Examining Beliefs in Costa Rica

My time in Quepos was so wonderful that I almost cried on the bus ride back to San Jose. The experiences were memorable, but by far, the people made the whole experience unforgettable. Over the course of three days, Evelyn and I got to know the staff there and joke with them, play cards with them, go out with them, and have deep discussions with them. I sometimes have a hard time opening up and getting to know people and breaking the ice, but that is Evelyn's strength, and I am so happy for it! Also, I have to put a plug here for the Pura Vida Hostel, as it is the best hostel I have stayed at so far (out of three) because it is clean, cozy, it is ideally located (it is like a tree house at the top of a hill), and, mostly, because of the amicable staff that we met. I definitely want to go back there someday as there are more beaches I did not explore and Manuel Antonio National Park that I did not get to go to.

However, now that I am back in San Jose on my own, after saying goodbye with great difficulty to Evelyn, I am going to try and see other areas of Costa Rica. Tonight I stay with a host family in a town near San Jose and am excited to meet and share with more people. Then I plan to visit some national parks and see the volcanoes here and head on to Monteverde.

I am learning so much about others being here and practicing a little Spanish whenever I can. Other people have so much to offer and it is amazing learning about how different cultures can be and yet how similar we all are in matters of the heart. We even met three gals from Israel at the hostel who had just finished their army service (apparently, all men and women in Israel are required by law to be in the army for two years)! When I told them my name (Miriam), they immediately said, "Oh, so you're Jewish?" I've never heard that response before! I have also met people from all over the United States, and from Switzerland, and Canada...the moral of this story is, if you would like to travel, it is possible to do so fairly cheaply and I recommend going outside of your comfort zone and expanding your horizons to everyone. The theme of my blog is to examine your beliefs, and what better way to do so than to learn about the beliefs, cultures, and lifestyles of others and to see how your beliefs fit in to a completely different paradigm and culture? This is the ultimate mental exercise and has also taught me how much I take for granted in America. Sometimes I focus so much energy on the problems that the United States is facing that I forget the positive aspects of living there.

I have one week left here and may not have internet access for a while. But if I do, I will keep blogging! Hope everyone in the USA had a great Fouth of July and thought about the freedoms that they have and the ones that we are going to have to fight to keep. I have been thinking on this during my whole trip. Hasta luego!