Aero: Brianna Jackson – Costa Rica 2016 – Travel
Creative Commons Image via The LEAF Project
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Traveling was one part of this cultural experience that I wasn’t worried about. Getting into the country wasn’t as bad as I thought it would have been. If anything, it was easy. Spending roughly five hours on a plane wasn’t pleasant, but it was bearable. Arriving in country was easy and simple as well. We went through the typical airport security, and of course the customs agents are always so serious, but we passed without any trouble.
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Brianna Jackson
Traveling within Costa Rica was nothing like what I expected. The traffic, and the way people drove was a little scary. On more than one occasion I was a little nervous that someone was going to get into an accident. I took a taxi for the first time in my life while in Costa Rica, and I was surprised at how cheap they are compared to how one would be in America. Taking the bus in Costa Rica was just like taking a bus in America, though it was walking that I preferred most. Not only was it a great way to get in exercise and fresh air, everything was so close and within walking distance, that we didn’t need a car. I also enjoyed walking because I liked looking around the city. In fact, the second day we were given a tour of Alajuela that I really enjoyed. It was being able to walk around that I really appreciated because there was so much to explore in the city. Even in Nicaragua travel was fairly easy. Once again we were in a city with a big park with little shops and restaurants within walking distance. Walking gave me an up close and personal look at these two countries.
Crossing the border to Nicaragua was something of a sad event because we were able to see firsthand all of the Cubans who wanted to cross into Costa Rica from Nicaragua. In a way, it’s comparable to the situation here in America and Mexico. It wasn’t so much the getting out of Costa Rica that was the issue, it was the getting back in. They were asking for our flight information, and apparently all of us needed our individual tickets to show that we had flown in from America, to Costa Rica. It was a scary situation, and I was really nervous that we would be stuck on the border. Thankfully we were given a free pass, but it just showed how serious border security is, and how serious Costa Rica is about Cubans crossing the border without the proper paperwork. It was the same when coming back into America. There were more questions and more security, of course it’s for our country’s safety, but it’s sad that people are so untrustworthy and devious that we need the security that we do.
Travel experience is a very useful skill set to have. Traveling the world, learning about new cultures, and stepping outside your comfort zones are all things that can contribute to a person’s personal growth. Being more open to certain situations, and being well versed in other cultures besides your own can is a great resource to have, and that knowledge can serve a person well when they go out into the workforce.
Brianna Jackson
LEAF Contributor
ML@FLCC: Costa Rica 2016
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