As we walked to the Universidad Latina de Costa Rica this morning, I was greeted multiple times along the way with an Hola or Buenos días from a stranger.  This is one of the first things I noticed upon my arrival to Heredia – that the people here are extremely friendly and nice.  And, they are sure to be courteous and polite, as my Gracias’s are almost answered with a Con mucho gusto (With pleasure).  Before coming here, we learned about the ‘pura vida’ lifestyle Ticos embrace, and there is definitely a more relaxed, easy-going vibe here.  But, what I was not expecting was for everyone to be so hospitable and welcoming.

One thing that has surprised me, though, is the amount of American fast food and store chains here – from McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Dairy Queen to Office Depot and Aeropostale; I even saw a Chuck E Cheese’s.  I found it amusing that several stores advertised ropa Americana (American clothing) or had names with English words in them.  Additionally, the frequent use of cognates, words such as carro, cafeteria and banco, have made it a great deal easier than I thought it would be to understand the Spanish here.

Finally, I knew that Costa Rica is known as being a traditionally Catholic country.  But, I didn’t realize how large a part of the culture it was. Places, such as the Mercado Central in downtown Heredia, close early at noon on Sunday’s.  And, if you walk to the central park there, you’ll find a church located right next to it, possibly with people gathered for mass in it.  I even saw a service being celebrated outside in the shade underneath a tree at one point. Overall, I have loved my first day in Heredia, and I am excited to continue learning more about the people and culture here!  ¡Hasta la próxima!