In Retrospect..

This trip really has had a huge effect on me, that is a total understatement....it has altered me completely.In the best ways imaginable, it has changed my perspective on the world most definately. I am so glad and totally indebted to my parents, especially my mother for pushing me along into participating in this trip. I´m returning as a different person. Throughout these short six weeks I have grown so much and really pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. I feel like I´m starting to understand where my place in the world is- or what it potentially could be...and the future looks bright by all means I am incredibly excited for what the future holds. Mom that note you gave me in my backpack has helped me a numerous amount of times. When I have become completely overwhelmed, frustrated, and even sad (homesickness). You were right in every way..I was thrown into a country where I barely spoke the language and I survived...if not flourished in it. Having this experience has really solidified what I want to do in life...and honestly my small spark for wanderlust has turned into a burning flame. If I could I would travel the rest of my life...I´m going to make it my goal to..and obviously do something productive within the time that I travel. Maybe the Peace Corps maybe ven build my own volunteer prokect...start a club at SJSU for volunteering abroad..the options are endless and I hold the key to unlocking each venture.. I really would love to come back to South America and teach, volunteer with the sea turtles..anything I can get my hands on really. I feel as if words can not express how I am feeling right at this moment..looking back and seeing all the things I have accomplished here in Costa Rica which before I was afraid..nervous and uncomfortable even thinking about making the effort to try them. (ex...meeting new people who speak a completely foreign language, taking transportation in an area I know nothing about..even ordering food) but now...Idk I feel like I can do it all..Throughout this experience I have gained confidence within myself as well as trust within myself. That I can do things on my own and not be a wallflower..but the center of it all. I could go on for days about my experiences..and perhaps I will when I get back to the states..but for now I have to go to bio class...Mom thanks again so much for this gift...it´s pretty much the best thing that´s ever happened to me besides life itself...oh and the Spanish dictionary...I CARRIED IT EVERYWHERE..that has to be the second best. Love you.

Tortugero

Was.....interesting. It was very pretty very rainny and very muggy. I had a hard time breathing. We did not see too much wildlife...saw a water buffallo which was cool. I went on the turtle tour to see green sea turtles lay eggs and cover them but we didnt have any luck I got back today..it was a nine hour trip home. You can only get to and from tortugero by boat so 5 hour bus trip and then 2 hour boat trip... both ways..im exhausted so i think ill go to bed. Four more days.

MonteVerde...y Manuel Antonio

Soo I havent had much time to update this blog.. but I ahve some now so here goes: July 3rd till the 5th we were in the Monte Verde Cloud Forest. It is a natural preserve as are all the other parks. It was gorgeous...our hotel though...was pretty complicated to get to haha. All teh way on the side of a mountain so it sucked walking down to breakfast in the mornings...usually they had a transport bus but there were a few times when we missed it. In the Monteverde Cloudforest we were supposed to see teh Quetzal...or hada chance of seeing it. A quetzal is a beauitful multi colored bird that is endemic to Costa Rica...and is endangered...almost extinct. My group did not have the opportunity to see it but some others did. We had a great tour guide named Eduardo and he actually led us through a 3 hour hike...which was originially only supposed to be 1.5...It was ammazzzinggggg. He took us to the Continental divide..which divides North South East West and depending on were u stand the wind blows differently and at different intensities. We ahd a lot of free time during this trip so I had the opportunity to go to this really pretty Orchid garden...a Frog exhibit..called a ¨ranaria¨en espanol...and a cheese factory since Monteverde is famous for their cheese and icecream. The icecream is pretty bomb. Now this past weekend we went to Manuel Antonio...which relly is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life. It is a beach and it was gorgeous..white sndy beaches and CLEAR blue water...that was WARM when you swam in it...all i did last weekend was lounge in the sun and get a really great tan...One of the nights we went to a discoteca but only four about 2 hours..since everyone was pretty tired....The drive to and from Manuel Antonio was a bummer though...5 hour bus ride...in a small cramped ¨turismo¨bus with 23 students is NOT fun. That pretty much wraps up what I did the past two weeks...Had a bio test still maintaing my B average..I am getting a lot better at communicating with my homestay family. I spoke to them last night for three hours straight. Thye kept teasing me..but they are very supportive of me trying to learn and comprehend the language and understand what they are trying to tell me. if I don´t understand something they allow me the time to look it up in my dictonary or they do an impromptu charades for me lol. This weekend we are going to Tortugero..and from what I read in order to get there you must first drive a good 4 hours and then take a boat canal trip...this is the Malaria infested area..so don´t worry mom Ive already started taking my Malaria pills. During this trip we are supposed to go 1. Boating through the canal..and 2. On a hike....I am hoping that we get to do the nightime tour of the sea turtles...were we watch them hatch and make their way into the ocean. BTW Tortuga means ´turtle´ so Tortugero means place of the turtles. My homestay dad said that they have really good food. But its different than what I am used to. He said it has African influences..and everyone there is black or ¨negra¨as he said. And the dialect that they speak is also a bit different but he said I should be able to understand. Other than that nothing new has really happened...I ahve to study for my quiz so that wraps everything up. =)

La Choza y Cafe Britt

So last night we went to a club/bar kind of place in Heredia. It was really fun..3 floors with really great music varying from salsa, regaeton and techno. Practiced daning salsa and iguess Meringuein my heels..that was interesting. Then today we went to Xafe Britt which is the only coffee plantantion in Costa Rica...there are other manufacturing branches but the one we were at was the biggest. It was pretty much an interpretation program..how cofee is grown...how it is picked etc. a little theatrical. Kind of like what I do at work at Ardenwood..they dressed up and what not. We watched a movie on coffee production as well. I bought you coffee Mom..the whole bean one. Hopefully you like it lol. We are leaving for Monteverde tommorrow morning at 7AM. Hoepfully we see the Quetzal which is an extremely rare bird that is endemic (meaning only lives) in costa rica. We have a TON of free time during this trip Im rather excited theres a lot of stuff I want to do. Tonight we are going out to celebrate my friends stefanie and Kyles last day here. Stef is from Canada (shell be back later but she has to go to Trinidad and Miami..her grandfather is really sick and we probably wont see her when we come back from our excursion) Kyle is from Arizona and he leaves Friday so we wont be here for that either....but I gotta go play some KICKBALL! hehe hope everything is well love you all.