A Week Filled With New Experiences

 Hello, I hope everyone is doing well! Today is the day we leave Costa Rica to head back to Maryville. I am sad to say goodbye to someplace that has given me so many fantastic memories and experiences. The last week here in Costa Rica was filled with so many fun activities, lots of which were fairly new to me. 

We got to go white water rafting down the Sarapiqui River! I had never been white water rafting before so I was slightly nervous as to how it was going to turn out, but it was super fun and I had a blast! As soon as we got on the water, with our guide Madri in charge of the raft, I felt the nerves dissipate a little. We stopped halfway through the rafting trip to go swimming and snack on some pineapple. Before the rafting trip we stopped at a local super market and tried all different kinds of fruits, some unique to the Costa Rica area.

(Picture of my raft going down the Sarapiqui River with Madri taking the photo)

The next day we did a plantation tour with Rodolfo. We got to see how big a hectare is and learned that by going and visiting the plantation we make about a 7 ton Carbon offset. After the plantation we headed to La Fortuna where the Arenal Volcano is. In La Fortuna we got to visit a local hot spring which is where the water is heated from the volcano. 

Wednesday was a jam-packed day. In the morning we visited the La Fortuna waterfall. This water was a change of pace compared to the hot springs because the water was so cold. It was nice to be able to relax and see the beautiful blue water. After the waterfall we went zip-lining in the forest where the Malekus indigenous tribe resides. Then later that day we went to another hot springs that is heated by the volcano. At this hot spring it was set up more like a spa or a water park. They even had hot spring water slides! 

(The La Fortuna waterfall)

(Zip-lining in the forest)

(The hot springs from Wednesday)

The last couple days we got to spend a lot of time at the beach and in the Nicoya Peninsula area. We learned to surf and got to boogie board for two days. Learning to surf was amazing. It was so much fun, especially when you were able to get up and ride the wave, even only if for a little bit. Boogie boarding was fun, but the waves were a little rough at times. Learning to surf has always been a goal of mine, so being able to do it on this trip was great! We also got to see a baby sea turtle at a place that protects them, which was super cool! We ended the trip with a beautiful catamaran boat ride where Kirsten Sheppard taught a few of us how to dive properly. While we were pulling back into port there was a beautiful sunset. It was a great way to end the trip! 

(Baby sea turtle)

(The sunset that was seen on the catamaran)

I hope you guys have enjoyed following along my journey on Costa Rica! I’ve enjoyed my time here and am grateful for all the memories I have made :)