Overall I couldn’t have asked for a better trip. The whole point of this trip for me was to explore something unique, which was definitely achieved. I saw and experienced things I would never thought of. Although there were a lot of differences when comparing Costa Rica and the United States, I was surprised by the similarities. Many kids there even speak fluent English. The biggest cultural distinction I saw was their content with minimalism. I think part of this is because Costa Rica is a pretty expensive country and it is hard to live lavishly. Everyone I met was happy and joyful. They valued their family above anything and they looked out for each other. An example of this would be my host family. In the house there was an uncle, mom, her son, her daughter, and the grandmother. They did everything together and I could clearly tell they loved one another. Another key difference would be the food. The food in Costa Rica is very sweet-tasting. They love their tropical fruits and rice. Every morning they would eat a dish called gallo pinto. This consisted of rice, beans, eggs, toast, and usually a fruit with coffee. In the end, I think it is a must that people visit a foreign country with the mindset of being open. At first it will seem that you do not connect with these people for various reasons (language barrier or major cultural differences) but you will come to the realization that we are all the same: humans, and what a beautiful notion that is. Below is a picture of a typical Costa Rican breakfast.
