The boa constrictor. Koryn
Turtle Eggs
Image
The turtle laying its eggs!
Week 2 Tamarindo
We went to Tamarindo the second week which is also on the Pacific side. We stayed in an adorable hostel and did some more surfing. Before we went our tica mama told us that there are mucho gringos in Tamarindo… she was very right. It was very Americanized with a bunch of American food, stores, and resorts. We saw parrots on the drive down and got to watch a green turtle lay its eggs though and we saw a boa constrictor too! Koryn
Manuel Antonio
Image
The national park. Koryn
First Week in San Jose
Orientation was the day after arrived and then school was the following day. On orientation day we went and walked to a nearby cafe which was adorable… That was also my first experience trying to order food when I don’t know any Spanish. I also met a bunch of new people which is to be expected, however I found out that one of the students that I went to middle school and high school with was also studying abroad through a different school. That weekend we went to Manuel Antonio which is a beach on the Pacific side of Costa Rica. We did a tour of the national park there and saw tropical plants, bugs, and animals. We saw crocodiles, sloths, and raccoon like things. The raccoons were really funny because they (and the monkeys) will come out onto the beach and steal your things so someone has to be closely watching your things at all times. We also went surfing which is a ton of fun 🙂 Koryn
Costa Rican Cuisine!
Image
The food is super delicious…. there are a ton of rice and beans though. Koryn
arrival in costa rica
I arrived in Costa Rica in the night time so when I looked out of the plane window I could see all of the twinkly lights in San Jose. It was beautiful! More and more Spanish was being used as well. The drive to the school from the airport was probably one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced. When I met my tica mama I quickly realized that she spoke as much English as I did Spanish… which is close to none. It was frustrating not being able to communicate with her, especially because I knew that I need to learn Spanish rather than the other way around. However, she was very kind and was able to get major concepts across with a lot of charades. My roommate arrived later and was able to help translate a little. Koryn
From Rainy London to Sunny… Oregon?
Arriving in England was, let’s face it, terrifying. Don’t get me wrong, it was wonderful and exciting, but it was a new city in a new country in a new part of the world that I had never ventured into before. The entire trip felt like one big heart attack mixed with a shot of adrenaline. You know, in a good way. I’ve learned so many things and met so many amazing people… I can’t express enough how much of an impact this trip has had on me. Not only have I learned so much about the UK, but I’ve challenged myself and passed with flying colors. (Meaning that I wasn’t pick-pocketed or caused an international uproar. Always a plus.)
Pip Pip, Cheerio!
*Cue the Olympic Anthem*
We were lucky enough to get tickets to Antigone at The National Theater starring Christopher Eccleston. Little did we know that we’d be meeting Mark Gatiss on the same night!
I honestly couldn’t get over how beautiful the London Bridge looked… especially with the rings gleaming in the sun. It’s like the city itself was proud.
I fell instantly in love with Dublin. The people there are so accommodating and nice. You just want to stay there forever.
The Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff was fantastic. I was reverted into a ten year old the second I walked in the doors. (Which was hard because it was windy) I even got to fly the TARDIS! Becky