This is the fun part! During the first few weekends we went on a few excursions to a few cool places!

This was from our trip to the volcanoes! We got to see an active volcano in Costa Rica! It became active a few days before we got to Costa Rica. My host family said all of San Jose was covered in ash!

This was taken on our trip at La Paz Waterfall. This was such a beautiful trip! We got to see frogs, monkeys, parrots, toucans, butterflies, and of course waterfalls!

We got to visit the beautiful Jaco Beach! This was a very laid back location, good music, good vibes, and pretty awesome waves! (The hostels here in Costa Rica are actually pretty legit…and cheap! ) This is a great location to just hang out and relax!

Hola Chicos!

Today’s adventure will take a look at some familiar food spots in the states..with a twist! (I hope you had lunch already!)

Our first stop is….

That’s right! There’s a Popeyes. It has similar menu items as in the states, but also a little flavor of Costa Rica! You may find a sandwich with some avocado, tomatoes, and a special sauce on there! I guess everyone can enjoy some southern spice!

Our next stop is….

I’m not as surprised with this as an option. What I am interested in though is their menu. They have some interesting creations here in Costa Rica! Such as their Cheetos wraps. It’s like STUFFED with whole Cheetos and cheese! There’s meat in there but I think the cheese would probably just take charge. I haven’t had one yet, but I might try it out. Did I mention they also sell fries here? I love fries so that kind of made my day when I got here!

Next on our list is….

Pizza Hut is all around here. I haven’t tried it yet but I think I won’t turn down the opportunity to do so. It looks like it has similar menu items here that you would find in the states. The biggest difference is that they sell individual pizzas as their selections!

On to the next stop…

Now this here was a bit of a surprise for me. Seeing that this is a rare sight for myself when I’m back home, I was a bit shocked to see this here. I haven’t tried their menu yet but it smells like it won’t disappoint!

One place I wish I could’ve gotten was Hardy’s Jr. There is one here in their local mall. This was definitely the biggest surprise because I don’t believe we have them in Massachusetts and I know they’re more so popular in the southern parts of the US. I hope to try it out and at least get my first little experience.

Overall, I think the food selections here in Costa Rica are great. I do prefer the traditional foods here in Costa Rica compared to the selections that are already available in the US.

I hope you all enjoyed this little tour of familiar spots!

Hasta Luego!

Hola Chicos!

I am finishing up my first full week here in San Jose, Costa Rica and all I can say is WOW! During the first week we had a city tour, and let me tell you, it was phenomenal! What I enjoy best about the city thus far is that vibrant weather and the ease of access from the university to downtown, local parts, and neat spots to grab a lunch! But I would like to start our journey together with some amazing photos! 

This is the view from right outside the university. You can see the city and a few of the mountains that are here in Costa Rica.

During our first trip to the beach this week, we were fortunate to have such beautiful scenery as we were on the bus heading to Jaco Beach!

This is a lovely snippet of Centro de San Jose (Downtown, San Jose)!

So far, many of the views that I have come to cherish this week, have been a compliment to the beauty and history of San Jose! Next week, we’ll hop on the train to see some very familiar places that we’ve all been to in the states!

Hasta la proxima semana! (Until next week)

Follow this Spring 2017’s Office of Study Abroad & International Experiences Global Correspondent, Nikquania Gamble, on her studies in San José! Nikquania is a UMass Lowell Liberal Arts major studying this spring on a UMass Lowell partner-led study abroad program, CISAbroad Semester in Costa Rica.