Here’s a quick Spanish lesson so you sound like you know a little bit of another language when visiting Costa Rica. It’s not “Pure-a,” it’s “purr-ah).” You almost sound like a sighing cat: “Purr…Ahhhh.” There’s the Spanish quickie!
Having the opportunity of visiting Costa Rica through Rustic Pathways with people I had never met before not only pushed my comfort zone, but was eyeopening.
This wasn’t a trip where we just visit cities and attractions and say, “Well, that’s it!” No…it was way more. We lived the culture. We breathed, slept, and ate the Costa Rican culture. Not literally, but almost. Having only Costa Rican food and there were quite a few “back-ups” among the group if you catch my drift. It definitely took a while for our bodies to adjust to the everyday Casados of chicken, rice, and beans (their national meal).
We slept in tents on an island we kayaked to and in bungalows way above the ocean in the jungle where we fell asleep to the sounds of monkeys and slithering animals. We also stayed at an oceanfront hotel (don’t get your hopes up…the hotel was not like many American hotels).
While in Costa Rica, we were able to participate in hands on activities. We built a park in a local community in Puerto Jimenez, constructed a turtle hatchery, participated in a beach clean-up, and taught elementary school kids English. Building relationships with the Costa Rican kids was an amazing experience. I felt like I had the opportunity to make a difference, and going on this trip, I believe I did all I could to help out. I left knowing that I had nothing left in me, and that’s a pretty great feeling.
The trip went way beyond community service. I went white water rafting, horseback riding through rivers, kayaking, camping, waterfall rappelling, and zip-lining. These next few stories I tell only give a sneak peak. They tell absolutely nothing about the little moments that make everything else seem unimportant.
White Water Rafting While Visiting Costa Rica
It was quite the commotion of two kids trying to pull the counselor and guide, along with us other 3 back into the boat before the upcoming large boulders sitting oh-so-nonchalantly in the middle of the river.
Luckily, we all made it back in (even if it was a plop on our faces) before the next rapid. Phew!!
Kayaking in Costa Rica
Our kayaking trip wasn’t leisurely. It was a 2 hour trip from the mainland to an island we would camp on for 3 nights. Little did I know, I would finally learn how to let go a little bit and kill spiders and bugs that lived inside my tent…with me. I guess I wouldn’t truly be visiting Costa Rica if it weren’t for that experience. That wasn’t okay with me. I am proud to say that I, with my bare hands (and a shoe…but shhh), killed a tarantula. Gross, but satisfying. Our little island was also the home to a baby Fer-de-Lance–a very deadly snake. Let’s just say that if it bit you, you would be dead within a few hours.
Exhausted after hours of kayaking, I decided to go to bed early. It didn’t work too well, though, because so many of my friends were screaming after I crawled onto my yoga mat with no pillow. Yeah, you read that right. I didn’t have a pillow for 3 nights–it was truly rustic.
Back to the screaming. On the way to the bathroom, two of my friends ran into a snake and told the counselor. He took a shovel and chopped it in half. We later found out that it was the really deadly one. From then on, used extreme caution while walking to the one bathroom for the twenty of us. Even though I experienced the rustic side of the island, camping gave me a little edge. It added a bit of a rustic side to me. By now, I’ve lost it and I’m back to being afraid of bugs, but for then, it was pretty cool.
Leaving the island, we kayaked 14 miles to our next stop…it took me and my buddy 3 hours and 58 minutes. Way to go, us!! And not to brag, but we never once got towed by the boat unlike many of the others…all that upper body strength I have really comes in handy!! Ha, ha…not!
Zip-lining While Visiting Costa Rica
A lot of times, I would be going so fast from the speed I built up from going downhill, I couldn’t even brake hard enough that I inevitably slammed into the wooden block. Other times, I stopped about 20 feet before the tree platform and just sat there until the guide zipped over to me to pull me back.
Waterfall Rapelling
Waterfall rappelling in Costa Rica: One of my favorite activities when visiting Costa Rica. The drop off was about 200 feet…it doesn’t seem that tall, but when I looked down off the cliff, the only thought that popped into my head: “Wow, that’s high.”
Not only that, but my stomach dropped down that cliff and my heart about exploded out of my chest. Once I got started, things were okay. The rope hadn’t broke, I hadn’t slipped, and I could breathe. Well, breathing was tough, but all I had to do was look down in order to keep the water out of my face. Keeping my footing only lasted so long, too, because as soon as I reached one of the ridges, my foot slipped and I flew right into the wall. Now I get why helmets are so important.
Swimming in the Pools
From there it was easy, just a little tug on the rope and I could rappel myself. I would go all the way until I was at the bottom in the waterfall pool. When everyone had taken their turn, we took a hike to a more powerful waterfall. Like powerful. No, no…not like powerful–basically I felt as though I was caught in a storm with pouring down rain pounding in my face, a current that pushed me backwards even though there was a rope to pull myself, and waves crashing so noise was blocked out. By the time I reached the jump, I swallowed at least a glass of water.
I reached the jump after about 15 minutes of pulling the rope, scaling the falls, and climbing up under the heavy part of the waterfall. I did it once, and thought it was possible to try again. False, incorrect, wrong. Halfway through pulling the rope, I literally felt as if I was drowning. I’m not sure how it feels but if I could guess: You’re not strong enough to keep yourself above water anymore, your arms feel weak and tired, you take in water, your lungs hurt from heaving, and your chest cannot expand any further. When it got to that point, I thought it would be a good idea to just let go and float back to the start.
Being given this experience of visiting Costa Rica will never be forgotten! The friends I made will always be there even though we are states and even countries apart. The memories and experiences that I have grown from will never leave me. The sense of adventure that I left Costa Rica with will stay with me for the rest of my life–since the trip, all I ever want to do is explore and live. No, not live. But live–feel, know, experience…live.