Aero: Katie Zawisa – Costa Rica 2014 – City Life
Aero: Katie Zawisa – Costa Rica 2014 – City Life
Aero: Katie Zawisa – Costa Rica 2014 – City Life
Katie Zawisa
This city fit like a glove for me. I’ve always had that piece of me that’s wanted to live in a city but never thought I could make it in huge and expensive New York or Boston. Colorful buildings that are typically 1-2 stories high gave me more of a sense of freedom in Costa Rica than the towering glass and steel American city buildings. Even though every building had bars across the windows and doors, I felt more at ease walking those streets than walking through the hustle and bustle of New York City. I felt like I could take my time and enjoy my walk instead of running in between each place focusing on the destination and not talking in the beauty around me. Yes, catcalls came often and sure it felt good to be noticed for looks but being smart and not answering back was best. Being able to walk to most anything in the city was a great feeling instead of having to drive everywhere. It was much less of a hassle and gave me many more chances to enjoy the beautiful weather.
Traffic rules? What traffic rules? Driving in Costa Rica is fairly different than the U.S. because people aren’t as worried about getting a ticket from police as Americans since traffic police aren’t as common. The one-way streets were confusing for me and the intersections made me nervous because a stop sign seemed more like a yield sign to most. Beeping didn’t have a negative connotation all the time like it typically does in the U.S., it’s almost like a whole other language in Costa Rica. It can range from a friendly warning that you are passing near to another vehicle (most of the time) to you better move because out of the way or your getting hit.
Costa Rica 2014 Photo Gallery
What was surprising to me was how many parks there were in the cities. Not only were there a lot of parks, but they were actually being used by a lot of people most of the time unlike the parks that I see in the U.S.. Sure, we may have beautiful parks, but in Costa Rica, every time I walked through the main park in Alajuela by the Cathedral, every bench had someone on it and let me tell you, there were a lot of benches.
Everyday I was there I found at least one more new thing that I loved just about the city of Alajuela and I’m sure when I go back I will continue to explore and discover new things to love. The flow of life there is so much more relaxed and laid-back. It’s something I never knew I needed until I lived in it and it’s something I don’t want to let go of. Bring me back!
Learn More: Study abroad with Modern Languages @ FLCC: Costa Rica!
– Katie Zawisa
The LEAF Project
www.leaflanguages.org
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