It’s been a Jolly Holiday

It is the final stretch. I have 19 days left in Costa Rica. It is amazing to me how fast time really does fly by. All of the people I know call my friends I just met three months ago, and sooner than we know it we will go our separate ways. I am so grateful for all of the people who make me excited to go home. I have not seen most of my friends at Loyola since May, and I cannot wait to see them again. This will be the first Thanksgiving that I have ever been away from family. I can take comfort in knowing that I return the week right after Thanksgiving with enough time to get into the holiday spirit before Christmas.

Our adventures in Costa Rica have become increasingly more laid back compared to the first few months, during which we traveled almost every weekend.  Last weekend we spent our time playing basketball in a nearby town and visiting local bakeries. This weekend we took a day trip to San Jose to go souvenir shopping for our families and ourselves.  Getting to know the area we live in is just as important as discovering the rest of Costa Rica, and to be honest I think we all got a little tired of traveling.

In the upcoming week I have a presentation and two papers due. We do not have class on Friday so that we can meet with the other study abroad groups in Costa Rica and have an end of the year fiesta. I have been promised futbol and BBQ, so needless to say, I’m excited.

The thing I miss most about home, besides the people, is everything that makes home unique. The variety in restaurant choices, Chicago’s skyscrapers, and dare I say it, I miss the snow. Costa Rica has been a wonderful experience for me, and I would not change a thing about my decision to study where I did. That being said, I cannot wait to go back and step outside into a cold that takes your breath away. (I will then quickly run inside and hide in a snuggie for the next four to five months, but that’s as much a part of living in Chicago as anything else.)