Nice to mee you section:

Welcome to my travel blog while I study here in Costa Rica! As an intro, I'm from Beloit, WI and am a Junior at Ripon College. I will be here in Costa Rica until May 23 conducting a research project about organic and nonorganic banana farms. I've never done anything quite like this before and hope to share with you my experiences as I venture about Costa Rica. Hope you enjoy!

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Here comes the sol

The snow is gone and pura vida is in the air, where else could it be but Costa Rica!

The flight here was great. The first part from Chicago was moved up an hour so I made it to Charlotte, NC a little earlier—nice considering that before I would have had only an hour for connection.! On the flight to San José I sat next to a Tica (woman from Costa Rica) who also happened to be an anthropologist living very near to my host enough. How many anthropologists are there studying in Costa Rica? Apparently just enough. So, after we got past the shock, we talked for a while and she gave me some good advice. Like don’t count your money in front of a large crowd, or try not to carry your bare laptop while on a bus. It should not be hard!
I live just outside of San José with a family of four. La mamá María Jesús, la papá Jorge Monge, and two sisters, María José and Betzabel. They are 13 and 9—serious trouble. When I made it through the airport maze all four of them were waiting outside a crowded glass room holding a sign with my name. They were some of the last people lined along the window but as soon as I saw the mom she smiled—which is international ; )
We have been eating way too much and catching so much sun. I love it! This morning we went to a market where the streets are lined with fruits and veggies and hurried ticos. Filling up the trunk of the tiny stick shift was not hard to do. (Oh and to whom it may concern I’ve seen one red Geo so far and expect to see more—they are about the average size of the cars here. Though people drive as if they are huge trucks.) Might makes right… right?
Classes begin on Monday at the ACM—days wake up early and stay up late so I´ll be getting used to the first part! Well, I should get going. The internet café is filling up and I’ve already been here an hour. Hope to hear back from everyone, and enjoy the rest of the snow!

Pura vida
Anna

Saturday, January 17, 2009

the Anticipated intro



Welcome everyone!

This will be my new blog, so grab a seat and make yourself comfortable. I hope it to be something like a travel diary that I indeed want you to read.

On January 30, 2009 I fly out to Costa Rica and to make it all the more dramatic I intend to share my experiences as I live abroad for four months.

"Expectations?" you ask? Of course! I will be studying in a tropical climate for a quarter of a year; of course I expect to get sunburned. Truly though, studying abroad is something I have been anticipating since I was in high school. I could say I have been idealistic about the results of this journey--I'll grow up and become the woman I know I can be--I'll return and have a new vision of the world and its people--I'll be able to communicate thoughts on a new level. Of course. But none of that happens overnight or on a plane.

This is going to be hard work I am anticipating that: a country where English is certainly not the primary language, where norms and expectations are somewhat different, and where I am truly alone. Though no one can really ever be alone. There will be no home mere hours away or straight telephone lines or anyone who has any claim on understanding me. So instead I must learn to understand a place that speaks through its trees and culture and art--really listening for the beauty in life. This is what I am so anxious to begin--to begin what I have long prepared for.

What I really want to say is thank you: to my family and friends and all those who have ever dared to share their passion. What I respect most of all is your courage.

I hope to hear comments from all those with an extra minute. I'll try to keep this up bi-weekly.

Until San José,

Anna