First Night in Paradise

So the day I have anticipated for many months finally came. This morning was greeted with excitement, but also a little nervousness. I was about to step out of my comfort zone. Even though I was about to embark on an amazing adventure, I was a little apprehensive. Regardless of any apprehension I am thrilled to be here. This is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I am very much thankful for this wonderful opportunity. I am excited for everything that these next four months will bring.

Upon arriving in San Jose I wasn't really sure what to expect. You definitely notice the many differences between San Jose and a typical city in the United States. I was actually a little surprised to see that the standard of living in the parts of San Jose that we saw was quite low compared to what I normally see in the United States. This is even compared to some of the more impoverished areas of my hometown Atlanta, Tx. I thought it was very interesting that the standard of living in the parts of the valley I saw driving in where the field station is located appears to be much higher than the areas of San Jose I was introduced to.

So I figured I should mention this first experience, especially for my family and the people that know me very well, and what I am referring to is my first experience with Costa Rican food. In all honesty I would say that my first meal in Costa Rica was.........a success!! I have no idea what I ate, but it was quite tasty. My family probably wouldn't believe me if I were to describe the meal. This was quite a relief because I think I am really going to be able survive the semester without starving haha!

I will mention once again that I feel like I have entered paradise. It almost seems too good to be true that I will be spending the next four months here. I have already taken an extreme liking to laying in the hammock on the balcony of the station and being able to just listen to the river that is right close by and take in the scenery. I am still walking on cloud nine haha. Well I think I am about to get some sleep. We start orientation tomorrow and I am a little tired from traveling. I am going to try and update as much as possible, but we will see how that goes haha. I am really going to try my hardest. Anyway, my first night in paradise has been a success! Goodnight everyone.