Well, that’s it. My time in Costa Rica is officially over and I am back to the hustle and bustle of life in the good ol’ US of A. I was told to prepare for an overwhelming sense of culture shock, but returning to the culture I have known for 21 years of my life is a lot less shocking than it was entering into one I had never experienced before. Of course, I still haven’t been able to completely shake a few Costa Rican habits I developed in my time there, such as looking for the trash can after using toilet paper in the bathroom or closing all doors as if they were made of paper maché. I have been pleasantly surprised at my lack of thought of coffee, which assures me I have somehow avoided an addiction after slugging it down an average of 1+ times a day for 5 months.  

Last Night with CR Fam

Since my last blog was posted right after my parents left, I’d like to share a bit of what happened in those last 3 days before my “resurrection” as an inhabitant of the United States: …not much. After acing a geography presentation that ended my scholastic career at UNA, I was basically left to packing and waiting. I said a few goodbyes in there too (we had a party on Friday at the beautiful home of one of our counselors, Teresita) and had a chance to journal, but it was hard to keep my mind off finally getting off that plane and stepping on to USA soil (or airport carpeting in this case). I did have a wonderful last evening with my Vega-Sibaja family as we went out to Hotel Bougainvillea where we dined on the ”Day of Vengeance”, as they called it because I was paying, which meant they would finally have their chance to get back at me for all the money I cost them in grocery expenses. Thankfully their bark was worse than their “bite” (pun intended) and we all had a great time. The next morning, and I mean morning at 4:30am, both Don Luis and Marielos escorted me to the airport for a farewell that was quick like a band-aid.

I still haven’t found out what I forgot yet, but I’m sure I left something there. If I wasn’t fully convinced of my innate ability to lose things before I went to Costa Rica, I have now left no doubt. The good thing is that I never lost anything of considerable value. It’s almost like a talent. Everything was like a toy watch here, a cool towl there, or a sweater jacket on that bus that just pulled away 5 minutes ago. Of course, that is probably due to the fact that the majority of the things I own are not of considerable monetary value anyways. Oh and don’t worry, the trend has continued here in the States as well. I have already almost lost my $1.50 water bottle twice, and my $4 lamp is nowhere to be found… oh yeah, I’ve still got it!

This past week has rushed by in a flurry, but I’ve already finished with one whole physical therapy course and moved into a new house! The next class, Gross Anatomy, is sure to be a doozy, but I’m gonna hit the ground running and see if I can’t snag another A from Dr. Rodd. My roommate, Kris, is great and we’re gonna add another in the fall when Matt gets here, so this upcoming school year has ”awesome” written all over it. For now I’m just enjoying the calm before the storm that will arrive at 8am on Monday in room WGH 100. I enjoyed reuniting with my family and Emily and her parents for all of about 12 hours before driving up to Evansville early Sunday morning. My dad got to stay with me up here for a couple of days, which was cool because we got to hang out some more as he got a taste of my Midwestern life, but now it’s back to being the lone Menke. 

Everything is going smoothly overall up here, but I won’t say goodbye just yet because I’ll have one more blog before I officially retire for good; that is, if Gross Anatomy hasn’t sucked out all my brain juices by then. No more “Art in Film” or choir classes anymore… it’s time to strap on my big-boy scrubs and get to dissecting!

The bus I rode probably 200 times

Yeah, I was the only male at the IFSA party...

This is not fair. I’m supposed to fit into one blog an adequate description of the week my parents came to visit me in Costa Rica? That is a tall order, and I’m supposed to be on vacation. Actually, I’m supposed to be in Physical Therapy school right now, so I guess I can’t complain! Okay, let’s take a stab at it:

Playa Conchal Sunset

Due to a flight delay that left me anxiously waiting an extra hour for my parents to arrive, I had to go the first few days of our trip without fingernails. Thankfully, the extremely high level of fun-having distracted me from my cuticle conundrum. From the beginning to the end of the week I just couldn’t get enough of the fresh Menke air that I had been forced to breathe without for so long. We really had a uniquely large amount of opportunities to spend some good quality time together, and I’d say we took full advantage. The dynamic of our family has morphed more than usual over recent years with us kids going off to college and just growing up in general (though “growing up” could be debatable in some cases…), and the rate of change doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon, which made this time to just relax and be with my parents even more special. I say “relax,” but don’t be fooled by thinking we slouched our way through the week.  

