I am really excited to have the privilege to go on this trip. To be honest, when I signed up this program I knew nothing about Costa Rica, except it is a country in Central America. From the syllabus, I know I will stay at UGA Costa Rica Ecolodge and spend time visiting coffee farms and learning coffee knowledge. I drink coffee maybe twice a week, but I want to know why it has become a popular drink choice and to learn more about coffee.
I was really busy with my work until half a day before my flight so I haven’t had much time to think about what I should bring, what I should wear, what the life in Costa Rica is, let alone packing. Luckily, I came from a tropical country, and I had done study abroad before. Traveling is a piece of cake to me. When I was packing my luggage, I googled and scanned information of Costa Rica briefly. Costa Rica is bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast. Ecotourism is the prime industry to the economy. Bananas, pineapples and coffee are three main export crops, although the tourism still earns more than three combined exports. The official language is Spanish. Ok…… I don’t know Spanish. It makes me concern that language may be a barrier during this trip. Sometimes, English is not as useful as we think in some countries.
We were provided with a detailed packing list of things we would possibly need, such as flashlight and rain jacket. I am surprised that most of the flight from ATL to SJO don’t have any free checked bag, because it is an international flight. So, I have to use my small carry-on luggage and to use it wisely. When I pack all my stuff, it is 2 a.m. in the morning. There are only four hours left before I wake up and catch my flight. But, I am ready to learn everything about coffee and this country. Here I come Costa Rica.
