During the first week in Costa Rica students knew their host families in Heredia, also they made a tour in Heredia down town two know some important places in that city for our History, like the Fourtain, the central catholic church, and the museum Aberto González Flores.

Figura 1. Missouri State University en El Fortín, Heredia 2019

We visited one school in Heredia to know how our national education system works, they made some activities with children who are learning English, in the afternoon they went to Spanish classes, and bought some handicrafts made for some group or aboriginal people called Bourkas, who visited us in CPI.

Figura 2. Mascaras hechas a mano por Borukas.

On Saturday the went to La Carpio that is one of the poorest places in the country to make voluntary work in a take care center, where some citizens look after the children of many mothers while they are working.

Figura 3. Estudiantes de MSU trabajando con los niños de La Carpio

 Students tried some typical foods, learn to cook arroz con pollo in their cooking class, and received Spanish class every day.

Day 1: After having entered San José late the night before, we all went straight to bed to be ready for the day's activities. A late night usually means an early start and, sure enough, we were ready to be picked up at 6 am to go white water rafting. The 2 hour drive was well worth it when we saw the beautiful river, Pacuare. 3 hours and some involuntary swims later, we arrived at the end soaking wet and got ready to head back to the hotel. Exhausted from the early start, everybody pretty much passed out on the way. After dinner came perhaps the highlight of the day when we went for a well deserved ice cream at POPS.

Day 2 was a pretty uneventful transport day from San Joaquín to Monteverde. We got to experience the great mountain roads that lead into our home for the next two weeks. Then we met our sweet host families that would take care of us for the coming weeks.

Day 3: It seems that the host families had done a good job, because everybody was happy and loquacious on the bus ride to the school. Then began Spanish class. We have been thrown into the deep end of the pool with Spanish in our host families and Spanish at school, so naturally our heads were a wee bit heavy already in the break. Luckily it was soon lunch time, which we got to make our selves. Having filled our stomach with empanadas, we were ready for our dance class and walk-about in Santa Elena. Despite the rain this went really well and we became familiarized with the area. The take home things were a weird building, a strange animal on a roof, and lots of crazy fruits that don't grow in the supermarket in New Mexico.

Day 4 started of with Spanish class and then we went to the sustainable farm, Monteverde LIFE. With a solid traditional lunch in our bellies we went around the farm and saw the coffee production. The biggest hit was the visit to the goats and pigs. When we had had our well deserved coffee break to dry off, we got to work. On a farm, there is always something to improve, and, of course, Aggies know farm business, so some of us went to fill bags of soil for the coffee plants, others packed and labeled the coffee, while the last group brought out their artistic side and made signs.

Day 5, again, started with Spanish classes – soon they'll make us write this blog in Spanish, yikes... Since Monteverde is very well known for coffee production, today we went on another coffee tour. After the lunch, lemonade, and coffee, we set of to the farm. Turns out they do not limit themselves to coffee but grow sugar cane and a little bit of chocolate as well; who knew that sugar cane would be so sweet? This, of course, makes the taste samples much better, and we filled up on the delicious chocolate. Thank you to Trapiche and our guide, Jairo, for showing us around.

Day 6 was a day of high rises and lower falls. We went zip-lining through the Monterverdean cloud forest, and we started right on the continental divide, meaning that on one side of the mountain the rivers run for the Pacific Ocean while on the other they run for the Caribbean. After 7 lines and a free fall, we headed home to prepare for Friday were we would head to Flamingo Beach for some much needed time away from the rain (fingers crossed).

Weekend Get-Away: After having suffered the down pour in Monteverde for the last week, we got lucky and saw the sun set, when we went to the coast. We went straight from the bus to the beach with our bathing suits on, ready to enjoy the water and see the sunset at Playa Penca. When the sun was no more, we went to dinner. The next day, we went to Tamarindo where some people enjoyed the beach while others took surfing lessons – we almost stood all the way up! After a quick lunch, it was time for the catamaran cruise. An easy journey later, we arrived at a secluded bay with a hidden beach. We got out our snorkeling gear and pool noodles and hopped in.

Last Week: The Tuesday after coming back from the beach, we went back to LIFE Monteverde to finish what we had started the week before. Some channeled their inner Picasso while others were out in the field digging holes and planting new coffee stems and trees to restore the forest. LIFE was pleased with our assistance and we took a lot from it. The very next day, the group divided: 1 went bungee jumping and the rest went horse back riding. Both were good fun. On Thursday, we walked around the forest at night hoping to see animal - luckily, we did. We saw a sloth, a spider, two armadillos, bell birds, a tarantula, and other insects; a good haul.

Friday was our last day of class and ended with the infamous graduation ceremony. All passed and we could with peace at mind head to the hot tub to celebrate a job well done before getting up early to go back to Heredia and the airport. We started with a bang at POPS so it was only natural that we would end there as well.

Our first week was a week of discoveries and adjustments.

During several days the students have been discovering one of the most important & characteristic aspects about Costa Rica: The Food.

