Since the last time I wrote a post, I graduated from high school, chose my future college, and traveled to Costa Rica. While all of those topics are compelling, I am going to discuss the most recent event: Costa Rica.
I embarked on a language immersion trip June 5th at 4:00 in the morning. I knew Costa Rica would be beautiful and exciting, but I didn’t quite know how much I would love it. The first region we visited was Guanacaste. Surrounded by beauty, we met our guide and Spanish teacher for the trip. We discussed our expectations and hopes. At the start, I was nervous to speak in Spanish, which is strange because that is the whole point of a language immersion trip.
We got acquainted with the group of students from Louisiana who would be joining us throughout the trip. We started to get to know our EF tour leaders. And we started to explore. We had language lessons and several tours. We visited farms and learned about sustainability. We drank the best coffee. I am not exaggerating. The coffee was so good. The nature was unbelievable. Moving from the midwest of the United States to the jungle of Costa Rica was insane. The root of every place we visited was nature. We swam in hot springs, kayaked lake Arenal, ziplined on a canopy tour, went white water rafting, and went on a boat tour of Tortuguero National Park in the pouring rain.
As with anything, I celebrated all of the little victories throughout the trip. I survived five minutes in a super hot sauna at the hot springs. Afterwards, I rubbed volcanic mud on myself, an experience that is supposed to be detoxifying. I don’t know if it worked, but I had a blast. It was something I had never done before. Each conversation I had in Spanish expanded my confidence and had me smiling, another small victory. I conquered ziplining and met some hilarious guides. I was in the front of the raft for white water rafting and didn’t fall in. I call that a success. I found perfect souvenirs. I tried amazing food. I met amazing people. I learned to dance.
I will expand on that last one. Dancing was a blast. I have always felt incompetent at dancing. In Sarapiquí, we took a dance class. I learned Merengue, Salsa, and Bachata. While I was learning, I never felt judged. I was dripping sweat in the Costa Rican humidity with no idea what I was doing, but I didn’t care. I was smiling and feeling like a complete dance pro. I probably did not look like a pro, but all that mattered was that I felt like one. Earlier that day, the locals in that area showed us traditional dances and taught us how to dance with them. These young girls were generous to teach me, and they even let me wear one of their skirts. I was smiling, laughing, and dripping sweat without a care in the world.
Later on in the trip, in Tortuguero, the hotel we stayed at arranged for some people to come and teach us to dance. I learned Soca, more steps of Merengue, and more steps of Bachata. I felt lucky to have these unique experiences. I found out I really love dancing.
Costa Rica gave me cultural experiences that I will never forget as well as a better understanding of the environment and sustainability. Every person I met was kind and helpful. Deeper than the experiences were the feelings I felt when I was there. I was always happy to be in the country and learning about the people’s way of life. It struck me how easy it can be to be ungrateful. Of course I am not immune to this practice, but I was conscious of my thoughts and always trying to focus on the positive. I heard complaints the whole time I was there. We often did not have air conditioning or warm water. Again, I am not holier than thou and able to never complain, but each time I heard these things, I thought, “We are in Costa Rica. It is beautiful, and we should be grateful just to be here.” The song “Ungrateful Eyes” by Jon Bellion came to my mind. I highly recommend a listen. Any time negative thoughts creep in, think about the positives. Find a new perspective. Be grateful.
The United States is a great place to live, but there is so much we can learn from Costa Rica. I was amazed by Costa Rica’s concern for the environment. The country is taking a stance against global warming. Costa Rica survives on tourism, but it hasn’t compromised its beliefs on the environment. There are self-sustainable farms all over the place. Many hotels have solar-powered energy. The country recycles everything, even making bricks out of trash. I loved the attention to the environment and the drive of the people to make a positive impact on the earth. Not to mention, the water is completely safe to drink, without all of the chemicals.
As you can tell, my trip was an amazing experience. As a part of the learning, we discussed Costa Rica’s catch phrase–Pura Vida. We said it numerous times throughout the trip. After some great rapids in the raft: pura vida! Meeting a tico (a Costa Rican person) at a market: pura vida! Surviving the ziplining: pura vida! You get the gist. Pura vida was the answer to everything. The last night, we discussed what pura vida meant to us. For me, pura vida transformed my life and how I view the world. I am a nervous and cautious person. I never want to do anything that could get me hurt. With this mentality, I rarely take risks. You could even say I have less fun (which I know is true). This trip showed me that it is okay to take risks and be adventurous. Not being afraid to be yourself, step out of your comfort zone, and meet new people is so rewarding. I found out that I am the type of person who can do those things, and I don’t have to be scared. Pura vida honestly changed my life.
Other themes of pura vida include positivity, kindness, and friendship. It can be whatever you need. I hope pura vida can become a big part of your life. I hope I never lose sight of what pura vida means to me. I know I want to return to Costa Rica. When I do, I will already be living pura vida instead of discovering it. So hakuna matata, don’t worry, be happy, and pura vida. Pick your anthem, and conquer the day!
Faking It Made 