And just like that, week 2 is done! It was another week full of lots of adventures and new experiences!

On Monday for spanish class, we visited CAIPAD which is a government run program for adults with special needs. We got to go and hang out with them & play games! My group played “Simon Dice” (Simon Says). And all in spanish! I learned a lot of new words. Some of the other groups played musical chairs & red light/green light. After the games, we sang happy birthday to the people with June & July birthday’s and ate birthday cake. It was a really sweet time & they were all so happy we came to visit them.

Then on Wednesday, we went and toured CIMA hospital in San Jose. This is a private hospital that is extremely nice and almost like a hotel. We have been learning about the healthcare system in Costa Rica in class so it was cool to get to see it firsthand.

It was also a week where we all realized we are actually here for class (sadly) and that means homework. All of our homework really piled up this week and I spent all my free time finishing that. My friends and I found some new coffee shops in town to study at which made studying a little more bearable.

I’m falling into a nice routine of class, studying, meals, spending time with my family, and sleeping. San Joaquin already feels like home.

Finally, when the weekend came around we traveled to Monte Verde! The views were breathtaking. It was like looking at a painting. I have to say this is the prettiest place I have been to so far in all my travels. We stayed in a place called hotel sloth backpackers. It was a cute place right in the middle of the town. The rooms were super nice & they had hot water for the showers!! (I almost cried when I got to take a hot shower)

Our first day in Monte Verde, we went to Extremo Park to go ziplining! I’ve been ziplining at least 3 times before and this was hands down the best one ever. There were 20 ziplines, 2 of which were superman style (stomach down and head first). There was also a “tarzan swing” which is exactly what it sounds like. All this was only $45! I think it was a great deal.

After ziplining, I went..wait for it..bungee jumping!! I know y’all think I am insane and yes I am, but it was great! My attitude towards bungee jumping has always been “if the opportunity to bungee jump comes, I’ll probably do it but otherwise I’m not going to go out of my way to make it happen.” And the opportunity did come and so I took it! But don’t think I was calm or anything because I was scared out of my mind. 3 of my friends did it before me and so seeing as they all came back alive made me feel a teeny bit better. When my time came, I was inching ever so slowly to the edge of the platform while holding on for dear life to the 2 guys that worked there. Finally when I made it close enough to the edge they told me to squat a little bit and then started counting backwards from 5 real fast and in that moment I knew there was no turning back. When they hit 1 I dove off the platform into the valley below and screamed at the top of my lungs. It was a weird feeling having the world spinning around me while upside down. But it was totally worth it! I would definitely do it again someday.

Okay, now that I’m done telling that story you can all calm down and breathe. I’m alright and I made it back in one piece. The next day in Monte Verde we got to do even more fun stuff! In the morning, we went to the suspension bridges and had a fun time walking across all those and having a mini photoshoot (see pics below). Then in the afternoon, we went horseback riding!! The views were indescribable. A picture is worth 1000 words!

Sorry this post was so short, but I feel like my pictures really describe this week way better than I can with words! Thank you so much for reading!! Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or question below! See y’all next week!

Pura Vida

Texan On The Go

My host mom’s great niece (not sure what that makes her to me)

Banana&nutella crepe at a local cafe

Homemade guacamole & tortillas!

CIMA hospital

Touring the hospital

Monte Verde “cloud forest”Waterfall

Ziplining with friends

Suspension Bridges

Horseback riding!!

#views!!