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¡Bienvenidos mis amigos! Welcome back to my little Costa Rica diary! Today I’m going to write about my typical day in Costa Rica. Honestly, every day varies slightly, but my schedule remains relatively the same Monday through Thursday. I’m specifically going to tell you about my Tuesdays, which are just a little different because I go to clinical rotations these days.
I usually wake up around 5:30 a.m. and take a shower (I am absolutely NOT a morning riser. At all. This is brutal for me.). The hot water is limited, so I’m very mindful of how much I use when I take showers here. Because I’m usually the first or second person awake, I always get to take hot showers which I’m very grateful for. After showering, I get ready for my day! I always need to remember to pack a pair of scrubs on Tuesdays because I do clinicals at the hospital (more about that later, but if you’re doing rotations remember to pack scrubs from home if you have any!). Most people in my program receive breakfast and dinner from their host family. I’m not a big breakfast eater and I almost never have time, so my host mom packs my food in a little lunchbox for me to take to school :D. This is almost always a dish called gallo pinto(rice and beans) with cheese.
My Tuesdays are long, so I try to at least eat a banana as I rush out to the bus stop. The bus is right outside my neighborhood which is super convenient, and costs a little under a dollar, about 65 cents. I usually get to the bus at 7:15 a.m. so I can make it to my 8 AM class on time. Everyone here drives quite differently than in the US, and let’s just say I wouldn’t be able to last a single day without getting into an accident if I drove here. Our bus stops near downtown San Jose, and it’s about a 20 minute walk to our school from here. Our classes are in a building attached to the hospital and are taught by doctors from the hospital, which is super sick. One of my classes is even taught by a Congresswoman! On Tuesdays, I have Health and Vulnerable Populations in Latin America from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and Healthcare Systems in Latin America from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.. These classes are very informative, and I’ve learned a lot about different issues different groups face regarding access to healthcare, housing, money, and more. I’ve gotten to learn a lot about how healthcare works here, which is a really cool perspective to have.
After classes, my friends and I all usually sit outside and enjoy the sun, playing frisbee or cards and talking, and I get to eat my lunch. I stay at school until 1:30 p.m., because that’s when I have my clinical rotations. These rotations are at La Hospital Clinica Biblica, which is right beside our school and is Costa Rica’s largest private hospital. The hospital is absolutely gorgeous, there’s a huge mural that goes up all the floors and there’s even a fountain inside! Every two weeks, I get to shadow at a different part of the hospital. There’s the Molecular Biology Lab, the Physical Therapy Unit, the Radiology Unit, and the Social Action Unit. So far, I’ve shadowed at the Molecular Biology Lab, which I’m extremely grateful for as a Biology major. Many of the things they do in this lab are very similar to the techniques I’ve learned at Drexel, and it’s interesting to see how it works in a different country. Our rotations end at 4:30 p.m. , and after this we bus back home.
When I get home, I love to sit on the porch and call my friends and family to unwind. When I go home, I get to relax, unwind, and talk to my host family. My host mom also makes me dinner, and everything she’s made for me has genuinely been so delicious. However, not many people eat spicy food here, so there are some times I wish I brought some chipotle Tabasco sauce from home. After dinner, I do my night routine and read a little bit, and get ready for bed. Usually, one of the cats I live with will jump on my bed and cozy up with me. I used to be extremely scared of cats before this program, but I live with three and absolutely adore them 🙂 I hope this was able to give you a little insight into the typical school day here. See ya next blog!
Here are some pictures of the week below!
We pass this Plaza on our walk to and from school, and of course I had to take a picture for my mom. Also this was my first ice cream in Costa Rica (I am an ice cream addict and it did not disappoint [carrot cake flavor with cake chunks and raisins from Pops if anyones wondering])
A 0.5 picture with my friends at the hospital! This was our first day of classes
This is one of 3 cats I live with, her name is Mimi! She is the definition of a scaredy cat, but she warmed up to me pretty quickly and I love cozying up with her 🙂
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