I had a wonderful first full day in Costa Rica! When we arrived to the park in the center of Heredia in the morning, there was a band playing and many people enjoying a beautiful day outside. Everyone has been really friendly and has made it easy to feel welcome. The hospitality and friendliness of everyone I have met so far has exceeded my expectations, especially from my host mom. She has been extremely kind to my roommate Amelia and I. Moreover, practicing my Spanish with her has been a great learning experience.

Another aspect I have thoroughly loved is the food. My host mom cooked a tasty breakfast of gallo pinto, scrambled eggs, plantains, and fresh fruit. I have tried so many new tropical fruits and other food popular in Costa Rica. When we went to the open air central market, I got to try passion fruit for the first time! Walking through the market was eye opening because everywhere I looked there was a new fruit or vegetable I had never seen before. There were many meat and cheese vendors as well. Additionally, we took a bus to a restaurant for our welcome lunch. We got to sample a few delicious appetizers and for an entree I got steak with salad and potatoes. 

Later in the afternoon, we traveled to a mall nearby and explored the different shops inside. Additionally, we walked up to the rooftop green area and we were able to see all of downtown San José! The mall reminded me of an American mall, except for the fact that it was completely open air. One surprising thing I did not expect is seeing all the people with dogs inside the mall and the market. I had no idea dogs were as popular here as in America. Overall, the first day was a success!