Lugging our Luggage Around

From the get-go we were up and at ‘em early on Thursday, catching a lengthy sequence of buses that got us to Brasilito by about 1 pm. Wasting no time, we dug right into some typical food and drink (that our waitress fetched by riding her bike to the local market right after we ordered) for lunch and then were on our way to the famous Playa Flamingo, which did not disappoint. Waves were ridden, beaches were walked, and a less-than-impressive game of frisbee was played by the time we decided to head back in hopes of catching the sunset at Playa Conchal. Of course, there are no guarantees when relying on public transportation, but with a lot of persistence and a little luck we waited a grand total of 2 minutes for the hourly bus that dropped us off in Brasilito with just enough time to hike to the beautiful Conchal to take in a beautiful sunset on our first evening. A rude awakening by some apparently insomnious roosters got us up and going after a wild and crazy night that ended promptly at 8:30 pm. Going on wims and game-time decisions, we somehow found a bus that dropped us off 3 hours down the highway just in time to catch the next bus we needed pulling up as we were getting off. As if that incredible timing wasn’t enough, try this one on for size: walking calmly under false pretenses thinking the ferry was going to leave at 3 pm, when we were a mere 2 blocks away from the dock at 1:55 pm we were informed it leaves at 2 pm. Of course, this new information was immediately and dramatically followed by the horn sounding of the ferry. Luggage in hand and 2 hours until the next ferry at stake, I ran to the ticket booth, whose curtains were closed when I arrived but were miraculously re-opened in response to my yelling pleas, while my parents jogged it out toward the boat. We basically had to leap from land to ferry Indiana-Jones-style as it was pulling away. I almost felt like I should have left a hat or something on the other side so I could go back and get it just in time like he does, but at least now I know for next time. 

Montezuma Waterfall

Heeding recommendations to avoid the waterfall upon arriving to Montezuma, we took the evening nice and slow to rest up for our big day at Isla Tortuga the next day. Even though the water was not as clear as normal because of the rainy season, we still really enjoyed the snorkeling; so much so that we were the only ones that went back out after lunch! We also got a couple hours to bum on the beach while enjoying all the food and drink we could want, along with a boat ride to and from the island where we saw a lot of butterflies who apparently fly around the sea ”because they like it,” according to our tour guide. Learning from Emily’s and my mistake, we made sure to super-apply sunscreen and it certainly paid off. Left with plenty of sunlight upon our return, we decided to safely hike up the famous waterfall trail there and were simply amazed with what we found. I ruined my shoes, according to mom, but I would have ruined a lot more if necessary to see what we saw. Keeping with tradition, we hit the hay at a nursing-home-reminiscent hour of 8 pm, and were on the road 12 hours later towards our final traveling destination, Manuel Antonio.   

Wouldn’t you know it, but we caught another bus by the shoestrings due to some nifty taxi maneuvering, saving us a solid 2 hours extra. When we arrived to Quepos we even had time to grab a leisurely Sunday lunch and go to the market before heading to the hotel. Everything was going great; or so it seemed. You see, for some reason that reaches beyond the capabilities of human understanding, the national park is closed on Mondays. And what day were we planning on spending all day in the park but… Mondays. Oops. Nevertheless, thanks to some sharp thinking and quick decision-making, we made all the appropriate arrangements to change our zip lining tour to Monday and get the heck out of dodge that same day, which would allow us to see a cool volcano and even have more time to see my university on Tuesday before heading over to meet my Tico parents. Perfect! You know, it’s amazing what keeping a positive attitude can do for the success of a trip. Heck, it’s true of life in general. Not everything went like we planned, and there were moments of frustration, but we still had a legit blasty blast because of who we were surrounded with and by keeping our focus on things that are really important. The zip lining was awesome, the beach we visited later had “gnarly” waves and the convenience of our bus ride back home could not have been better if we had planned it originally.

I immediately slipped into premature culture shock when we entered the Hampton Inn in Alajuela where we merited 2 free nights due to some saved-up points from somewhere. It really surprised me how weird I felt; I kept wondering where all the indoor insects, oscillating fans and community bathrooms were. It wasn’t anything overwhelming, but it certainly felt strange. Volcán Poás was just what the doctor ordered with a mid-day hike in the cool mountain air, and the clouds even parted enough for us to get a clear view of the crater. A rainy afternoon followed, but we continued undeterred to take a quick tour of Universidad Nacional to see a bit of the campus and my classrooms before we ate a lovely dinner of arroz con pollo with my Tico family. As if the language barrier wasn’t awkward enough already, for some reason my padre Tico wanted to bring up a discussion about American politics and the economy that resulted in nothing much except a bunch of nodding heads and uncomfortable glances. Overall, though, it was a great evening that I think everybody, including myself, really enjoyed.

By 10 am on Wednesday my parents were up in the air heading north and I had completed all of my class requirements, meaning my remaining obligations consist of eating, sleeping, packing and an IFSA farewell party on Friday. The semester is starting to wind down quickly now and it’s causing me to realize that I have just as many goodbyes to say as I do hellos to prepare.

