pura vida for life

When I left London a little over a month ago, I had no idea that I would soon be embarking on a new adventure to Costa Rica for the summer.  Even though I have only been here for a short time, I have already come to appreciate and love this fascinating and beautiful country.  Each day, I find myself meeting new challenges like living and working in San Jose and confronting the Spanish language barrier.  However, I have also found myself exposed to new opportunities and many new friends.  Here are some highlights from my experience thus far - 

Staying at a base house in the Costa Rican rainforest,

The Rustic Pathways Volcanoes & Rainforest Service Base near La Fortuna

Dipping my feet into the lagoon at the center of a sleeping volcano,

The crater at the top of Cerro Chato - I swear there were dinosaurs in there!

Watching the sun set on the warm waters of the Pacific Coast, 

Playa Carrillo in Guanacaste

Eating delicious Caribbean-inspired vegan and organic food in Puerto Viejo, 

Veronica's Place

Making lifelong friends. 

Yendry, Stacey, and I in Puerto Viejo

I now know the meaning of pura vida.