"It's like an Eduvacation"

Let me start by apologizing for the week-long absence. (Robin, this one's for you)

It has been an incredible week. And when I say incredible, I mean like nothing I've experienced before. That is the idea behind this whole thing, verdad?

My classes are amazing. I thought it would be tough to make it through the four hours of Spanish, but I was wrong. I'm even adjusting to class at 8am everyday! I didn't think it was possible. We talk about everything from childhood memories to current events. I mean everything. The restrictionless conversation is a nice change form the structure of my previous Spanish classes, however it has made me realize how many words I still don't know. In fact, it sort of feels like my Spanish has gotten worse since I've been here, though I know it hasn't. Oh and my Cultural Photography class... I should have started taking photo classes long ago. I absolutely love it. I'm also taking a dance class with some friends at night. I'm not great but I do enjoy a good salsa. (food and dance)

Now for the fun(ner) things. On Thursday night the university had it's first "Crash Party" of the year. Free food, free music, free dancing and lots and lots of people - gringos and ticos! We met some ticos, we danced, and after, we went out to a discotech called Castro's where we danced some more. (On a side note, attending a single dance class does not make one sufficient on their feet in the real dancing world.) Spanish the next morning was slightly difficult to get through, but after a cup of Costa Rica's delicious coffee, anything is possible. Class flew by and an hour later I found myself on a bus with 20 fellow exchange students headed towards Volcán Arenal, Costa Rica's most active volcano. (with snacks and horchata togo from my oh-so-sweet tica mom)

 

Volcán Arenal is on the right

When we arrived in La Fortuna, the home of Arenal, we checked in to our hotel and almost immediately left for Baldí Hot Springs. Baldí is a hotel and spa with a view of the volcano, 20 naturally heated pools ranging from 93° to 153° F, three water slides and a wet bar. I really don't even need to say what an incredible place it was.

After a delicious dinner at Baldí we returned to our hotel and (most) everyone went to sleep. I, did not. While some friends and I were chillin' outside the hotel, Arenal erupted! It was beautiful. The brightness of the reds, yellows and oranges against the clear night sky literally took my breath away. Although Arenal is indeed, a very active volcano, we were apparently quite lucky to see the nighttime eruption so clearly. (Arenal's erruptions are irregular and often obscured by clouds)

The next morning we awoke bright and early for our adventure to La Fortuna Waterfall. While the bus ride to the head of the trail was short, the trek to the waterfall was long and steep. Upon arrival I took lots of pictures, jumped off rocks, and practiced laying out into the water. We then hiked back up the mountain (which took a whole lot longer than the hike down) during which we witnessed a giant, and I do mean giant, spider feeding. I also spotted my first monkey of the trip.

After another delicious meal in La Fortuna at a restaurant called The Lava Lounge, we headed out on our "jeep-boat-jeep" journey to a town called Monteverde (literally green mountain - and actually the greenest place I have ever seen). Although the jeep-boat-jeep ride was simply the fastest way of getting to Monteverde, it was an adventure in itself. The first part of the journey was a short, docile ride in a van - not a jeep, as the name may lead you to believe. We then took a rather long and somewhat boring boat ride though the rain. (though I must say that the landscape surrounding the lake was spectacular). And then came the last leg. We ran through the rain, from the boat to a second van. Seeing how it was a van, just like the first one, we assumed it'd be another ride, just like the first one. It wasn't. It was an hour of wet, bumpy, windy, ups and downs. Mad props to our driver. Eventually we made it to our next hotel, dropped our things off and headed into town for dinner and dancing.

After another short night's rest, we awoke, ate and were on our way to 100% Aventura! our canopy tour central. Just one week after I made the promise to my plane-friend, I was harnessed up and zip-lining though the lush cloud forests of Monteverde.  I was flying (or at least as close as I'll ever get) through valleys of green and it was quite possibly the coolest thing I have ever done.

We then returned to the real world, ate some lunch and drove back to San José - just in time to sleep and wake up for class the next morning.

I'm here for education, but I swear I'm on vacation.

♥

P.S. For those of you following who do not have direct access to my facebook, here is a link to an album of pictures I have posted online from the trip thus far:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=218015&id=722713600&l=4bf7ced6fc
and I will of course add more as they come...