¡Bienvenidos amigos! As I wrap up my Costa Rica journey, I recount the fondest of memories with the loveliest of people. I want to write this blog about the thing that made my Costa experience so special: the people’s hospitality. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms and made to feel like a part of the community. The genuine kindness, generosity, and patience have made my time here truly unforgettable.
I feel like I’ve shared such intimate bonds with complete strangers, and the people I’ve talked to are genuinely just so willing to go out of their way to help. It’s the little things that show the true spirit and heart of a country, and the people here have only represented the country in such a beautiful and positive way. There was one particular instance that was so small yet so impactful, that it left me thinking. I was in line at KFC because I wanted ice cream. Usually at the fast food places here, they sell ice cream outside at the storefront, and inside the store, they sell the other food. The outside storefront was closed so I waited in line, scanning the menu. When I saw there wasn’t ice cream there, I asked the lady in front of me in line if she knew if they sold any inside. She said she didn’t think so, but rather than just stopping there, she walked out of the line and went to the security guard outside and asked him. Then, when he confirmed they didn’t, she asked him for directions on ice cream nearby, gave me a bunch of recommendations, and listed the different directions. This is a small thing, but it was just so heartwarming.
My friends and I have also received so many free things here. The people here are so generous, and you can tell they care about you and your happiness. From free dinners to margarita pitchers to discounts on activities, we’ve even received a huge free sashimi, sushi, and calamari platter from a restaurant that we just happened to stumble into! I’ve never felt such loving and generous treatment from anywhere in the States, and I appreciate and notice every gesture of kindness here. Even when we sit at restaurants, others join our conversations, and suddenly we’ve become friends with half the restaurant patrons and the waiters! This is also extremely common in hostels (which I can’t recommend enough). In hostels, a ton of people are solo travelers and everyone is looking to make friends. We’ve made friends with countless people, and others have told me all about how they traveled around Costa Rica just with people they’d just met at their hostel!! It’s truly inspiring how kindness and being welcoming can affect others.
This blog was a little bit of a ramble, but I had to write about how utterly grateful I am for being here and for how welcomed I’ve felt here. Everyone is so open, so willing to share stories, so easy to make friends with. If you’re studying abroad, remember to go out of your comfort zone and talk to people, talk to everyone! The store owner, the people at your hostel, your waiter. Take it one day at a time and say yes to everything (within reason obviously). Be kind, generous, welcoming. Reciprocate others’ energy. Truly, truly, treat others how you’d want to be treated. And remember, you’re only living in this moment once, so make the most of every day. ¡Pura vida!
Below are some pictures of my week!
My friend trying to pull a coconut off a tree (she was successful)
Gorgeous blue water at Isla Tortuga. There are soooo many pretty rocks and shells here too
We got this whole entire platter plus a bowl of ramen for free! Highly recommend Naruto in Chinatown in San Jose
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