Travel Journal 1    

The experience was different than I anticipated mostly because it all happened so fast. I felt that soon as I arrived I was brought into a new home, which was intimidating yet very comforting. The home was a lot more in a city setting than I anticipated since I expected we'd be in a rural place having to walk to the city. The brothers are much more welcoming than I anticipated too and I was pleasantly surprised by the level of openness our host mom had in welcoming us into our new home. The university is slightly smaller than I anticipated but it is a neat place nevertheless. Another surprise to me is that I am not as passively becoming a Spanish savant through full immersion as I thought. I still have to work on my Spanish and speak it frequently in order to challenge myself and get the full benefit of learning another language. It is slightly easier than I thought to get by with little Spanish but it is much harder to push yourself to become a better Spanish speaker. The food is fantastic and is much easier to adjust to than I thought. Although slightly monotonous with rice and beans, the platters have been pleasantly surprisingly delicious and satiating. The excursions themselves are also enjoyable as we go to places of unparalleled beauty and wonder. I did not expect San Jose to have such European influence as it did nor did I expect the iratzu volcano to be so much like a state national park. I realized on this trip that it is important for me to remember to be careful in the streets, especially at night, although there are less beggars and less crime than I expected. Chris has proved to be a competent and accommodating roommate, which has made the entire transition that much easier. Overall I was surprised by the level of welcoming the family brought us into our new home and the rapidity with which I would really start enjoying Costa Rica. All things considered, this will prove to be a very rewarding trip.