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My Costa Rican Daily
Journal |
| While in Costa Rica, it was my responsibility to take a daily journal of the events of of the day, what we learned about the particular places we visited, what sort of business we did in that country, what we learned about the people of the country, and finally, something about myself. Although it sounds like a lot of work, it was extremely short work. If you didn't have the insane schedule that we did!!! I managed to fill mine out at least every other day, but I admit that if my teacher had not been reminding me... I would have forgotten completely!!! Please enjoy... |
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Where We Went Saturday Day 1: To our surprise, we arrived in Costa Rica ahead of schedule! Being almost an hour early, we met our tour guide and were pleased to find that our small group of six people was going to be alone for the day. Mario, our extremely knowledgeable and friendly tour guide, took us on a quick tour of the city that we were staying in for the night, the capitol, San José. We visited the Mercado Central, or the central market, and were dazzled by the complexity and informal atmosphere. After that, we went to a small military museum. For more info on the military situation in Costa Rica click here. Then we returned to the hotel and relaxed after a long trip.
Sunday Day 2: The next day, we met up
with the rest of our tour group which included people from Wisconsin and
California.
Monday Day 3:
On Monday, our group
went to lake Arenal and kayaked in the shadow of the Volcano. We went out on
the large lake, and had an eventful and interesting journey. While kayaking,
I took my shirt off to enjoy the sun, and then watched as the wind blew it
off the kayak and it sunk in the lake!!! Oh well. After that, we traveled to
a large rainforest and walked down a precarious trail to La Fortuna
waterfall, the most beautiful waterfall that I've ever seen. After a
refreshing swim, we then went back
Tuesday Day 4: Today was the most uneventful of the trip, as we spent most of the day on the bus traveling to Monteverde, which means 'Green Mountain'. The trip was at least four hours long with small stops at shopping centers to buy snacks and other items. When we did arrive at the hotel, which was fabulous, we had a very wonderful dinner. Later that night, we went to the Discotecha, or dance club, and we danced all night. Also, we visited a local school and I got to play soccer with the local kids. Wednesday Day 5: The first thing that I did was to plant a tree in Costa Rica. Also, today, we walked through a cloud forest. A cloud forest is a forest that is high enough to be, well, in the clouds. I didn't see much wildlife, but I saw about 300 different plant species and some really funky trees. Next, we went on a canopy zip-line tour!!!! With a harness and some very long zip-lines that are draped through the canopies of the forest, we zipped from tree to tree at high speeds. I can't even explain the mixture of joy, excitement, fear, and amazement that I felt. It was amazing. We later returned to the hotel and made a few excursions into town.
Friday Day 7: Waking up extremely early, our group traveled to the Manuel Antonio National Park. Here we saw lots and lots of monkeys!! We walked through the forest and arrived at a small beach that was crowded with people. With white sand and bright blue water, the entire day was perfect. And later that night, my new friend Amy and I went around town looking for souvenirs to buy. Our progress was impeded by the upcoming holiday of Easter though. We then walked back to the hotel, and went for a walk on the beach at night. Visiting two different beaches, a National Park, a shopping spree, and seeing a lot of monkeys; it was my favorite day by far.
Saturday Day 8:
We were allowed to
sleep in after our big day and night, and left the Hotel Del Mar at around
8:45. We stopped at a local market and continued on our way to San José. We
made another stop at a giant traditional cart that holds the world record,
and then make our way to a small restaurant for lunch. Later on, we stopped
at a large store that sold souvenirs and other things, and then we finished
our journey to San José. We spent most of the night in the hotel, saying
goodbye to people that we'd become close to and spent the last week with.
I'll never forget the friendships I made.
