Though today is typically a rest day, we started our day with breakfast with our host mother, who made us scrambled eggs with what appeared to be ham chucks, a side of pan con queso creama (a sweet bread that has cream in it), papaya drizzled with yogurt and granola, orange juice, and coffee with sugar, powdered milk, and soy milk. I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the meal, but it was delicious. I normally don't like coffee, but decided to give it a try anyways. I put a ton of sugar and soy milk, and it was not bad. That is really something considering I will not drink coffee at all back home. Coffee is a huge part of Costa Rican history and is some of the richest coffee you will find in the world, which is why I gave it a shot. Still don't like coffee, but I will say that I don't mind drinking it in the morning here as long as I have other things to go with it.
After breakfast and handing our regalos (small gifts) to our host mother (I got the family a Colorado mug, Denver Broncos salt & pepper shakers, and halloween Reese's cups), we headed to the college campus for the Bridging Cultures program orientation, which was basically an overview of Costa Rica and our study abroad program and how we can get involved here. We ate some chocolate wafers and drank some really delicious fruit juice as a snack, and then boarded a private bus to take a bus tour of downtown San Jose. Everything in Costa Rica is so close and it really is a small country. I will say that we have better drivers in the United States though, even through we claim them to be bad, not only from watching their driving skills here, but also since I learned from my host mom that car accidents are one of the leading causes of death of Ticos (Costa Rican natives). I would have taken pictures, but I did not have a good view being on the inside seat. I'll have plenty of time to explore these next couple of months, so pictures will come at some point.
When we returned, we were done for the day around noon, so my two roommates and I, along with a couple other ISA students, set out to find a bank to exchange U.S. dollars for colones (the currency here) and lunch. We walked for about an hour and a half or so looking for one that was open, but every single one we came across was closed. I probably should have expected that anyways, since banks are not open on Sundays back home. Luckily we found a ATM, and some of the girls pulled out money for lunch. I only had my credit card and U.S. dollars, so I decided not to risk high fees from Wells Fargo and wait.
We ended up back in our neighborhood and stopped for lunch at a quaint place called Las Leñitas. I immediately recognized many of the things on the menus: tacos, fajitas, chalupas, arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), burritos... Though I was sure the Costa Rican versions would be different, I was kind of bummed that I was not getting the full Costa Rican experience. This restaurant likely caters to foreign students as it is located near to a university that has a large international student population. I ordered chalupas con pollo. They were actually pretty filling, topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, and just a tad of sour cream. They were delicious even though I typically hate tomatoes and sour cream. For my beverage, I wanted to try something I've never tried before, so I tried jugo de naranjilla. A naranjilla, also known as a lulo, is similar to a small orange, but has a more tart and acidic flavor. It is popular in Latin America, usually turned into juices. This was delicious and I wish I could have drank more.
We headed back to our homestays to hang out until dinner since it appeared about to rain. The rain started as soon as I got home and remained very heavy for a couple of hours. We dried off and took some time to learn more about each other. For dinner, we had a lentil and vegetable soup-type substance with rice and a salad consisting of avocados, tomatoes, and chickpeas. We also had the tea we had the previous night. I never thought I would enjoy avocados or vegetables, but they were good.
After dinner, we played with the younger son and then got ready to explore with other ISA students. We ended up piling into the van of one of the homestay parents and going to a bar called Terra U. Most of you are probably used to the drinking age as 21, but in Costa Rica, the drinking age is 18. Bars are a popular attraction for students and young Ticos, so in order to get the full experience, I had to at least try to have a good time. I tried a brand of beer called Imperial, which is a Costa Rican brand. It's very dull in flavor, which is good in the way that it doesn't have a strong alcohol taste, but bad because it really didn't have any flavor at all. When I return to the US, I will be 21, so Colorado breweries, watch out -- I'm coming for ya! Drinks are very, very cheap here. I mingled with other students and some Ticos, and decided to try a rum & coke, because it was only 1000 colones, or about $2. Not bad. I liked it. We all ended up just chatting, sharing stories, and dancing the night away. I'm not one to really go out much, especially to places like bars and nightclubs, but because we don't start classes until Monday, I felt that it was a good way to experience Tico nightlife without compromising my academics here.
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