Post Trip Impressions

Well, Costa Rica was definitely not what I had originally expected. Though it did rain at times, it did not rain every day and when it did it wasn't as much as I expected. There was one night where it stormed really bad but that was it. It was also not nearly as humid as I expected it to be. It was the same as home. The only real difference was when we were in Tamarindo, it was more of a dry heat that started very early in the morning and lasted until dark. I can say it was as beautiful if not more than I expected. I especially loved when we were in Monteverde! The hikes we took through the forests were amazing and beautiful. I loved all the trees and scenery that we saw. There were many more mountains in Costa Rica than I expected, but I'm not complaining, it was all such a beautiful sight.

As far as the business aspects go, they were also different than I expected. We visited and heard from more cultural type businesses and owners than "city" type businesses. I had no problem with this at all. The few big businesses we visited and heard from were interesting and had great speakers, but seeing the hands on work that took place on the farms and plantations gave such a better understanding of exactly how sustainable the country of Costa Rica really is. Especially when we visited the coffee and sugar cane farms. These owners make a living out of preparing these crops and they spread over so many acres of land. When it's harvesting time they have help from friends and family and then in return they provide them with the sugar from the cane. Everyone shares with one another and the fact that they work so hard every day to make sure these crops are maintained properly also helps to keep their amazing food so fresh. All of the food we ate was amazing and it literally tasted fresh every time. The coffee was the best I have ever had, and this is coming from a person that drinks it on a daily basis!

Overall, I have a much greater appreciation for the people of Costa Rica. Not only do they strive to keep their country beautiful, but they also do a great job of fulfilling their goal to maintain sustainability. One of my favorite things I saw was that majority of their fences are made from trees that are already in place or they cut up trees that have already fallen. I loved seeing these fences all over. By harvesting so much of their daily food and maintaining the beautiful land, they help not only the environment, but each other. They don't cut down the forests to make space for new companies and houses. Instead they incorporate these things into their homes and businesses. I even saw a restaurant that had a tree growing through the middle of it and you could clearly tell the tree was there before the restaurant. The way that they protect their environment and help each other, Costa Rica is going to be around for a very long time and I can't wait to go back one day!