Week 1 - "You are here for a good time, not a long time"

A good time, not a long time - this has been reiterated to our group since we left the airport. And it's true! In Costa Rica, you see wildlife no matter where you are, in all directions and beneath your feet. After spending a night in Liberia and getting used to the customs and food of Costa Rica, we head to San Juanillo, a remote fishing town of 200-300 people 2 hours from the nearest city. The first thing we see from the bus are dogs lying on the street and a group of women waiting to meet us.

My host family speaks no English, and my housemates and I are limited to some intro to Spanish classes taken years ago, but we make it work. Our host mom, Carmen, has two grandaughters who stay with her during the day as it is Costa Rica's national school break. Every few hours there is someone new sitting in the kitchen or on the porch having coffee. It is not uncommon for me to exit the shower to see my two professors on the porch chatting with my host family. That's what it's like in San Juanillo - everyone knows everyone and greets you with open arms. 

Photo description: one of my host family's dogs sleeps on an outside counter on the porch everyone hangs out on. 

My Spanish has improved greatly in just one week, and my housemates and I play cards with the kids of the house every day. They will grab our phones and type into google translate to explain anything complex and laugh at our pronunciation in the cutest way. The awkwardness about sounding bad or stupid left very quickly. My goal is not to have perfect grammar but simply to be remotely understandable. 

The food here is the freshest I have ever had. Our host mom cooks for us and her family 3 times a day. Every meal includes some type of rice, beans, and plantains, but is rarely the same. The best food I have had has been the fried fish, caught every morning at the beach just a 7 minute walk away. About one to two times a week, a truck comes and stops by every house and delivers fruit--papaya, guavas, plantains, pineapples--and other fresh produce from Santa Cruz. For lunch and dinner we always have fresh juice or lemonade. After many "por favors," we are allowed to clean our own dishes and do our own laundry, like the other family members.

Rice, beans, cabbage stir fry, and cheese

Carmen's famous fish

The fresh tortillas me and my roommates were taught to make

I am here to study ecology, and can't wait to share mor eof that, but the people of Costa Rica are just as special as the amazing biodiversity they coexist with. Pura Vida!