A Travel Companion: Costa Rica, por fin!

Hemos llegado, por fin!

We made it! It has taken just about this long – about 2 and a half days, as I write this entry – for the realization that I’m actually here to set in.

A little background for all of you who aren’t my immediate family and who might just be bopping in to see what I’m up to.

First of all, thank you for reading! My roommate (and soul mate) Kelsea decided to take a summer trip abroad a few months ago after hosting for a second time, my “Costa Rican Brother,” Ramses. He had asked that I come visit him for so long, I simply couldn’t let this opportunity pass by again! We are so incredibly lucky to have such a gracious friend who so readily welcomed us into his home. I can’t really say enough that would express how thankful I am to him and his family. Having a connection here has already helped so much, as the journey in was not easy.

We started our journey on Monday night at 10pm and pretty much haven’t stopped moving until now. We faced many obstacles such as a bit of flight sickness, sleepless red-eye flights, and the dreaded North Carolina Sales Tax, but we made it in one piece.

Ramses picked us up from the airport and we spent the first few hours getting accustomed to the Costa Rican air and environment. We arrived at the house around midday after taking a driving tour around the neighborhood. After a brief lunch (we were so hungry. The airline didn’t even provide us with a snack. What is happening to this world?), we set out again to see the rest of Barva, which is the town where Ramses lives. He took us to a park in central Barva and a huge church with awesome stained glass windows – pictures to follow. One of Ramses’ Neighbors came with us. It turns out this same neighbor has grandparents with a house in Guanacaste. They’ve given us permission to stay at that house while we visit Guanacaste in a few weeks, which is so cool. Guanacaste was my absolute favorite place that I visited last time I came to Costa Rica.

For those of you that aren’t aware, I spent two months as an exchange student in Costa Rica during the summer after my junior year of High School. That trip, though I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about being a conscientious traveler, has already proven to be very different than this one, where I am pretty much free to travel the country as Kelsea and I decide. There’s much more freedom this way. This time around I have a much better grasp on the language, though it is still a struggle, and a much better idea of what to expect, though I’m sure plenty of surprises will come my way.

Speaking of surprises, I had no idea exactly how fast-paced I would be going these first few days. Well, in reality, I had no idea how these first few days would turn out anyway. After returning from our little tour of Barva central, we sat down to get ready for a good, much needed nights sleep. After a bit of chatting with Ramses’ parents Alexander and Mayrene (who are so cool, and so hospitable), they informed us that we would be leaving that night to go to the finca (the family farm). Surprise surprise! I slept most of the way there, so in not way did I know where I was, but that might have been what added to the appeal. I felt totally set apart from society. There were butterflies flying all around, hammocks to snooze in, a little pool to offset the heat, fruit just growing right there on the trees, delicious food, good company, and the silence. Ah, the silence. What more could a girl ask for? Kelsea and I got to spent a good amount of time getting to know Ramses’ sisters, Alexa and Aleyra, as well as his parents, since Ramses had to study and didn’t join us at la finca. His sisters are two of the sweetest little girls on earth. Since I’ve always wanted a little sister, I think I’ll just steal his.

After leaving the finca yesterday, we spend the rest of today right next to the Gulfo de Nicoya, swimming in a pool and chatting about whatever my Spanish vocabulary allowed. I got a pretty nasty sunburn, but I would’ve been surprised if I had made it through the first week without some degree of sunburn.

I couldn’t help but take a moment today as we were leaving the beach and all the colorfully painted houses and signs advertising cold Churchill’s* flew by, that I am actually here. This is real. I almost can’t believe it.

No complaints so far for you negative Nancys out there, and I doubt I’ll find anything to complain about while I’m here, apart from the crazy driving. Why is it that every road outside of Oregon seems like a war zone?

Pues, hemos sobrevivido los primeros días. Y ahorita cenamos. Arroz y frijoles! Hasta pronto!

*Churchills are a delicious cold snack made of crushed ice and syrup (like a snow cone) with leche condensada, leche polvo, and helado (ice cream). It's a crime that we don't have them in the US.