Pura Vida – that is the term that was written on all the souvenirs my parents brought back from their Costa Rica vacation. The way they had raved about their adventure trip, it was clear to me: I want to go there, too.
How did I find the hotel?
After school, my plan was to get out of rainy Germany and go somewhere in the summer. Since I didn’t really know what I wanted to do anyway, a stay abroad was a good idea. New impulses and impressions may help me to find a direction for my future. After long deliberations, I decided to do an internship abroad in Spain, including a Spanish preparation course (which later turned out to be very helpful). But since the internship was canceled at the last second, I had to look for an alternative. With my newly acquired (yet very expandable) Spanish skills, I looked around for an internship in Costa Rica – based on my parents’ recommendations. The job description of the “Hotel Paraiso del Cocodrilo” exactly matched my expectations: A tourism internship in a place where other people go on vacation. After a very relaxed Skype conversation with the hotel manager Rainer, my trip to Costa Rica started.
My surprisingly relaxed journey…
But with the booking of the flight tickets came the excitement: I have never traveled alone before, and I have never been separated from my friends and family for such a long time. As the day of departure approached, however, the anticipation naturally gathered. With a few “goodbye tears” on my face, I boarded the plane and set off. The journey turned out to be much easier than expected. With the airline KLM I flew from Frankfurt to Amsterdam, where I stayed for one night, and the next morning I continued my journey to Liberia, with a stopover in San José. When I arrived after the long drive, a cabdriver organized by Rainer was already waiting for me, holding up a sign with my name. The ride to the hotel took two hours and I could try out my Spanish skills for the first time, since communication in English turned out to be a bit difficult. Meanwhile, I was already gathering some impressions of the country and was already looking forward to my adventure.
…with a small complication
Finally arrived at the hotel, Rainer greeted me, and we chatted a little bit, until I was dog-tired and wanted to move into my room and sleep. BUT: I had probably made the bill without the rusted lock of the door. This no longer opened, and I fell into a slight panic. By jiggling the doorknob, Rainer then became aware of me, and we were able to solve the problem quickly and I could sleep peacefully.
The first impressions
The next morning, work started early, which was not a big problem due to the jet lag. Afterwards, Rainer showed me the surroundings: the Buena Vista Playa, Samara with its market and even a few beach bars. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined, if not more so – the nature is simply breathtaking, and I could even see a few monkeys. Since there are also other interns and volunteers here (for example from the Buena Vista Turtle Project or the hotel next door), I was able to meet new people very quickly.
Nevertheless, I was homesick at the beginning. Being so far away from home is simply an adjustment – but of course that’s part of the adventure. And when you start your day in the morning in bright sunshine, surrounded by palm trees and exotic animals, the longing for home is quickly forgotten. It is simply: “Pura Vida.”
Auch interresant ist das Ökohotel am Playa Buena Vista.
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