The first days they tried the ¨Casado¨ which is the main typical dish that Costa Ricans take at Lunch. It was surprising for them to realize that here in Costa Rica, we eat lots of rice and beans, day after day, just changing the kind of meat for each meal. But when they all tried a ¨Casado¨, the combination of flavors and textures in the dish made them find out the reason why people from Costa Rica have so many ¨Casados¨ in a week.

They also had a great experience with Caribbean food. We ate a delicious dish from the province of Limón called ¨Rice & Beans¨, served with spicy chicken. Everybody loved it!

Any experience of Costa Rican food involves the popular ¨Gallo Pinto¨ and ours was not the exception. Almost all the students were welcomed in their host homes with a plate of ¨Gallo Pinto¨ as breakfast during their first days with their tico families. The reactions were very mixed; some enjoyed this typical dish a lot while others did not like it at all.

We went to the new Famer´s Market in Heredia that has recently opened and the students were amazed by all the different types of fruits that are produced here in Costa Rica. We couldn’t resist and we tried a bunch of them.  Besides, some of the students discovered ¨La Marimba¨ (a really interesting and melodic Costa Rican music instrument) in the Farmer´s Market. This instrument was being played by some men, as part of the celebration for the newest Farmer´s Market in Heredia.

We visited the Café Britt Coffee Tour to learn about the history of coffee in Costa Rica. It was interesting because the students not only learnt about coffee but also, they had the opportunity to see the dressing, the quotes and the lifestyle that Costa Rican ¨Campesinos¨ (farmers) have in the rural areas of this country. By the way, we adored all the different types of coffee that they gave us to try.

They got to learn some of our culture and history by visiting the Heredia town and discover the life and achievements of one of Costa Rica´s former presidents Alfredo Gonzales Flores, by beholding and getting information from ¨El Fortín¨ and the Catholic Church, and walking around the Heredia´s central market.  They could also have the opportunity to talk with several locals about their opinion on the current public health service and other important topics related to the life in Costa Rica.

The students also experienced some adjustments. When they arrived to their tico homes, they saw that our traditions and life style are nothing like theirs, back in The United States. Some of them realized that since their papás ticos (mom & dad) have jobs, they have to wake up early to have a prepared meal for breakfast. Otherwise, they will have to eat cereals and milk by waking up late. Others were surprised by the fact that there are lots of dogs everywhere (in their host homes, on the streets, etc…).  Also, they could discover that one must always take a look of both sides of the street before passing through to make sure no car is on the way, and they don’t do that in The Unites States.  

On our second week, the students started the classes with the professor to learn important aspects of the culture, history and politic system of Costa Rica.

The culture experiences took a big role in the activities of this week. We had an amazing dance class where the students learned a lot of dance steps from different Latin music genres, such as Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, and Cumbia. This class was an atypical but very good way for the students to learn a big part of the culture in Costa Rica & Latin-America: The music and the dance.

Besides, we experienced a great cooking class in which the students got the opportunity to peel and chop vegetables, prepare the chicken and handle other ingredients to cook a delicious Arroz con Pollo (Rice with chicken). Students had a lot of fun by participating in the elaboration of this common but famous dish while learning the Spanish name of some food ingredients and kitchen utensils that they did not know.

One of the main objectives of the program is to learn about Costa Rica´s public health system and the best way to accomplish that objective is to know the places where the public health service is delivered: The public clinics & hospitals.

Our first visit was at La Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS). We met some workers from CCSS to have an informative talk. They mentioned to the students, the important role of the CCSS in the health service of the country, all functions and duties that this institution has, as well as, other aspects about the history and changes of  ´´La Caja´´ during its 77 years of existence. The public workers also explained the 3 levels of service among clinics and hospitals and their characteristics. The students were also told about the weaknesses and challenges of institution nowadays.

In the next visit, we went to the new Barva clinic and we were welcomed by one of the doctors. He showed us all the clinic facilities and explained to us the kind of medical procedures and treatments offered in level 1 of the health service. The students were shocked to watch that some areas of the clinic were empty while other places were crowded with patients waiting to be seen.  The doctor clarified several doubts to the students, as well.

The week ended with a one day trip to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Students could have contact with nature by observing several species of wildlife, and by walking through the forest to discover some beautiful waterfalls.

The third week gave us a lot of emotions and new experiences. The first activity on that week was to visit a Precario which is a very vulnerable and poor community. In Costa Rica there are several precarious but we visited the one called ´´El Triangulo de la Solidaridad´´. We got to know Boy With The Ball which is a Non-Governmental Organization that helps kids and teenagers in the Precarios and other vulnerable areas in different countries around the world.

