July 29, 2010
From Heredia to Manual Antonio and everything in between
Well diary, I've been back for quite a bit of time and haven't written a word about Costa Rica. In all fairness, however, my computer has been out for almost two weeks. So give me a break, okay?
Costa Rica. Costa Rica was nice. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I went to class five times a week for three weeks from 8 to 12. i ate rice and beans almost everyday until I couldn't suffer it anymore and began hiding the beans in my pocket. Also the raw platanos. They taste powdery and dry like eating an uncooked potato. Very starchy. Platanos maduros, on the other hand, was probably my favorite food. The grilled chicken was pretty good as well. So were the batidos.
The people were friendly. I had a great connection with my first Mamatica. My second Mamatica was a kind woman with lots of children. My prefesors were unforgettable and somehow I managed to snag a gay one, which my family made fun of me for. Apparently my fag hagness is just as potent in foreign countries! There were lots of Germans at my school. It would seem Europeans come to Costa Rica not only to learn Spanish, but to practice their English. Made it a little hard to speak Spanish when they just wanted to speak English.
The mountains were beautiful and I probably like them better than the beachs, which were incredible. The water was warm, the waves high. But the mountains were cooler, a relief for someone like me who runs a little hot. Because it's winter in CR, it rained everyday. Usually, that was welcome because it cooled things down.
White water rafting is amazing and I reccomend it to everyone. The horseback riding reminded me of my childhood. Ziplining simply is not a talent of mine.
Overall I had a great experience and am glad I went. I would go again, though I'm not sure if I could live in a foreign country. I found myself in a state of bliss when I could see DC from my plane window. I was so ready to come home! As much as I loved Costa Rica, it's not my country, not my home. I wonder how I would feel about Spain...
Oh, and of course my Spanish is pretty good. I graduated at the top level and should really have more confidence in my abilities. I'm telling you my probalem is vocabulary!
So here's to traveling! May we all enjoy the experience of learning about a culture different from our own
(I'm sure if I had written this sooner I would have gone into more detail, but this suits me for now. Perhaps sometime I'll talk about the joys of culture shock)
scullerymaid at 11:22 p.m.