Updates

Costa Rica continues to be more and more amazing. A group of college students from Central Piedmont Community College arrived on my second day. They are all pretty awesome, so it is great I have a group of people my age to talk to and hang out with. There is also another woman from London studying here until the end of the week, so the group is pretty diverse.

One the second day, we took a trip into the various neighborhoods (barrios) of Atenas. We eventually ended up on a farm where the owner, who didn't know any of us and had no idea we were coming, welcomed us in as we walked by. He apparently grew tropical fruit, as evident from the basketful of fresh mangos he picked for us right from the tree.

(OK, a word about the fruit here. I have never tasted fruit so fresh or so sweet. The pineapple here is like a drug. Some of the markets here sell this dehydrated pineapple that is so delicious I have to be physically dragged away from it.)

Today we took a lengthy hike down Calle Nueva, or New Street (which was not new at all). Eventually it led us to a hike up a steep hill where you could stand and see for miles. It felt like being on top of the world.

Tonight was an extra special night. The US and Costa Rican soccer teams were playing one another. Walking around town all day you would see the townspeople donning their jerseys and getting ready for tonight. Victor (my host father) and I went to a game watching party at a house were another student from our group is staying. Costa Rica scored the first goal two minutes, which set the pace for the rest of the game. Even though the US lost, I had a great time. Our hosts brought out a case of beer and gave it away to everyone there. This is pretty typical of Costa Ricans. If you have something, you share it. Just the way it should be.