Hola!

Group B's travel guides here with our inaugural blog post of the Costa Rica Immersion B trip. First of all, whew! - we made it. The midnight flight was long, but we hit the ground running, as there was little time to relax. Adjusting to the Costa Rican way of life (“Pura Vida, dude!”) and running errands in Alajuela, a town on the outskirts of San José, was the first order of business (phone cards, changing $, etc). After wandering about In the first afternoon rainstorm, we made it to Merecumbé for salsa and cumbia lessons with our instructor William. The consensus was that salsa is hard! However, everyone had a smile on their face. Calling it an early night, we crashed after dinner.

The next morning we met Félix, our driver, for a quick coffee and breakfast before heading out for Pura Suerte on the southern coast. Félix is from San José and quickly became a friend. Along with his expert knowledge of the country’s geography, he is happy to chat up everyone. He gives perspective to the laid-back Costa Rican lifestyle, pretending to call the clouds to ask if it will rain (“Pura vida mai!”) He also joined our hike to the Nayaca Waterfalls and our surf lesson.

Next, we spent two nights in the picturesque, jungle bungalows in mountainous Pura Suerte, i.e. “Pure Luck”. How lucky we were! That afternoon, we took a tour of the Pura Suerte farm, learning the usage of indigenous plants and the characteristics of the local ecosystem. Later while on a rather challenging run up steep hills, we came upon a soccer field overlooking the valley. No sooner had we started to kick around an old, deflated soccer ball, a bunch of local kids came out for a game. Through this impromptu match, we were able to appreciate first-hand the universal language of “futbol”.

The next morning, after having passed through the rural farmlands and mountains, we descended into the sounds and smells of the Nayaca jungle. The hike to the Nayaca waterfalls, or “cataratas”, was strenuous, but scenic. We soon realized that the water was a force to be reckoned with, as we swam out and stood under the falls. Downstream, clear blue pools awaited us. After soaking and enjoying a picnic, it was time to hike back. Later that afternoon, Noemí led the group in a yoga and meditation session on an open air bamboo yoga studio.

The evenings have been filled by many games, the most popular of which have been Apples to Apples and cribbage, which Jonathan and Cody introduced us to on the bus. We even taught Felix and our hosts how to play.

Casados (combination entree) and pintogallo (rice and beans) are true staple foods here, the latter being a perfect mix of rice and black beans and the former the national dish. Also the list of new foods includes guanábana (a tropical fruit), star fruit, and the most delicious, golden pineapple that melts in your mouth.

Yesterday, we waved goodbye to mountains. Our next stop was Manuel Antonio. Here there were amazing outdoor patios, pools with unobstructed views to the ocean beyond, surf lessons, walks on pristine clear-water beaches, fresh coconuts, sloths, and monkeys. We’re hard-pressed to say what has been the best part of the past two days, but perhaps the most exciting moment was when we swam out, turned around, caught a wave, and road it all the way in to the beach.

All of these moments have been meticulously documented by Cliff, our media guide, aka Sueco (“The Swede”). Hailing from San Diego and a professional extreme sports photographer, Cliff has melded into the group dynamic with ease, always willing to share his expertise or a joke. He has been shooting the group at each turn, practically living underwater to catch everyone’s first ride on the waves here in Manuel Antonio. Tonight is our last night in this beach haven, and tomorrow we are off to Las Brisas.

Las Brisas is a village in the northeastern mountains near the volcano, La Fortuna. Here we will begin our home-stays, each student living with a different local family and working with the community on various service projects for 2 weeks. We are all nervous, anxious, and excited to start the most important phase of this journey and look forward to updating you in our next blog post!