Lo que voy a extrañar de Costa Rica

After 25 days in Costa Rica and just 6 more to go, I have to admit, it's hard not to look forward to my own bed, my own house, my own tv, my own... you get the idea. BUT at the same time, there are some things I will most definitely miss.

1. Cheap public transportation. I go two ways by bus to class every day for about $1. When you think about car payments, insurance, gas, etc, it's quite a deal if this is your main source of transportation! I can get to the city and back for the same price, and a bus ticket 3.5 hours to Manuel Antonio beach was $16 round trip.

2. The weather. Wow. I don't think the highs have been above 80 degrees Fareniheit. And that's with 10 mph winds. The beach was definitely hot, but here in the Valle Central, your average temperature is 70 degrees this time of year. Note to travelers: bring pants and cardigans! I did not bring enough! It does rain just about every day, but not too long (usually), and instead of turning into a sauna like in southwest Georgia, it cools down even more after the rain.

3. The music. The radio in our house is on constantly. I have learned all of the popular songs and I am going to miss "la hora de tortugas"-- a pretty funny radio show that we listen to most evenings with mama tica. 

4. The language. Yes, I teach Spanish, but there is a big difference in teaching and day to day speaking. I have learned so many "costaricanisms". I definitely need to find a group of native speakers back home to keep it up! 

5. La UCR. What a wonderful university. My teachers are graduate students in language and linguistics and their knowledge is through the roof. It is clear that education is not lacking here in Costa Rica. I would recommend UCR AND MLSA to anyone! 

This has most definitely been a very challenging, but rewarding experience. Friday is the last day of class. Pretty bittersweet. I am going to try my best to enjoy every moment until then.