I can’t believe I am finally in Costa Rica! I did not seem real until I was walking down the beautiful streets of Heredia filled with flowers. vibrant colors, local people, and LOTS of Spanish. My first impression of Costa Rica is on the food- muy bien! It has exceeded my expectations completely, even with previous students raving about it. It is better than I could have imagined. I would rank the fresh pineapple juice I received at lunch today to rank in my top 10 foods I have ever eaten, next to both meals provided by my host mom so far. I was nervous to stay with my host family in the beginning because they do not speak any English, but I have already learned so much in the short time I have been here from them! I am so thankful they are so helpful and excited to help me learn and practice Spanish.

            I misrepresented Costa Rica as being very rural and deserted before coming here. When in reality, it is extremely lively and urban. The large, extremely crowded shopping malls are a good example of this. I was shocked to see big name stores, such as Walmart and Office Depot, throughout the malls. This shows all of the advancements the cities within Costa Rica are making. The weather was as I expected- muy caliente. I was happily surprised to feel how cool the weather became once the clouds and showers passed. My expectation of the emphasis on outdoor activities does hold true throughout the area. I was excited to see that many events are held outside in the beautiful weather, even church. 

            I am overwhelmed with gratitude for how kind all of the Ticos have been. Just the few I have meant today were eager to help and did everything with a smile. I am so excited to dive more into the culture and to brush up on my Spanish, so I can learn more about this wonderful country from the Ticos!