The Adventures of Our First Day

After going through customs at the airport in Costa Rica

            Last night we landed in Costa Rica around 8:15 p.m. We then headed straight to the customs lines because all the international flights were arriving at once and we wanted to get in line as soon as possible. By the time we actually reached the line it was a mile long and we were at the very back. Consequently, Nicki and I decided we would leave our belongings with Tara and Amanda as we quickly ran to the bathroom. Nicki and I literally sprinted to the bathroom, went as fast as possible and ran back to the line. However, in the minute or two that we were gone they had opened up more stations and the line had drastically moved. Unfortunately, Nicki and I had no other choice but to weave in and out of people and go underneath the black dividers that snake the line since Amanda and Tara had our passports and immigration forms. As you can imagine, people we not very happy as we attempted this challenge. To make matters worse, Nicki still had her backpack on her and accidently knocked down a pole as we were crawling to Amanda and Tara. Then, a woman slapped Nicki on the arm and said “HEY YOU!!! GET OUT OF HERE!!!!” Finally, we were able to reach Amanda and Tara and pass through customs and immigration without any problems.

Myself, Nicki and Amanda in our backyard

            After grabbing our luggage we walked down the narrow hallway to the main lobby and could hear the loud voices as we approached the mayhem. We found Dr. Jochum right away, and were sent in a vehicle to meet our new family. We pulled up to what will be our new home for the next month. I was astonished at the size and niceness of our house. Our host mom is the sweetest lady in the entire world. She is so welcoming and bends over backwards at our every need. She and her husband have hosted so many people in the past that they have lost track of the exact number. There is one more member of our family that I do not want to leave out, her name is Matilda. She spends most her time outdoors and doesn’t mind taking “siestas” (naps) in the grass. In my very first encounter with her, I accidently stepped on her foot while making my way to the hammock. Matilda is our pet turtle!!! Beyond Matilda, our host mom will be caring for her granddaughter, Luciana at our house during the week. Luciana is 10 months old and cute as a button!

I was surprised to find out that in addition to Nicki, Amanda and I there are two more girls from Nebraska living in this house. These two girls, Liz and Jenn (Finn), are sisters and their original host family became ill so they are now living with us! Nicki and I share a bedroom and the two sisters do as well which leaves Amanda to her own room. The only downsides of our house are that it lacks air conditioning, internet, and is a good 30 minute walk to our school; however, I would consider us beyond blessed!

            The highlight of our day today was going to mass. Today was particularly special because we celebrated Corpus Christi. After mass the priest took the Eucharist and placed it in the Adoration Monstrance. The whole congregation then processed outside. I had no idea what was going on and we were at the back of the pack and before we could get outside we started to hear what seemed like extremely loud gun shots. Although this might sound alarming, after having been to Peru I wasn’t really worried. Luckily, it was just firework-like explosions for the celebration of Corpus Christi. We took part in a small procession before returning to the chapel and closing the ceremony. After church, the rest of the day was spent exploring and walking!

Below are some cultural differences between Costa Rica and America that you might enjoy:

-There are no street signs in Costa Rica. People tell others where they are located based on major landmarks.

-The sidewalks here definitely are not as nice as America. They are often filled with cracks and sometimes the cement randomly turns into rocks for awhile before solid cement again. Also, when you cross streets sometimes there is a big hole between the sidewalk and the street that you leap over.

-The currency here is called “calones.” One American dollar is equal to roughly 500 calones.

-It rains every single day here. Sometimes it downpours for 20 minutes; other times it rains for two solid hours.

Matilda!