dinner for me at 5. Its small but very good. And always with coffee and  a dessert.

6pm-8pm:  I have Tropical Ecology. The class is kind of boring now since its just the basics of ecology but I think its going to be a lot of fun. The last two weeks here I am going on weekend excursions with the class. First to the Caribbean side of  Costa Rica to see a rainforest and then to the Pacific side to see a dry forest the next weekend. Costa Rica is separated into halves partially but the fault that runs down the center of the country. On the Caribbean side its very humid and rainy this time of year, the rainy season or winter here. The Pacific is also wet now but not as wet. This weekend I am going to a beach on the Pacific side called Tamarindo.

After 8: My friends and I usually go out or stay in to do homework. Last night was tropical dancing lessons where I learned Salsa, Merenge and Bachata. It was a lot of fun. Other nights we just go out to Pezcadito, a local pub/hangout in our neighborhood. We always walk each other home for safety because here the sun sets around 6pm and rises around 5am. Its very strange for me because I'm used to MN summer sun being out late.

Overall things are going really well. I'm trying to immerse myself in the culture as much as possible. Thanks for everyone's words of encouragement and advice. I appreciate all the love and support I have back at home. I miss you all terribly and although I am having a blast I realize even more how important family and friends are. Pura Vida everyone!    

I have arrived

Today, I woke up at 3AM in Bloomington and now I am laying on my bed in San Jose. I cannot believe how far I have gone today...its crazy. The flight to Houston was quick and smooth while the flight to San Jose had lots of turbulence! Getting through the airport in San Jose was a breeze when we fly into the US we have to go through customs and immigration before we can even enter the normal airport, here I had to walk through the airport until I found the immigration line. I waited at the airport for quite awhile because so many kids were flying in for the program today. After about 45 minutes we finally left for our host families. I have an amazing family! Clarisa is my mama tica, she is the grandma of the house  and does most of the cooking, cleaning and laundry. We are only suppose to get laundry service once a week but she does it all the time. She gave me a big hug and kisses when I arrived. Claudia is Clarisa's daughter and she is about 25, maybe a little older. Claudia has two children Indiana and I don't know her son's name yet, he is at his dad's this weekend. I got to me Indiana today, she is 5! She was just in my room as I am writing this and we had a good half hour conversation. I learned about her friends, what she likes to do for her birthday. I can understand her okay...everyone speaks very quickly down here but Claudia speaks English and Clarisa knows some. I brought a big picture book of Minnesota for the family and Clarisa loved it. She and Claudia were surprised when I told them we are known as the land of 10,000 lakes...especially when I said we have much more than that. Clarisa's niece actually studied in the University of Minnesota a while back so there are some ties! She said, the winters are unbearably cold!  

I got here at about 4PM and we ate lunch and boy was I hungry. The food was actually really good, rice with some onions mixed in, steak with tomatoes and peppers on top, salad, steamed broccoli and carrots, with rice pudding for dessert. I said I wouldn't each much because I'd eaten lunch at the airport in Houston but the food was so good. I am a picky eater and I made a bet with myself to just eat what is put in front of me. Aye was it good! They told us that we will only be eating natural here even though many Costa Ricans eat Americanized food. No pop in the house either only water, lemonade and coffee. I cannot wait to try their coffee. Tonight Claudia, Alejandro AJ (the other two guys living here) and I are going out for coffee and to eat it should be an interesting and exciting experience. We all have varying levels of Spanish, Alejandro grew up in Miami and his parents spoke Spanish so he is basically fluent. AJ knows almost no Spanish and has kind of holed up because of it, hopefully we can break him out of his shell.

The neighborhood here seems really really safe. I found the "Special Pharmacy" and its just like a Walgreens. Tonight Alejandro, Claudia and I went to an outdoor mall. It was EXTREMELY compact but really cool. I can't wait to explore these places more.

Another strange thing for me...its 6:30PM and its dark out. They don't have daylight savings here because they are practically on the equator, the sun generally rises at 6AM and sets at 6PM everyday all year round.  

Well, I've just kind of rambled here...so much to say and I haven't really processed it all yet! More organized posts will follow i'm sure.

Top 10 Excitements and Fears

2 days, that's right 2 days until I leave for Costa Rica. The past week has been crazy as I've had to celebrate my brothers birthday, finish work, finish an online class, buy stuff for the trip, pack, and meet with friends and family (not to mention the 4th of July). But even through all the hustle and bustle I've been experiences waves of emotion, elation, fear, nervousness, excitement, anticipation, and adventure. Many thoughts have been swirling in my head as I wait to step into the unknown, thousands of miles from friends and family. So, to get it all out I'm going to give a Top 10 list of things I am excited for and things I am fearful many happen. Let's start with the fear.....

