Costa Rica is the most beautiful place I have ever been to! Everywhere is green and the mountains are stunning! The global business program has been very well organized and informative. Mays Center for International Business Studies did an outstanding job picking high-quality activities and company visits. Even early into the trip, we experienced many different aspects of the culture here. One of the first things I noticed is the roads and driving. All the streets are narrow and windy, but that does not hold back the locals from moving quickly through traffic. Also, beans and rice can be consumed in any fashion at any time of the day here. Adjusting to the Costa Rican colon currency was confusing the first couple of days because the numbers are way larger in comparison to the US dollar.
Costa Ricans are very proud of their country, especially the nature aspect of it. Protecting the rainforest along with the exotic animals and produce are a high priority here. Riding the bus or walking are much more common modes of transportation here compared to Texas. In Costa Rica, kids will often live with their parents through their twenties and thirties until they are married. The houses are all extremely close together and hardly anyone has a yard of any sort. Also, each home does not really have an address. To find a house they use local landmarks like churches, malls, or banks. I personally do not speak much Spanish, so communicating with the homestay parents has been a tough but enjoyable challenge. It seems to me that the locals are a little hesitant toward Americans at first but very kind once we start conversing with them. I have already learned so much about Latin American culture. I hope to continue to gain knowledge about the Spanish language and religion of Costa Rica. Pura Vida.
