COSTA RICA (week 4)

It's hard to believe the next time I blog I'll be back in the states! Sadly, making the most of my short time here has been difficult. They don't call it studying abroad for nothing, and week four was proof of that. But I do have a few things worth mentioning.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010:

For our final cultural activity everyone headed to the main ISA office to learn a thing or two about Latin dancing. Little did we know we would be sweating bullets by the end of the lesson. The instructor was intense! All those dance camps in high school definitely paid off because I managed to keep up with her the whole hour. I can't say I remember anything I learned, but it was actually a really fun activity.

Workin it!

Thursday, June 3, 2010:

Other than hamburgers the only other food I've been craving since I've been here is pizza, so I was beyond excited when we celebrated my Tica sister's birthday with pizza, pop, and cake! The pizza tasted great in a weird way...there is nothing quite like Pizza in the states, I suppose. Unfortunately, I had to eat and run because, like I said, homework has ruined my life these last 2 weeks!

Delicious!

Friday, June 4, 2010 - Sunday, June 6, 2010:

After a busy week, a trip to Puerto Viejo was exactly what I needed. I slept almost the whole bus ride and was there before I knew it! When we arrived at "La Costa de Papito" I was excited to see the bungalow we'd be staying in for the weekend, and I wasn't disappointed. Despite not having any air conditioning, staying in the bungalow was really cool. Kate and I decided to take advantage of our first night and went into the small, yet lively, town to grab a snack and explore.

The bungalow!

That mosquito net was greatly appreciated!

Balcony!

The next morning we had an amazing breakfast at the hotel and then went to a beach about 15 minutes away that was more secluded. Even though it was supposed to be nicer than the beach close to where we were staying, I didn't enjoy it as much. Nonetheless, it was nice getting to go to two different beaches! When we got back from beach #1 Kate and I were on the hunt for cheap bikes to rent for the next two days. After much searching and buying an awesome chocolate milkshake from a french man, we finally found bikes. We spent the day swimming, riding the bikes, and browsing the shops, and for dinner most of the group went to "Chile Rojo" for their "Mexican Fiesta Night." The food was great, and it was nice having the whole group together! The bike ride back to the bungalow was quite the adventure as we biked down the gravel roads in the pitch black. We made it safely, though, and were ready to sleep soon after.

Beach #1!

Bonita!

LOVE the basket!

Beach #2

I'm pretty bummed because the next morning I was planning on taking more pictures of the beach and town, but a huge storm hit Puerto Viejo. As cool as it was hearing some of the loudest thunder I've heard in my life during the night, it was disappointing waking up to more rain. Instead of enjoying our last few hours in Puerto Viejo, we were stuck inside until checkout. But even with all the rain, Kate and I still ended up making memories. First of all, the porch steps were incredibly slippery, and my clumsy self and slippery steps don't mix. I wiped out right before we loaded the bus, and I have a bruise to prove it. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both! But our bad luck with the rain didn't stop there. Our bus driver was nice enough to let us load our bikes in the bus so we wouldn't have to return them in the rain, but somehow we missed the rental place and ended up having to ride our bikes to find it. Needless to say, the first half of the bus ride was spent soaking wet. At least it made for an interesting Sunday!

Que linda!

Living in Costa Rica has been such an experience, and it's crazy to think my time here is coming to a close. I know God has something planned for me back in the states, but I am so thankful for everything He blessed me with while I was here.

Thanks for everything, Costa Rica.

PURA VIDA!