Blogs from Costa Rica, Central America Caribbean - page 522

Hole-a. Time is accelerating! I have 10 1/2 days left - where has time gone?! I´ve got a few more things to do and see, then I´ll be ready to go home. Classes are going really well this week. I feel like I´ve reached a turning point, and I´m understanding a whole lot more. I would really like to continue learning and practicing Español! (Jugo, that´s where you come in). This Friday all the students studying Spanish get to go on a field trip to Cartago, a little mountain community outside of San Jose. We´re going to visit a church, a fountain, and other cultural sites in the area. It beats sitting in class! Besides, I learn more when I practice speaking in a real situation. Last weekend was frustrating in that regard - I was ... read more

Hello again! It´s Monday again and I´m back at school. I think I managed to thoroughly frustrate my teacher today - she doesn´t speak a lick of English, and I didn´t understand much of what she said in Spanish, so this morning was interesting. Hopefully the rest of the week is better. More importantly, however, was my trip to the beach this weekend! (Just kidding Mom and Dad). This weekend I went to Manuel Antonio National Park, which is on the central Pacific coast. I´ve never seen the ocean look blue - it was stunning! My friend Scott (housemate) went with me, and we took the bus. Next time I take the bus I plan on sedating myself first - driving through the mountains on a bus full of Ticos is a nail-biting experience. On the ... read more

Hola! I´m in Costa Rica now. I´ve finally found the internet, although the keyboard is different - if it -looks all messed up that´s because I feel like I´´m in kindergarten learning to read-spell-write for the -first time. Bear with me! -I arrived on Saturday morning safely, the flight went well. Costa Rica looks like a big green fuzzy -blanket - the mountains are big and beautiful, and covered in a carpet of trees and grass. It looks just -like a rainforest should! I have yet to see the oceans, but I should get my chance this weekend. -My host family is very very nice. Unfortunately, the room is a bit on the "rugged" side, shall we say, and -my allergies are in full bloom, so I will be moving to another home sometime today or ... read more

Si un fin de semana, rafting, canopy, en Los sueños Marriot en playa Jaco... read more

After the exciting whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River, our next destination is Arenal Volcano. We arrived at Hotel San Bosco which is located in La Fortuna. The hotel is nice, clean, and inexpensive. From the hotel, on a clear day you can see Arenal Volcano. Early in the morning, the volcano was partly covered by clouds and the weather was overcast, which made photographing it quite a challenge. Arenal Volcano is the only volcano in Costa Rica constantly active since it woke up after 400 years with the big 1968 eruption producing huge ash columns, explosions & glowing red lava almost every day. It is considered one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. It is 5478 feet high. We spent the late afternoon and evening at Tabacon Resort Hot Springs, a resort ... read more