Traveling the world can be eye-opening and inspiring. I am very interested in other places around the globe and I jump at the chance to get away, even if it is only a few hours from home. I have been very fortunate in having the chance to travel to many interesting places, such as Cuba, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, and more. I learned all about the unique cultures in all of these places, and just how much they differed from Canada. Though I thoroughly enjoyed visiting all of these countries, none stand out in my mind as much as Costa Rica does. It all started in January of 2012, when a teacher at my high school proposed the idea of a ten day trip to Costa Rica. I was instantly intrigued and signed my name on a list of potential travellers. As the plans unfolded and the departure date drew closer, I realized I was in for the trip of a lifetime. .
Upon arriving in Costa Rica, we were greeted by Mario, our guide for the duration of the trip. I had already gotten a short glimpse of the countryside from the air and was beyond excited. Our first night was spent in the capitol, San José. It was a dirty, loud, chaotic city, making me appreciate the quiet little village I call home. Pedestrians were never given the right of way, and speed limits and yellow lines were only a suggestion. After almost getting run over and learning about the extremely high crime rate in San Jose, I was ready to head out into the countryside. .
During this trip, we did not stay at high-quality, luxurious resorts. The accommodations were in fact very far from that. The group stayed in local hotels, run by families. I was amazed at how friendly and helpful the staff were in all of these hotels. They truly cared about making our stay as best as possible. This was made obvious when the manager captured a mouse and a scorpion at one in the morning with a smile on his face. This late-night adventure was necessary because one roommate was terrified mice, and the other of insects.
