Day 173 - Final trips and finals preparation

Word of the week: busy -- ocupado(a)

Percent complete: 91%

I had to double check my math on the whole "91% complete" thing because I still can't believe that I'm 18 days away from leaving.  I've been here so long, though, that I'm thinking that I'm going to have some culture shock going back to the US.  I guess we will see, but I definitely won't be surprised when I'm greeting people or trying to order at a restaurant in Spanish.

Side note: Not sure if I have mentioned it yet, but the students doing the Early Start program for the fall (the one that I did back in January) are already here, along with a few other students on month-long and two-month-long programs.  I have a new host sister (not sure if that's the correct name since we are both American...) named Whitney, so it has been a fun change around the house.

I'm going to keep this post short, but just wanted to add a little something about the last couple weekends.  A few weeks ago, the Grupo along with the new students went back to Volcán Irazú and the coffee plantation for a short trip on Sunday.  I didn't take many pictures since I had been to each place before, but here are a few:

I'll miss the trips through the mountains for sure... the Costa Rican country side is pretty easy on the eyes.  This is from the drive to Irazú.

Walking up to a lookout point at Volcán Irazú.

The main crater at Volcán Irazú, from a much higher vantage point this time.

A rather large spider by the hot springs at the coffee plantation.  Not sure what kind it was, but I didn't want to be around it too long.

Photo courtesy of Zaida's Facebook

The "new" Grupo.  Three of the students are here for the semester (with one more coming soon that didn't do the Early Start), and the other 4 are here on the shorter programs.

In the last few weeks, we also had another cookout with the Grupo at Zaida's house again and I got to grill my "special recipe" burgers for everyone.  It's always fun to do stuff that reminds me of home though.

Also, there have been some Hexa games (World Cup qualifiers) spread out the last couple of months.  They are usually big events around the whole city, as everyone is glued to their TV's (remember, soccer here is a big deal).  Right now the US is first in points in the Hex, with Costa Rica in a close second, of three teams guaranteed to qualify.  I still have Ticos complaining to me about the "snow game" in Denver back in March between the US and Costa Rica, which was part of the Hex as well.  The next game is in September at the Estadio Nacional here in San Jose, so I guess that can be the grudge match.  Anyway, we have gotten together a few times with Ticos and other international students to watch the games which always turn out to be a fun time.

Here's a picture from one of the games.  I think we have the US, Costa Rica, Canada, Germany, Norway, and France all present.

Now on to the last trip that I took, back to Manuel Antonio.  Unless something spontaneous pops up, I don't think I will have time, and more importantly funds, to go on another.  However, it was a fitting way to end the traveling in Costa Rica since it was a return trip to the first place we visited way back in January, just 7 days after our arrival.  This time I took my camera so I could get some better pictures of the place.  It was a short trip, but definitely worth it; we actually met a student at our hostel from Atchison, KS, who studies at K-State.  Small world.  Here are some pictures from the trip, including the most picturesque, and in my mind "stereotypical", Costa Rican beach that I've been to (I say stereotypical because it is surrounded by wildlife and rainforest and cliffs and just looks like something out of a Costa Rican tourism magazine):










The main beach, Playa Manuel Antonio.  It was a little cloudy, but still very hot.

Playa Manuel Antonio

Chestnut-mandibled toucan in Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.  The national park has lots of trails to walk with a variety of wildlife, as well as some better quality beaches than the main one (pictured above).

Lots of these little guys crawling around.

Duncan and I went on a trail to this lookout point in the national park.  Pretty cool looking out to the Pacific, and these cliffs covered in rainforest are quite impressive.

One of the beaches in the national park.  Hopefully this shows the "picturesque" aspect.

Another lookout from another trail in the park, complete with a cliff and more green.











This is another beach in the park.  They are set in these little coves so it makes you feel like you're surrounded by green (have I emphasized this yet?), but the water is warm and very blue.  Makes for a good setting.











Duncan and I enjoying some cards, scotch and Cuban cigars at our hostel.

The whole group right before we left.

That's all I have time for this week.  I'm studying for finals right now, and have an extremely busy week next week between 3 finals and various projects/papers, and then I finish with a couple more finals the week after.  Still can't believe that the time here is winding down so fast, but I'm definitely very excited to get back to the US of A.

I will probably only have one more post during my time in Costa Rica, but until then,

¡Pura vida!