My first impression of Costa Rica is extremely positive. I really enjoyed exploring Heridia and love my host mom. Communicating with her can be difficult sometimes, as I know virtually no Spanish, but her English is very good. The trip has already exceeded my expectations. Heridia is such an interesting place due to the town square, futbol culture, and network of markets. I thought the view of San Jose from the top of the mall was breathtaking. Seeing the volcanoes in the distance added a really cool backdrop to the city.

I did not expect traffic to be so chaotic. The motorbikes weave in and out of traffic and it seems like pedestrians are expected to give cars the right of way when crossing. Once we arrived at the market, I was surprised at just how many colors of fruits and vegetables there were. The passionfruit tasted really good- sweet with a bitter aftertaste. After touring the town, the restaurant we ate at, La Candelaria, was a great way to try traditional Costa Rican food. I got to try so many different meats and had fried plantains. The coffee was delicious.

Overall, the first day was packed with exciting events. The town square was probably my favorite because of how many people were there. Once we had a soccer ball, many locals came over to pass around. Everyone is friendly and seems very happy in Heridia, which I did not fully believe until I saw it first-hand today. The vibrancy of the town seems to generally improve the mood of everyone around.