Latin America simply has an incredible atmosphere. The people here are friendly, open and happy, and then there's the fascinating nature, which took my breath away more than once. Costa Rica in particular is so diverse that I couldn't stop being amazed.
Lena traveled with us to Costa Rica for two months and took part in the Hostel Experience. After spontaneously deciding to stay in Costa Rica, she was initially blown away by all the new impressions on site. However, she settled in very quickly and took many new people and places to her heart. In this report, she has recorded her experiences for us and would like to give future participants a few tips along the way.
I decided on my trip to South America very spontaneously, so I didn't have much time to prepare for the adventure. Thank goodness I was sent the packing list from Wanderworld, which included everything I needed to get and pack. To increase my anticipation even more, I read through various travel blogs before I left, so I couldn't wait to get to know the country myself!
After landing, I was totally blown away by all the impressions. I couldn't believe that I was really in Costa Rica. The first few days were of course particularly exciting. I walked around a lot and looked at everything. In San José, I still couldn't quite believe that I was on another continent. The "culture shock" wasn't that big because we were in a big city, whereas Uvita, the location of my program, was much more rural and had relatively little to do with a city. You could feel the cultural influence much more there. But I found it really cool and exciting to talk to the people and explore the new area. I got used to it really quickly in the first few days and really settled in. It was relatively easy for me, as long as you are open to new things and embrace the experience, it's not a problem.
Everyday life in my program was very relaxed. I worked five times a week for four hours. My typical tasks included reception and the kitchen, as well as doing laundry. The working hours always varied. However, we were given a weekly schedule every week so that we could also plan our free time.
I usually had a leisurely breakfast in the morning and then worked for four hours, which always went by quickly depending on how busy it was. As I usually worked in the morning, I basically had the whole day ahead of me. I often went to the surrounding waterfalls or the beach or just enjoyed chatting with guests from the hostel. You get to know so many great people there with cool stories and personalities, which is super interesting to hear. As I wasn't the only volunteer, I also did lots of other things with the others, such as a picnic in the bamboo forest.
In the evenings, we often cooked and ate together, played cards, chatted and simply socialized. Then it was off to bed 🙂
I always organized my free time very spontaneously and did whatever I felt like doing. I was often out and about, went on excursions and explored the area. I also had days that I spent completely in the hostel because there were lots of opportunities to chill out and sunbathe.
The fact that we always got two days off in a row meant that I was also able to take a short trip to a city a little further away, which is also super cool and brings variety to everyday life. I tried to experience and discover as much as possible in the very fast-moving time.
I just love the Costa Rican culture! Everyone is so much more relaxed and simply happy. It always puts you in a good mood. And I love the food here, it's really soo good and I will definitely miss it back home in Germany. I'm very grateful that I learned how to cook the typical Costa Rican breakfast, because that was really fun. There were always special people on my trip who made my stay more enjoyable. Above all, the contact with travelers from all over the world shaped me and my time in Costa Rica.
I simply had so many incredibly beautiful moments that I can't even put into words. Starting with my first flight, through my first impressions of Costa Rica, to the encounters with extraordinary animals such as monkeys, beats and sloths.
I often enjoyed the moments when I was alone in nature and could really visualize where I was and how incredible it actually is. Once I got up really early and watched the sunrise. The stunning sunsets on the Pacific are definitely some of my best memories too.
So I really can't decide what the best moment was. I would prefer to say the whole trip 🙂
I got to know many places that I found beautiful. I was particularly fascinated by the Caribbean coast, especially Puerto Viejo. You experience a different flair there than in the rest of the country. I find it very difficult to describe. I enjoyed cycling around and exploring the beaches.
Another place is La Fortuna. There you can admire the active Arenal volcano and you can swim in the hot springs that are heated by the volcano. It was such a magical experience that I will remember for a long time!
Latin America simply has an incredible atmosphere. The people here are friendly, open and happy, and then there's the fascinating nature, which took my breath away more than once. Costa Rica in particular is so diverse that I couldn't stop being amazed.
The trip has made me more independent and self-reliant and I have developed personally. I find it easier to put myself in other people's shoes and see situations from a new perspective. I have also become much more open and find it easier to approach strangers. I'm also super interested in new cultures and would now love to see and get to know the whole world. I was particularly impressed by the contentment that the people here radiate and I have resolved to adopt some of their attitude in the future.
I can really recommend the trip to Latin America! You will learn, experience and see so many new things during your time there. You will develop your skills and broaden your horizons.
In any case, always be open to getting to know new people, cultures and circumstances. This will make your stay really exciting. Talk a lot, even with the locals, try to speak the new language and try the new food. I can promise that it will be unforgettable!
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