Despite the long and bumpy ride, today we got to witness different parts of Costa Rica as we drove three and a half hours across the country to Monteverde. Up until this point, we have only had the opportunity to visit some of the most populated ares of Costa Rica. However, seeing the areas outside of major cities has given me a different perspective on various aspects of Ticos’ lives. One thing in particular that stood out to me as we drove further and further away from Heredia was that the communities were all within a close proximately to each other. We would drive through stretches where there was not much to see except green plants and trees. When we did come across civilization, however, the communities were all within a close location of each other. After being able to see how Costa Ricans live within my homestay’s neighborhood, I have gathered that the people rely heavily on each other and thrive off of tightly knit communities, explaining why they all desire to live close to each other.

Another aspect of the “country life” which I observed while driving through the mountains was the dependence on the local market. As we got further away from the city, I began to see less and less franchise shops and big name restaurants and more privately owned shops ran by the townspeople. The Costa Ricans truly rely on the community in which they live for their basic needs which simultaneously stimulates the local economy. The people all appear to be hard workers and proud of the country they live in.

Since my first day in Costa Rica, my understanding of the culture and people has grown tremendously. Living with Mama Tica has helped me gain an understanding of what the average life of a Costa Rican is like. My overall perception of the country has not particularly changed, however, due to my visit here before. I will say that every day I am more amazed at how beautiful Costa Rica is and my respect for the people and the nation itself is always increasing.