Sunday Day 9: We left for the airport and made our way home... |
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What I Learned About the Places Saturday Day 1: At the Mercado Central, I was astounded by the size and function of the market. Everything could be found there. From restaurants to shoe stores, the central market has it all. With barely enough room for two people to walk side by side, the walls are packed with merchandise and food. Its the lifeblood of the city. Sunday Day 2:
I could
fill an entire webpage on what I learned about animals in the biological
park, but I don't have the time. I did learn Monday Day 3: I learned that the Arenal Lake was actually constructed to help provide power to the Arenal region. Tuesday Day 4: As night arrived, I realized that the Monteverde region is very, very windy!!! The wind speeds were hitting around 50 MPH, and the locals didn't even seem to notice. I asked Mario if the wind was normal, and he said no, its usually much worse. I have to admit that I was a little frightened because high winds in MI mean that there could be a tornado. Wednesday Day 5: I learned that the trees that make up the rainforests and cloud forests grow much, much faster than any tree found in the deciduous forests in the United States. When we came upon a particularly large tree, I asked Mario how old it was. He looked at it and checked around the base of the tree, and said that it was about 10 years old. A ten year old oak tree would maybe be 20 ft., if it was lucky. This tree was well over 150-200 ft. tall!! Thursday Day 6: I learned from Mario and our other supervisor, Isaac, that the coastlines around Costa Rica are fraught with rip currents. Rip currents drag you away from shore and take you out to sea, making them very dangerous. Friday Day 7: I learned that jellyfish stings hurt. The waters in Manuel Antonio were filled with miniscule jellyfish that caused a burning itching sensation if you stayed in the water too long. Saturday Day 8: According to Mario, the Costa Rican economical state is highly dependent on tourism. Sunday Day 9: I really didn't learn much today as I spent most of my time in the airport.
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Monetary, Cultural, and Linguistic Exchanges Saturday Day 1:
In the
Mercado Central, I had my first exchange with a vendor where I bought a
handmade leather case for my mom. I had to converse for the first time in
Spanish to a woman who spoke no English at all. It was confusing and
interesting at the same time. Sunday Day 2: After we visited the Volcán Poás, we visited a small restaurant and I was able to exercise my Spanish skills again. I ordered un refresco con leche: fresa y un casado con pollo y una coca-cola. That translates as a strawberry smoothie, a small meal with chicken (see Food and Drink of Costa Rica), and a coke for my enjoyment. Oh and all coke still comes in a glass bottle there!!! Monday Day 3: After settling in at the hotel for the night, our guide and our instructors allowed us to go out on the town. While out, I bought some ice cream, some of those little useless souvenirs that everyone buys and had various exchanges with the natives. Tuesday Day 4: I didn't have any large exchanges with the people of the country, outside of small talk with our waiters and chambermaids. Wednesday Day 5: Upon returning to the hotel, I started to talk with one of our waiters from the previous night. I asked him a few questions about food, culture, and Costa Rica in general. After I had finished with the boring questions, we were able to just sit and talk for about ten minutes. I found out that he was my age and that we had a lot in common in our tastes in music and movies, pastimes and work. It was a very interesting and fun experience. Thursday Day 6: I spent most of the day on the bus and in the hotel filming, but I was able to speak to our bus driver Jaime. He's very friendly and was a delight to talk to, mostly because he didn't mind putting up with my stumbling Spanish. Friday Day 7: While most of the day was spent at beaches and around people that spoke English, I did make a few exchanges when my friend and I went into town. I bought a handmade hammock for a steal, a few cokes, and other things. I spent about twenty minutes, to the annoyance of my friend, looking for a drink called an Horchata. I don't know what its made of and I can't describe the taste, but let me tell you that it's really good. I never did get one... Saturday Day 8: Today, I spent the last of my cash!!! I was conversing more efficiently in Spanish, and I definitely have my number down!! Sunday Day 9: I just made a few exchanges here and there. Most of them horribly over-priced at the airports of course. |