Top 10 Fears for my trip to Costa Rica

10. Being away from my family for so long....I know sounds wimpy but these people mean so much to me! However, I know I'll have a blast and they will have fun too while I'm away.

9. Contracting a foreign disease. I'd be really bummed to get sick or die in Costa Rica but chances of that happening are slim to none, especially if I am careful.

8. Getting lost

7. Getting mugged and robbed...I'd really rather stay safe and keep all my money.

6. Having my identity stolen...good thing I have protection 

5. Being left behind on an excursion 

4. Missing my connecting flight in Houston

3.  Missing out on a great experience because I'm scared- (i'm making a pact with myself not to do this)

2. Getting off the plane in San Jose and having to ride with a taxi driver across town to my host family's

1. Not wanting to come home- This will probably happen and be a good thing

Top 10 Things I'm Excited for in Costa Rica

10. Living like a local- So often we travel and just do the "tourist" things and neglect the authentic experience of the place we've visited 

9. Meeting new people 

8. Seeing a real Volcano

7. The fruit- its going to be so fresh and there will be so many things I've never tried. My sister Kate would be jealous

6. Visiting a coffee plantation and trying coffee in Costa Rica- I love coffee and I cannot wait to try the coffee straight from Costa Rica and even the coffee most Ticos drink. It should be an experience for my taste buds

5. The new culture and customs

4. Watching a Costa Rican soccer game-Central Americans, especially Costa Ricans are passionate about their soccer or should I say football 

3. My classes at the University-Should be very intresting 

2. The excursions- Costa Rica is known for its ecotourism! 

1. The Flora and Fauna

Many of these items will probably be topics of my blog while I'm gone! I'm also journaling for the first time. I'd make my aunt Mary proud there. Well the next time you hear from me I'll be sipping coconut milk in San Jose. Until then, Pura Vida!   

Where's Waldo: Costa Rica Edition

Just yesterday I received an email giving me information on my host family and where I would be staying. Elated at the news I quickly found my family on Facebook and sent an email to my mama tica (tica is a costa rican specific word for woman). After connecting with my family, I took a closer look at the address I'd be living at, the email listed the neighborhood, the distance of the house from the "special pharmacy," and that it is yellow. No postal code, no town name just some "random" information that does me no good in a Map Quest search. After further investigation I found a similar mailing address listed for the University I'll be attending. With some more digging I've discovered that there is no postal organization system in Costa Rica, there never has been. For years postmen/women in Costa Rica have been playing "Where's Waldo" while trying to deliver mail. 1 in 5 pieces of mail are undeliverable in Costa Rica! The formula for an address is to find a local landmark (often a church or municipal building) and write the direction and length your home is from that landmark (some people use blocks, meters, kilometers or old Spanish measurement systems). It is also nice to put the color of your house and hope that your neighbors know who you are so they can direct the postman. Thankfully, Costa Rica is trying to create an organized system (though slowly) and has recently cut the delivery time nationwide down to 2 days from 9 days. So here is the lesson, PLEASE don't send me anything! I don't want to add to a Costa Rican postal worker's hard job and if it gets sent to the P.O. at the University I have to pay a fee for each letter/package received. I hope people will use Facebook and email as main forms of communication while I'm abroad. 9 days until I leave...very exciting and somewhat frightening but I'm ready for the adventure! 

Loss

This topic isn't directly related to my trip but it still impacts the entire experience. On Tuesday afternoon, June 19th, my grandfather passed away after battling many issues over the last few months. Grandpa had been in and out of the hospital since April and it has been an emotional roller coaster since the beginning. My grandpa has always been an inspiration to me. He was a man who had many dreams and worked hard to make them possible. He cared for others far more than he ever cared for himself. He was a family man and drew all his joy from them. He lived a life of integrity and humility despite his many accomplishments. This is a man that I looked up to and who showed me qualities in his life that I strive to live by everyday. He was very sharp witted (I think I know where Calab gets it from) and always had a joke that made you think but in the end got you laughing. Looking back, I find that I learned more from this man than I ever realized. And none of that will be forgotten and I'm going to take it forward and strive to live my life in a way to honor my grandpa. The final aspect of my grandpa that I want to mention was his absolute love and personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that was reflected by the way he lived his life. My grandpa loved, he lived and now he can hear "well done good and faithful servant" as he is reunited with his true love.

Getting Ready to Go

Well, here it goes my first blog. I'm writing this so that I have a place to tell my stories. In just a few short weeks I will be boarding a plane and flying off to an exotic paradise on my own and it still doesn't seem real. I've been planning this for months and there is still so much to do before I leave (preparing for international travel isn't a walk in the park). I'm not planning on posting much until I get to Costa Rica but once I'm there this will be my main outlet to everyone in the USA. I'll have many stories to share and I hope you will stop in and read about what I am doing! In the meantime I'll be finishing an online class, finish purchasing and packing, and working before I leave. Wish me luck!