Trip to Arizona
Share My professor asked if anyone did anything cool this weekend. For this once, I had an out-of-this-park, snowday-on-Friday, finding-$20-in-your pocket type of answer. I wrote my first bucket list. Number 21 needed to be met while I was in Arizona (by no means was I ready to run a
Check
This past weekend I visited Arenal Volcano near La Fortuna, Costa Rica. The initial draw was my mental checklist of sites that I knew I should see while in the country. However, the views, sounds, and resulting peace checked more than my list.
My heart was checked.
I woke up at 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning in order to hike up the mountain to watch the Sun rise. Howling monkeys in the trees, horses scattered among the hills, and countless birds orchestrated a concert introducing the Sun, and an inevitable sense of awe followed. As I sat aware of the utter greatness and creativity of our Lord, a subtle reminder persisted deep within me.
Every morning the Sun rises with brilliant colors.
Every morning the monkeys
Studying in Costa Rica Rule #2: Type A’s will be Confiscated at Customs
In order to be a good student and glean everything from an immersion program, the rules of the institute encourage flexibility and cooperation. Two such qualities are given a new definition in Costa Rica. Rather than “go with the flow,” they translate into “let the flow carry you wherever it chooses.”
A bystander could watch me for 15 minutes and observe that I’m a planner. I prefer to be on time, and despite my lack of direction, I like to know where I’m going, and I like to plan ahead. As I’m learning, this Type A nature is not conducive for Costa Rica, and in reality, it is not even an option.
Checked in at customs, such tendencies are banned.
No Being on Time
I
Studying in Costa Rica Rule #1: Shower
The institute gave us a list of rules for our stay here in Costa Rica, and one of the rules was to shower daily.
Culture Fact of the Day: Costa Ricans highly uphold the value of cleanliness.
I was intrigued that showering was a verbalized as well as written rule. Is that not understood? Yet, now that I’ve entered the culture I’m beginning to see the depths of the necessity to be clean and the little tolerance for the smelly.
Here is why:
1. The temperatures are high and coupled with humidity, you get a workout crossing the street.
2. Most people use buses and thus are in close proximity to crowds at all time.
3. The sky empties itself every afternoon and consequently you can expect
Studying in Costa Rica: Melting Pot in the Canopy
Culture Fact of the Day (why not learn as I do?): The day starts between 5-6 a.m. and ends by 10 p.m.
The United States is always deemed the melting pot of the world, but Missouri seems to be sheltered a bit. However, I’ve concluded that Costa Rica is the pot where everyone has chosen to gather this week.
I’m currently sitting in Café Delicias with my Papaya milkshake waiting for the daily promised rain to pass. Here with me is my friend Anaisa, and we’ve been talking about home all afternoon. Being from Denmark, she offers a fresh view of what I deem my “normal lifestyle.” The melting pot has broadened my understanding of the culture of both Costa Rica and abroad.
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