¡Hola! from Costa Rica :)
What a wonderful opportunity this has been! I can not beleive my two week Spanish Immersion is almost over. This is my first experience studying abroad and it has been such a great experience for me! From the very moment I arrived in Turrialba, Costa Rica, May 14th, there has been an abundance of non-stop educational as well as adventurous opportunities in this beautiful Country. It was quite an adjustment for me the first couple of days but, I could not have asked to be placed with a more wonderful family here. I have three Tico (Costa Rican) siblings, Francella, Luis, and Luciana in my household along with their Mom, Susana. The family also has a wonderful Nanny/Babysitter, Adriana, whom I adore and we both felt an immediate connection.
Turrialba is occupied primarily of Spanish speaking individuals and it is very rare that you will find any person who speaks English. I did however manage to find an alteration shop downtown with an owner that did speak some broken English while I was searching for some homemade Costa Rican items to bring back home to my Mom. She told me it was very rare to find homemade or embroidered items because they are usually only made for their families and not for resale. She apparently felt sad for me as she searched and found me a couple stores down the street from her shop to tell me that she would make my Mom something special if I really wanted her to. I was especially grateful for her hospitality and came back to her shop as we discussed a couple hours later to find she had embroidered two hand towels for my Mom for only ¢3000 Colones ($6.00 USD). Of course, I tipped her generously for her time and compassion. Needless to say, the people of Turrialba are very nice and the crime rate here is very minimal. FYI: The police in the city of Turrialba do not even carry guns and there is no military in the Country of Costa Rica.
On our third day in Turrialba we went Canyoneering in Calle Chirraca. There was nothing better than kick-starting my two week adventure in Costa Rica than zip lining, rappelling down gorgeous waterfalls, and walking across a 132 foot hanging bridge in the jungle of Costa Rica! The following weekend was also packed with adventure as we went white water rafting and camped out along the Pacaure River. After a wonderful dinner prepared by our guides, we decided to play cards and dominos before calling it a night. It was my first time explaining how to play Texas Hold'em to a local Costa Rican Guide in Spanish :) The new sounds of the jungle were echoing all around us as we tucked into our tents overlooking the beautiful river after nightfall. Nothing scary, simply Nature and Us! Our guides spoke in English during our rafting and hiking due to the importance of safety along the river and in the jungle but at camp conversing was a mixture of English and Spanish.
The School of Spanish located in Turrialba is excellent! The Instructors at the School are very knowledgeable and they actually love their jobs here. We had field trips to the city to talk to the locals and we actually went to La Feria de las Frutas (Fruit Fair/Market) last Friday to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. I found myself buying mango, fresh cold coconut (pipas frio), pineapple, and conversing with the locals at the market as I tasted new foods of Central America. The water, fresh fruits, and vegetables here are completely safe within the city. The life in Costa Rica is so much more relaxed and tranquil than in United States. I really dread coming home but I do miss my own family so I must return this Saturday, May 28th. :'(
I said my farewells to my newfound friend, Adriana (the nanny/babysitter), today as she does not work on the weekends. Our group is traveling to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca tomorrow so it was my last time seeing her during my stay here in Turrialba. She is such a great asset to this family and the children love her dearly. We spent many afternoons talking about our differences and similarities of our families and there were even funny moments including me getting locked in the backyard with the dogs. Before we said goodbye I decided to give her my Webster's Spanish/English dictionary because she had previously told me she wanted to learn English so she could visit United States someday. I wrote her a personal note in front of the dictionary as we exchanged addresses, phone numbers, and there was a moment that we both wanted to cry but we refrained. She asked me to come back to Costa Rica with my husband and stay with her in her home in the moutainous region of Turrialba someday. I generously accepted the offer and certainly hope to return next year with my husband for vacation and visit with her again.
