No Such Thing As a Full Bus

Our last few days at Montezuma were action-packed. Hannah and I hiked to Montezuma Falls and swam in the deep pond at the bottom of the falls. We were nervous as we watched kids scale the rocks to jump into the water far, far below—we only got as the base of the fall to feel the water pound on our backs. The next day we walked a mile down the beach to Playa Grande where there was an art festival. Local artists had taken trash found on the beach and creating some really neat sculptures to promote awareness of environmental conservation. There was also some live jazz music which we listened to while sipping on a coconut and eating the most delicious mango ice cream. We then went snorkeling on Tortuga Island off the coast of Montezuma. The island was beautiful although slightly touristy. We saw many tropical fish and played with the sea stars.

From Montezuma we traveled by bus, ferry, then more bus to reach Quepos. For a lot of the bus ride we were standing up, because the drivers pack everyone in like sardines. There really is no such thing as a full bus in Costa Rica. The more passengers there are, the more money they get. Fortunately, a couple gave us their seats when they left. After arriving in Quepos, we found our hostel where we met up with Laura, a friend from Oberlin. We then swam in the not-so-cold pool to refresh ourselves before heading for dinner which was Imperials and fish tacos. (The national beers are Imperial and Pilsen. I have yet to try Pilsen, but thoroughly enjoy Imperial.)

The next day, yesterday, I had a long, long bus ride to the capital of San Jose. On the bus, I sat next to a 12-year-old boy—I have never received so much attention for my blonde hair and blue eyes. It is amazing how much kids want to talk to you and here about your life. At times it was difficult to understand what he was saying and I’m sure he didn’t quite get what I was saying, but I knew we enjoyed each other’s company because he bought me some gum before leaving.

That afternoon I explored San Jose, bought some shampoo, and ate lunch (which I don’t think necessarily agreed with my stomach). This morning I had breakfast with a few people from my program and they seem really nice. Everyone else (about 30 people) should arrive by this afternoon which is when our orientation officially starts. Overall, I’m excited to meet everyone and start classes. I’m happy I chose to come early and travel for a few weeks. I saw some beautiful places, met some amazing people, and had many memorable experiences. The only thing I really miss is a nice, comfortable bed. It seems like those are so hard to find here, which could be because I have been hostel hopping since I arrived. Although I love the atmosphere of a hostel, my fear of bed bugs sometimes kicks in and I have trouble sleeping—the fear, of course, is all my imagination. I hope...

The next couple of weeks my program will be traveling around Costa Rica to the many national parks to witness the extensive biodiversity this country has to offer. My goals are to see a sloth and a tapir. It was recommended that we read a book about Costa Rican rain forests before we start the program, from which I learned many, many interesting facts. For example, sloths have algae growing in their fur (yes, they are that slow) which gives them a green tint. Also, they make their home in the treetops and only come down to poop once every couple of weeks. It is hypothesized that they bury their fecal matter at the root of their home tree to provide it with more nutrients. So cool.