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What I Learned About the People of the Country Saturday Day 1: I learned, through Mario, that the lottery in Costa Rica is not only played for monetary gain. Similar to Michigan, most of the money that is received for the purchase of lottery tickets is sent to schools for education and to the poor to help them. The difference in Costa Rica is that the people are more aware of the fact that their purchase of the ticket will be helping their country, not just paying into their pockets. Sunday Day 2: At the restaurant, I learned that the people of Costa Rica seem to buy and consume foods and drinks that are not imported from other countries. They prefer to keep their money in their own country. Monday Day 3: Ok, while shopping, I learned that English would not help me at all. I learned that the people of the country have no interest in learning English and will gladly put up with my stumbling efforts to speak their language. I couldn't tell if their expressions were annoyance or perhaps amusement. They were all friendly nonetheless. Tuesday Day 4: I learned that the people of Costa Rica are not tolerable when it comes to the cold weather. When it became windy at night, the temperature dropped to around 60. I watched as Mario, our bus driver Jaime, and the waiters put on long pants and heavy sweaters. I was still sweating in my shorts and sleeveless shirt. I can't imagine them in MI. Wednesday Day 5: I learned, from the waiter I've previously mentioned, that types of music popular with the people of Costa Rica are not that similar to the music in the U.S. While speaking with the waiter, he mentioned that rap and rock aren't as popular with the Costa Ricans as salsa or cultural music. Thursday Day 6: During my conversation with Jaime, I learned that most people of Costa Rica don't have the money to spend on iPods and cameras like most Americans do. Also, I found that most of the cause of this is because the items are being extremely overpriced. Friday Day 7: I learned that most of the people in Costa Rica are Catholic. At about 9:30 all the stores in the town around our hotel closed. Saturday Day 8: I saw even more of the Catholic culture of Costa Rica, and was amazed to see that San José had almost completely shut down. Sunday Day 9: I didn't really gain any knowledge today, as I was at the airport all day. |
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Something That I Learned About Myself
Sunday Day 2: I operate very well independently of others and I very rarely found myself relying on other people on the trip. (Except when I needed to ask for the time). Monday Day 3: I learned that I didn't know my numbers in Spanish as well as I should. When shopping and buying items in Spanish, it is very important to know the numbers! Especially since the monetary system that Costa Rica has deals with amounts in the hundreds and thousands. A coke costs 750 Colones, or about a $1.25. Tuesday Day 4: I learned that I can't dance! I'm only kidding, I already knew that! No, but I did learn that I do actually like fish, and that I have no trouble eating it when its cooked properly. Wednesday Day 5: I learned that I'm quite a thrill seeker. I already knew that I enjoyed roller coasters and other things like that, but I'd never experienced the rush I felt when I was 200 ft. above the jungle floor hanging from a zip-line no thicker than my pinky finger. That was an experience. Thursday Day 6: I learned that I'm able to make friends quickly and easily. I sat with a different person on the bus than I usually did, and we became friends quickly. Friday Day 7: Today I realized that I will most likely never have another experience like this trip, especially like day 7. Everything about day 7 was perfect!! So, I guess I learned to savor the moment and enjoy the memories. Saturday Day 8: Sadly, I learned that I absolutely hate goodbyes. Saying goodbye to all my new friends was very difficult because I most likely, outside of a few people, will never see them again. Sunday Day 9: I learned that air planes don't bother me in the slightest. I just think of it as a long car ride.
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We then left the hotel very early and headed for Volcán Poás, but we made a
quick stop at a biological reserve first. Here, I saw many of the native
species of Costa Rica including iguanas, boa constrictors, and tarantulas.
After that stop, we then made our way to the Volcán, or volcano. As we
approached, we could begin to smell sulfur from the volcano, and climbed to
the summit. Later that day, we traveled to some natural hot springs at the
base of the Arenal Volcano. Here our entire group was able to relax in the
multiple levels of hot springs. This is one experience that I will never
forget. We then traveled to our next hotel in the Arenal region.
to the hotel, and later that night, we went and watched the volcano erupt at night!!!!
Thursday Day 6:
We left the Monteverde
hotel very early in the morning and left for the coast. After a two or three
hour bus ride, we stopped at Carara National Park, and we saw the endangered
Scarlet Macaw. Then, we jumped back on the bus and made hour way to my
favorite hotel of the trip, Hotel Del Mar, a hotel with the pacific ocean
right on its doorstep. After doing some filming in the hotel with my
instructor and my friend Kody, Kody and I went body surfing until it was too
dark to see. Later that night, I went with another group to walk on the
beach at night looking for crabs. I didn't find any crabs, but I did get to
talk with a few members from the other group. We all had a great time. To
the left is the view from the Hotel Del Mar. It's ok to be jealous.
that the small lake that can be
seen in the crater of the Volcán Poás has a pH of 0!!! Which means that it
is so acidic, that it would literally burn your hand off. Oh and while at
the hot springs, I learned not to put stand under the hottest fountain of
water that was flowing from the mountain... As you can see my skin is a
little red.
Saturday Day 1:
What I
learned about myself, was that the Spanish that I had been listening to and
trying to learn for the last four years actually has a useful purpose. It
wasn't just random facts that I learned in school for no reason, but very
useful knowledge that I will use in the future.