Some volunteers and workers were with us to explain better all the history and evolution of this NGO. Later, we made a walk around the community to know how people live there; and the students were shocked when they found out the way people live there, some of them did not even acknowledge that places like ´´El Triangulo de la Solidaridad´´ existed in the world. After the walk, we returned to the Boy With The Ball facilities to analyze all the things that we saw in the walk.
On this week, the group traveled to the Boruca community to learn about its lifestyle, culture, and traditions. They stayed with some Boruca Families, and also had some painting classes. They visit the archeological site called Finca 6 to behold the pre-Columbian spheres and listen from a specialist, the history of their creation and the meaning that these stones have for the indigenous populations.
We continued learning about the Costa Rican public health system, by going to a small clinic in Buenos Aires, and the Alajuela Hospital. At this hospital, a nurse showed to us all the facilities, while she was commenting on all the differences that exist between a level 2 hospital and a level 3 hospital.
On the fourth week, the experiences were very mixed. We had new things to learn about Costa Rica and some fears were overcome.
The first day of this week, we drove all the way towards Los Angeles de Llano Grande de Cartago with the purpose of visiting the school Pastor Barquero Obando; during all the travel we could behold some really nice views of the central valley and some forest patches.
Once there, the students settled inside several classrooms of the school to watch the professors delivered the teachings. Later, the students went out to play with all the kids on break time and we all had so much fun. Some students also answered some interesting questions that the kids had about the United States. After doing these activities and sharing candies with the kids, we were invited to have a delicious lunch at the school dining room.
We said goodbye to School’s kids and teachers to go at the house of a professor’s relative and have a ¨cafecito¨ and get ready to return to San Joaquín.
We made two very interesting visits this week. The first one was in Hospital Mexico, where a very experienced worker gave us a total tour of all the different floors and areas of the hospital. She also explained what type of patients and conditions are treated in each area of the hospital. In that way, the students could know level 3 on the health system.
The second visit of the week was at La Corte Suprema de Justicia. In the facilities of this institution, two very important women of this institution explained to the students how the Costa Rican justice system works, and the laws regarding the protection of minorities and human rights, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of these laws

It was a humid, sunny and rainy Sunday when the group landed at the SJO airport. You know in Costa Rica everything is posible, talking about wheather conditions. They had a little stop in a very famous supermarket to do a little grocery shop for the week. Then we continue our way to CPI Heredia to take a look of the school where they are going to be studying for three weeks. Also to wait for the host families to come and meet their new family member. After the welcome orientation the girls leave the CPI campus to start the full immersion and to go have dinner with their tico-family.

The students came to Costa Rica to learn spanish. They are going to be studying for 4 weeks. Four hours per day during mornings with “tarea” for home every class day. But learning spanish is not all what they are doing here. They had a latin cooking class where they prepared Patacones which is basically fried and crushed green plantain. After we eat the Patacones that we cooked the girls were prepared to go to the dancefloor and make some latin steps. They had a latin dance class with teacher Andrea. They got to know the basics to dance salsa, merengue and bachata. It was very fun!!

Later on we had a walk around San Joaquin downtown. San Joaquin is a small town, so the girls got to see the church, the soccer field, the city hall, restaurants and other important places that may visite later while they are living in the area. We played a photo treasure hunt in downtown were they had to ask the local people in the streets about important facts of Costa Rica.

Catawba College group has a particular schedules where they have some free afternoons where they can go explore by themselves.

The first weekend we travel to Manuel Antonio beach town. It was a 4 hours drive to get to the hotel. On the way there we made a stop in a very famous restaurant to have a very typical lunch accompanied with a nice view of the mountains. Also we stopped at the Tarcoles river`s bridge where you can go and see one of the largest crocodiles in the world.

Once in the hotel we got the night for relaxing, rest and get ready for the next day`s adventure. Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most visited parks in Costa Rica.

It was drizzling early in the morning but that create the perfect condition for a walk in the forest and also for the wildlife to show up. We were so lucky because we got to see a lot of animals like monkeys, racoons, the famous three toed sloth, lizards, frogs, bats and some others. I say we were lucky because some people that have visited the Park before don`t get to see so many wildlife. Once we got to the beach the sun came out for us to enjoy a perfect day.

Next day the girls had the morning free to spend time at the beach and do some souvenir shopping at the local tourist stores. In the afternoon we started our way back to Heredia to get ready for another week of spanish classes at CPI`s school. 

During the week a group of costarican indigenous called "Borucas" came to the school to share their culture and show us part of the traditions that they keep in their community. The girls asked some questions about their traditional celebration. "La fiesta de los diablitos" is a party that they celebrate every year where they represent the fight against the Spanish conquers many years ago. During the celebration they use masks that the shape and paint. The girls got to see their artcrafts and also they had the chance to learn how to sculpt a mask.

On the second weekend the girls and I had and excursion to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. White water Rafting in Siquirres town on the Pacuare river. The best river in the country for Rafting and Kayak competitions. So during rainy season the conditions are even better for the adventure. We rode rapids level 3 and 4. It wasn`t easy at all but our effort and teamwork made it possible. Amazing experience through virgin tropical forest and some amazing waterfalls. After we ate lunch we started our way back to the central valley to continue their costarican immersion.

Continuarà...

Diego QR