¡ Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!
Like most students studying abroad, I was nervous spending three months abroad as I arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica. I mean of course I was extremely excited to finally be in there but I can’t lie the anxiety had set in. I was anxious for one reason in particular: meeting my new host family. Most students who study abroad choose to live with other students in apartments or dorms and not with a host family. Many people wondered why I chose a host family and why I even chose Costa Rica.
Here’s why: I chose to live with a host family because I really wanted to become immersed in the culture rather than just be a fly on the wall for the three months that I’m here. Additionally, I chose Costa Rica because it was different than the European countries that many students from Fairfield chose to study abroad in. Costa Rica was also the perfect fit for me because I consider myself an island girl at heart and this is also a country that is still considered to be a developing country. Being a developing country, I hoped to gain a greater appreciation for the things that I tend to take advantage on a day-to-day basis.
I’ve only been here for a week and I’ve already started to appreciate the “luxuries” I have back in the United States. Here, are a few of the things you may also take for granted:
- Plumbing. Toilet paper is not meant to go in the toilet. Ironic name then huh? Apparently because the sewer system in Costa Rica is very underdeveloped, you aren’t allowed to throw toilet paper into the toilet. Instead, toilet paper goes in a garbage bin found next to it.
- Modern facilities. The classrooms here at Universidad Latina are full of distractions from outside noise such as traffic and a train that runs through the middle of campus.
- Hot water. Hot water isn’t accessed by just turning the handle to the left. Well…it is but you need a special heater that goes over the shower head. During our orientation and I asked our counselor if it was safe to shower with this heater in the shower while it’s raining with the possibility of lighting outside (it’s always raining in Costa Rica during rainy season which is May through November). Apparently ticos (Costa Ricans) do it all the time, so why not?
- Personal space. Can someone please remind me again what this is? I’ve only been here for a week and I’ve already forgotten what personal space is like since it’s not a common thing here. Even in line at the bank people are so close that you can hear them breathing over your shoulder.
- Cheese. Some people may not consider cheese to be a luxury but for me it is – at least now it is. Here in Costa Rica, the cheese of choice is queso fresco, which is a fresh cheese that does not, I repeat, does not melt. I miss it when my cheese is all melty and oozing.
In retrospect, I am extremely happy that I decided to live with a host family in Costa Rica, despite the luxuries I may be missing. My host family consists of a mom, her son, her grandson, and her boyfriend who visits on the weekends and they have been nothing but welcoming since I have arrived. Since my host mom and I are the only “chicas” in the house we’ve been bonding and laughing at all the silly things the boys do around the house. That being said, I’m having a fantastic time in Costa Rica thus far and I look forward to the adventures the next three months will bring. ¡Pura Vida!