La Familia Es Pura Vida (6/24-6/30)

6/24 to 6/30

I am sitting down in my small, Costa Rican bedroom writing my last blog post. My bags are packed and all that's left on my desk is half a bottle of my favorite salsa picante, some lime tortilla chips, and the keys to the house. It's weird to see this place so empty because it feels like yesterday that I opened my door for the first time and saw it in a similar fashion. But, while this room may be in the same state it was when I arrive, I will never be the same person as was when I unpacked on May 17th. 

This past week was full of "last this" and "last that" in Costa Rica; some more significant than others. Monday (6/25), I had my two classes at the institute and my last class teaching English at the library. Only my most devoted student attended, so once again, we worked very hard on her interview skills. By the end of the class, I felt confident that she understood how to appropriately deliver her elevator pitch and respond to frequently asked questions. We planned to meet on Thursday for her final assessment, but unfortunately she was ill and could not attend. Later in the evening, my friends and I went to karaoke night at a local restaurant for the last time. We had been going every week for most of the past weeks.

On Tuesday, I had my last free weekday in Costa Rica, which was, as always, a day for work. I spent most of my day completing final assignments and preparing for my last exams on Wednesday. Later in the day, our entire UNH group traveled to Heredia for crepes (which were delicious) and shopping. We returned around dinner time and spent time with our families. On Wednesday, I ran to Heredia and back (~5 miles), which had been my goal for the past few weeks. While I wish I had been able to get into better shape, I do not regret spending the time I did on additional studying, classes at the library, traveling, and with friends. After running, I went to school and took both of my final exams, which went very well. I then attended my last yoga class, which was probably the best one yet. At the end of our class, we were all surprised when our instructor told us we were her first students. Her class was always a great experience and because of it, I plan to continue doing yoga when I return. When I got home in the evening, my host brother, Daniel, asked if I wanted to play soccer with his friends and cousins. I officially had no more assignments to complete, so I joined him. We played in the street next to ours where my host uncle and aunt lived. One of my UNH friends had been living with this family, so she also joined us. We played until late in the evening and eventually went back to my house to celebrate the 3-year-old birthday of my host nephew. 

On Thursday, we had our final Spanish class in the afternoon and enjoyed casual conversation with our instructor. Afterward, I went to the library and did some emailing while I waited for my student. After waiting for about a half an hour, she called the librarian to inform me that she was sick. I decided to stay and finish up my emails. I also looked through my course schedule and some information on the UNH website to see if I could take an additional Spanish class. Fortunately, I was able to find time to minor in the language, which I am very excited for. This experience has absolutely allowed me to improve, but I am still a distance from being completely fluent. 

On Friday, the tropical ecology students and I went to the Institute for our last class, which was pretty much just a time for us to get our grades and say goodbye to our professor. Afterward, we all spent time together and ate some pizza from a local place. We shared some photos from our trip and listened to music while we enjoyed our final moments at the school. After leaving, I took a nap and spent time with Daniel. In the afternoon, he asked if I wanted to play soccer at the plaza, so I said yes and brought some of my close UNH friends. We played for a while and then went home to shower before our final meal with the entire UNH group. We went to our favorite restaurant called "Caracoles de Colores" which we have referred to as "Colores" since we first ate there. We ate, talked, and said our goodbyes. While it seemed sad overall, we knew we would see each other in a short while at UNH.

Today, I woke up early, as I have been naturally since my first week. I enjoyed a typical Costa Rican breakfast: gallo pinto con huevos. Afterward, I spent a few hours walking with one of my close friends form this trip, Bryce. He goes to the University of Illinois and had studied with me at the Institute and taught English at the library like I did. We talked about our trip and about life in general. He is also fluent in Spanish, so he has helped many of us a lot with learning the language. After walking, we met with my family and he took our family pictures (including the one above). My host father bought us all ice cream and we returned to the house. I said goodbye to Bryce and started packing. 

I am now minutes from getting back in the car to go to the airport, having stepped away from this blog to eat my last dinner and spend time with my family. For my readers and my future self, I would like to note a few simple things. Understanding culture is maybe the most difficult challenge and most important effort of our future. I have learned so much in this country and I would say about quarter of it was the Spanish Language. Complete immersion and conversation in other cultures is so incredibly valuable and I feel I can personally attest to this fact having been in this amazing country for six weeks. I will absolutely miss this place, its people, its prospective on life, its way of life, and what it has given to my life in return. 

Thank you Costa Rica. Pura Vida!