To say I was excited to move to Costa Rica for ten months would be an understatement; I could not wait to be back in a country that had taught me so much and helped me grow. This was going to be my third trip to Costa Rica, but this time I was not going as a student or with a study abroad program, I was going alone. As my departure date closed in, the reality of the situation started to dawn on me and I grew anxious as to what my life was going to be like once I arrived.
Having previously lived in Costa Rica, I had a basic idea of what to expect as I got off the plane and settled in to my new life: my suitcase was filled with San Jose appropriate attire (nice enough to wear to a nice restaurant, but light enough that I would not overheat), all of my entry paperwork was filled out and on hand, my money had been exchanged, and a taxi was waiting. I was so happy to finally be in San Jose and to get started on my research; the world was ready to drag me back to reality.
Anyone who has ever moved knows how crazy of a time it is and how emotions can run a bit high… We also know that the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Everything seemed to go wrong for me during my first few weeks and I felt more isolated than ever.
