Week 5: Exams and Jacó
This whole past week has been fulfilling, yet quite exhausting for the SFS Costa Rica students. The beginning of the week was filled with hurriedly finishing a lab report, then the rest of the week was devoted to studying and taking our three midterm exams. The beauty of 32 students taking the exact same exams at the exact same time is that it was so much easier to study. This may seem like an obvious statement, but compared to trying to study with strangers in your class at normal University, I much prefer this. Personally, I get really worked up about tests and having everyone in the same boat made me perfectly relaxed for them.
The feeling after the tests were done…magnificent.
Our last test was Friday morning and we had our Host Family Dinner that night. Every students’ Host family from the previous weekend was invited to reconnect and be thanked for the awesome experiences we all had. It also included a talent show…and I can say this entailed ukulele playing, acrobatics, a guanabana toss, crazy skits, and group singing and dancing. All around, it was one ridiculous experience. After the talent show, the dance floor opened up and host brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, etc. were out on the floor with their student. Honestly, it was a lot more fun than I was expecting, haha.
But Saturday morning, 27 of us hopped on a bus at 8:00 am and were taken to Jacó, Costa Rica. About an hour and 15 minutes from Atenas, this tourist town lies on the Pacific side of the country, right on the beach. ☺
The place was incredible…remote, sunny, and very close to water (which made me ecstatic). My three roommates and I had a wonderful time just relaxing by the pool and occasionally frolicking in the amazing Pacific waves. This afternoon (Sunday, Oct. 5), my roommate Yuka and I ventured into the waves a little too far…we ended up getting pulled out by riptide accidentally into the HUGE waves. These were at least three times our size and they were breaking and crashing right in front of us. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty freaking amazing…at first. After about three more giant waves tossing us around underwater, we made an executive desicion to get the hell out of there. We’re alive and well, but we have gained a severe respect for the power of the ocean!
Other parts of Jacó were…interesting. It is a very touristy town; almost every business largely catered to Americans, but is not actually a big town. The local culture contrasted with the week/weekend-stayers (like us) is a really cool dynamic. But it was a blast! The night scene was definitely on point, but make sure you 1) have a thick skin if you would like to wear a dress and walk anywhere, and 2) have a place to stay, directions to that place, and money for a taxi. My intention isn't to scare or send a warning to anyone, but rather to give a feel for the atmosphere during bartime. This might be TMI, but prostitution was actually really really prevalent, almost everywhere in Jacó. I mention this because I think it’s interesting; I’ve heard both sides of the prostituition debate and I don’t really know what’s right. Should we let women do what they want, however they want? Or is it just wrong? Just something to think about.
Overall, our 36 hours of freedom were well spent. The rest of the students had a blast as well, and I think it’s a bitter-sweet return to the campus (when we have to start class again tomorrow). Needless to say, we’re unbelieveably stoked for the next free weekends and our five-day break!!!
Coming up this week; we’re going to Nicaragua! We’ll be there most of the week, and we’re all so pumped! I know that trip will leave us with many an interesting story to share, so be prepared. ☺BE PREPAAAAAAARED. (Lion King reference)
Alright me thinks it’s time for bed.
Love,
