Last weekend I got to explore another new absolutely beautiful part of Costa Rica! On Friday (10/9) afternoon at 1:00 we got on the buses and drove about four hours to Arenal! It's an active volcano in North Central Costa Rica. It was a beautiful, green drive up there, but pretty windy and very foggy! The clouds kept up most of the weekend and unfortunately I never was able to see the top of the volcano because it was covered by clouds! Our resort was again amazing. I was randomly roomed with three of my friends which was a very nice surprise! The front of porch had a view of the volcano, we were right by the base of the volcano! Because of that, our hotel had hot springs! How cool! So after dinner of course we spent the night enjoying the hot springs. It was a bunch of small pools and some bigger ones and we just hopped in between them. Saturday morning I was up at 6:00 for a canyoning excursion that I decided to do! We took a bus pretty deep into the forest, had a safety lesson, got our gear (harness, helmet, and gloves) and were on our way. We had four rappels, a suspension bridge, a zipline, and a couple of small jumps off small waterfalls. It was so much fun!! I can't believe I was in this forest of Central America rappelling down waterfalls!! I was really nervous the first time rappelling. I had my arm wrapped around the guide's waist as he kept telling me to get closer to the edge. But they were great guides and it was really fun. So one of the rappels we had the option to do it upside down!! So I literally was strapped in and out over the edge of the canyon, told to flip upside down, and let go. Then I dropped a long way down!
Sunday we got ready and packed up, stuck our feet in the hot springs after breakfast and at 11:30 started the journey back to San Jose. It was another great weekend enjoying this beautiful country!
And to make it even better, I got back to San Jose Sunday night, dropped my stuff at my house and went right back out to meet up with my family!! My parents, Emily, and Jeremiah came and it was so great to see them all! It's strange, I feel like my time has flown by here but I also felt like I hadn't seen them in awhile. So Sunday night we just had dinner and caught up! Monday was the random holiday from school which was perfect so we headed out bright and early right back to Arenal! That's where I had just been all weekend, but it was worth going again because it really gives a good sense of Costa Rica.
Once we got up to Arenal after a bumpy drive we found a tour info place and booked a zipline/rappel/horseback/hot springs tour! It was perfect, it had everything included! So we grabbed lunch first and made our way to the tour place. Ziplining was first, and it was really cool! Really long lines and a great view of the forest and greenery. Emily and I went down first and then we were waiting for Jeremiah to come in next. The next thing I see Jeremiah is coming in backwards, really fast, and we are all screaming "Brake!!" But he can't hear us... And so he comes flying in to the platform and collides with ropes and who knows what, it was all kind of a blur. I keep replaying this scene in my head it was so scary. So we're all kind of frazzled, but he hops off the zipline and seems to just be more in shock than pain and we're all asking if he's okay. His right arm started swelling up very quickly and he was quickly becoming more and more in pain. He couldn't move his elbow and was going a little white, so we got him out of there as quickly as possible. He and my mom went with one of the company's workers to a nearby clinic while my dad, Emily, and I finished the Ziplining. I felt like an awful girlfriend and was a little in shock the rest of the time, but he and my mom insisted I stay. So we wrapped up and found out immediately after that his right Humerus (upper arm) was broken... Yeah, not a great way to spend the first full day of vacation in a foreign country. So we spent the rest of the day in the clinic, then driving back to San Jose, and in the hospital there. We thought he was going to have to get surgery here and then found out it could wait until the U.S., and then at his appointment this Thursday back in the U.S. he found out he won't need surgery! Yay!! But... He has a three month recovery which is a really long time and since it's his right arm it's very debilitating, so prayers for a speedy and full recovery are appreciated! So obviously this was not ideal, but despite that, Jeremiah has been so positive and didn't let it stop him from having a good time here! So Tuesday I was back in class but still able to see my family after class and go out for dinner and just spend time together. They were able to go the beach Tuesday, Jeremiah left Wednesday, and my parents and Emily toured some of San Jose on Wednesday and did a coffee production tour on Thursday. I think they enjoyed their time here! It definitely wasn't long enough, but I'm glad they were able to see my new home and share some experiences with me here! I'm trying not to think too much about the nine weeks now that I won't see them...
Weekly observations:
It is so green here!
I'm getting used to feeling a little damp from humidity all the time.
Props to my dad for renting a car and navigating this insane city all week without getting in a wreck! The traffic is crazy here!
My host mom had her baby on Wednesday! His name is Marcello and he is quite big but so cute!!
I'm not actually getting a roommate anymore, she decided to stay with her original family.
This weekend we are going to be at Manuel Antonio National Park! Another beach area so I can't wait! Feeling a little sick but praying it's a 24 hour thing. I want to enjoy the beach!
Pura Vida
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