This is my first time out of the country and I couldn?t be happier to be learning and exploring Costa Rica. Stepping off the plane a few days ago has opened up my eyes to so many new experiences and taught me a lot about Costa Rican culture. This study abroad experience is unique because our class is staying with a family in Heredia and we are able to see what their life is like from day to day. One of my favorite parts about staying with a host family is being able to be fully immersed in the culture and forced to step out of my comfort zone by being in a non-English speaking home. Being with a family has allowed me to try many different foods and understand the type of diet Costa Ricans have. I quickly learned that almost every meal includes rice and beans including breakfast. For breakfast the rice and beans are mixed together whereas during dinner time, the two foods are separate on the plate.?
After a few days here, I?ve settled into my home stay and have greatly enjoyed exploring Costa Rica. We spent one of the first days here learning Latin dances such as the merengue, salsa, and cumbia. The last few days we went zip lining, saw a beautiful waterfall, tried some of the most commonly eaten fruits, and even got to see a volcano.? Aside from the incredible excursions, we had the chance to listen to a professor from Universidad Latina de Costa Rica who taught us about the power of understanding the human brain in order to market and attract specific types people. One thing that has stood out to me the most so far is that many Costa Ricans have masters degrees or doctorate degrees, but are working at tourist attractions. We were told not be surprised if a taxi or bus driver was also a doctor or lawyer.?
The greatest difference I see within Costa Rica in comparison to the United States is how much they value their happiness. Costa Ricans live by the saying ?pura vida? which means pure life. Costa Ricans use this term as a greeting, a farewell, to express satisfaction or to say everything is ok. I?ve made many memories and gained so much knowledge the first few days and I?m looking forward to the rest of this experience.?