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Bienvenidos amigos!
I’d like to admit something. When I was accepted into the ‘Healthcare in Costa Rica’ study abroad program, I was the most unprepared person on Earth for what this program would entail. I did no research, no looking into anything. Heck, I didn’t even pack until the day of my flight. On the day of my flight, I was frantically on TikTok searching up things like “how to fit 8 pairs of jeans using the least amount of space possible” (buy packing cubes guys, I had to use Ziploc bags because I did not buy packing cubes). I had an overnight layover, and during this time I tried to cram as much Costa Rica knowledge as I could in hopes of preparing myself. Of course, I still came here very unprepared. So today I want to write about 9 things that surprised me about Costa Rica and studying abroad in general. These are things you might be able to find if you did some research(I wouldn’t know), and some things that I learned from experience.
- They drink a lot of coffee. Like, a lot.
Okay, I suppose everyone probably knows this one, but I was still shocked at how much coffee people drink here. Some families drink 3 or 4 cups a day, including during dinner! My host family actually never drinks coffee, which is completely atypical, but my friends have reported being fed 2-3 cups throughout the day. My friend told me she even saw a 6-month-old baby being fed coffee!!! That honestly might take the cake for ‘craziest Costa occurrences’.
- They have a lot of the same fast food
Okay, this is random and maybe insignificant, but it was still something that surprised me quite a bit! Costa Rica has most of the staple fast food places in the US, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, Papa Johns, Little Caesars, KFC, and more. The fast food places here are honestly even bigger than the ones in the US.
- Pura Vida Lifestyle
The “Pura Vida” lifestyle is a big part of Costa Rican culture. It means “pure life” and is used to express a relaxed, easy-going attitude towards life. No one ever seems to be in a rush and people are always willing to help you if you’re lost or confused. I’ve been surprised at how many long conversations I’ve had just with people at a store or restaurant, it’s so refreshing how open everyone is to conversation! The Costa Rica hospitality is so lovely and wonderful and perfect.
- Biodiversity
Despite its small size, Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. This is something most people probably know already, but it’s crazy to actually see how many different plants grow everywhere. So many plants that people usually try to grow in their houses just grow naturally here. These include monsteras, crotons, and more!
- Healthcare System
Costa Rica has a highly regarded universal healthcare system. I was very shocked by the accessibility and quality of the healthcare services in comparison to the US. When I shadowed at a dentist’s office, it was honestly nicer than any office I’ve been to in the States.
- Weather Variability
Costa Rica has a tropical climate, but the weather varies by region. Honestly, I was surprised by how (generally) stable the weather remained for my time here. It’s amazing to be here during the dry season, where the weather is nearly perfect every single day. It’s so different from the day-to-day changes of Philly weather. In fact, I think during my 3 months here it’s rained less than 5 times!
- Tourism
Costa Rica has a LOT of tourism, much more than I expected knowing it’s the most expensive country in Central America. In some of the places we went to, everything was written in English and we could tell how catered they were to foreigners, especially after living as locals for so long. This has its pros and cons because we were able to communicate better since more people knew English, but we also felt like we weren’t getting the true Costa Rican experience at times.
- Panaderias
Panaderias are bakeries, and they are extremely common around Costa Rica. I love bread, and panaderias have some of the best bread I’ve ever eaten for the cheapest prices I’ve ever seen. They’re always encased in glass and look so delicious. I especially love the Santa Clara Panaderia near my school, ULatina. Pro tip, ask for your bread heated up, I always ask “¿puede calentarlo?” Trust.
- Gallo Pinto
You will eat this a lot. Gallo pinto is rice and beans, and it is the most common food in Costa Rica. Love or hate it, gallo pinto will become one of the most eaten things in your new diet. I cannot wait to never eat gallo pinto again in my life (no offense).
Below are some pictures of my week!
Stamping our handprint on the walls of ICDS on our last few days here 🙁
We worked with clay on our last cultural field trip! I am very bad at it
We saw a man cooking chicken at a rest stop on our way from Puerto Viejo, it smelled so so yummy
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