Costa Rica is different than what I would have expected before learning about the region and coming here. When Costa Rica first came to mind, I would think about the beach and the rainforest, but as we have explored Heredia and had conversations with my host family, I have learned that there is a lot more to Costa Rica. I didn’t know what to expect before arriving at my homestay. I was unsure what the neighborhood would be like, whether it was congested or spread out, and what the family would be like. Our Mama Tica and Papa are very hospitable, although it is a bit difficult to communicate with them. Thankfully, their older son has been doing a great job at translating for us with his English skills. They also have a younger son who is only seven and full of energy, which has been fun. After taking a stroll in their neighborhood with the two sons, I noticed how many parks there are for kids and people in the community to hang out in. It’s a nice space for people living in the compact city to relax and exercise with lots of greenery and equipment.
It was an early morning for my roommate and I, as we were up at 5:30 am to go to the fruit and vegetable market with the dad. There, we saw a big variety of fresh produce that came from various farms and houses in the area. I learned that many families avoid buying fruits and vegetables from the supermarket to get them fresher from the farmer’s markets. The city of Heredia seemed lively with people being out and around, shopping, working, hanging out in the park, or making their way to Sunday mass. We found our way into the central market to try new fruits, some of which were good and others that I probably wouldn’t have again. The fruit met my expectations from before we came here and was the food that I was most looking forward to trying, even though I’m not a big fruit person.