Over a year in the waiting, something I have always dreamed of but did not think would come to fruition. Now I am here. Today is my first full day in Costa Rica after over twenty-four hours of Travel from Manchester, UK to Playa Samara, Costa Rica. The journey was long and certainly took its toll on me and Lewis but once we arrived in Samara our excitement took over.

Our minds were finally at ease once we were on the shuttle which would take us to Samara on the Pacific Coast. The journey presented the first opportunity to see the beauty and colour of Costa Rica. The roads did a good job of keeping us awake as we made our way through the rural tropical land. I compare the feeling to that of when I first arrived to campus in the states by taxi. Even though total parallels in experiences and outlooks I could draw so many similarities. Arriving somewhere for the first time, I had been waiting a very long time to visit, knowing I would be there for the foreseeable future is a special feeling. I felt, and still feel now, an eagerness to make the absolute most of my time here, exploring as much of the surrounding areas as possible. Life seems very laidback here, which is understandable with the sweltering climate. We are still adapting to the heat and constant humidity and it will take some time before we get used to it.

Since arriving we have begun to find our bearings and meet the locals. We took a walk along the beach and drank from our first coconut. Tonight we will try our first soda, a soda is a family ran restaurant which are found all over Costa Rica. I am looking forward to trying the local dishes and learning more about the culture here. Tomorrow I also hope to start surfing again. The last time I surfed would have been in LA nearly two years ago so it will take a few days for me to find my feet again, literally. I will be writing a more detailed account of my first week settling in to Costa Rica over the next few days. Make sure to follow my Instagram account to see what I get up to on the daily.