The Rents at la UNA

Manuel Antonio Zip Lining

Volcán Masaya - Laguna de Apoyo

Yes, I realize “North” is relative, but after increasing latitude for more than 9 hours straight you start to feel sure you´re gonna meet Santa Claus by the time you finally step off that bus (and the notoriously relentless A/C of “TicaBus” only helps to encourage that sensation). Julian and I got a glimpse of the beautiful country of Nicaragua for a few days this past weekend, and from the moment of arrival she offered us even more adventure than we could have anticipated. You see, upon reaching our hotel in Granada at the dark and sketchy hour of 9 pm on Friday night, we quickly and unfortunately realized that our somehow-confirmed reservation was made for a recently abandoned hotel. Oh. Fortunately we found another hostel a little bit down the road where the price was right (a mere $5/night), the mattresses were thick, and the oscillating fans were fully functional. On top of that, the family running the place couldn´t have been nicer and they even offered 3 meals a day at only $2 a palatable pop.

A church in Granada

From the horse carriages almost out-numbering cars to the colonial-style houses with balconies and towering doors to boot, our stroll through the town the next morning made us feel like we had stepped back in time. On our way to the famous Lake of Nicaragua it was hard not to see beauty wherever you looked. Sure, the architecture of the churches is likely unparalleled, but stopping to watch some genuine Nicaraguan little leaguers duking it out on the diamond is what really gave me goosebumps. Later, we ended up renting a couple of rickety bikes that let us see some of the surrounding neighbohoods, enjoy a nice park and dodge traffic through a crowded market scene. After a lazy lunch shooting the breeze and being hackled by what must have been every knick-knack souvenir vendor in that town, we headed off to Volcán Masaya in the evening. If hiking around 5 enormous craters at sunset wasn´t enough to blow you away, the night time adventure through the bat cave was sure to do it. I even met some people from St. Stephen´s school in Austin, TX on the tour… who´da thunk? Returning to the hostel later, Julian and I enjoyed some “puros” and good conversation in some rocking chairs on the balcony before hitting the hay worn out from a full day and ready for the next one.

Due to some initiative taken on Saturday, we lined up a tour for Sunday to go sandboarding on a volcano called Cerro Negro, located near a city further north called León. It required about 3 hours of public transport to get there, but we got to see some beautiful landscape along the way and, due to our early start, we had a lot of extra time when we arrived. So much so that we were able to wander around Parque San Juan for over half an hour before realizing it wasn´t the Parque Central that we were looking for, nor did the “Leo Tour´s” company even exist in León like we were told, nor did the correct building we eventually found - by the grace of God and the durability of our young legs - have any kind of sign pointing to it´s existence or purpose. Still with about an hour or so before we left for the volcano, we had time to eat something and check out the cathedral of La Virgen del Trono, which apparently is the largest in Central America. Unfortunately it was closed when we got there, but browsing through the market and learning a Nicaraguan card game kept us busy until we finally headed out to the only place in the world where you can sled down a volcano. Apparently our guide, who also has close ties to Austin, has been featured in a National Geographic documentary for developing this ingenious idea, and I can see why it is such a lucrative business; it was a blast! Getting up to the top took a while, but the thrill of zooming down on the black sand/ash made it all worth it. Plus we got to wear some outfits that boasted both protection and style for the fan base that had emerged from the fellow volcano-hikers jealously looking on during the spectacle. After devouring the delicious white pineapple waiting for us at the bottom, they dropped us off at the León bus terminal just early enough to catch the last sequence of buses heading back to Granada.

A chill evening of playing cards with the hostel kids and a pleasantly uneventful morning catching our freezing bus back to San Jose brought me safely back in Heredia with only one weekend left here before returning to the States. Something is happening this week before I leave though… what was it now? Hmmm… I seem to have forgotten… oh yeah, my parents are coming on Wednesday! As if I could have forgotten! We´ve got a hefty helping of beaches, snorkeling, forest hiking and zip lining ahead of us, which is sure to put an exclamation point on what has been nothing short of a fantastic semester!

Stylin´in our Cerro Negro uniforms

The wind blowing us off the volcano

Hi all,

I hope this blog finds you all well. I am please to say that I have finished all of my finals and am relaxing. I actually had my last final on June 3rd the same day as the program’s farewell party. (Perfect timing I would say!) At the gathering I was able to see all of the people from the program once more. During the party we ate all kinds of Egyptian food and hung out. Several of our professors also showed up and it was nice to say goodbye to them. They were all so nice and wanted all of their student’s information so that they could keep in touch over the years.

Apart from the party and getting to see everyone, I have to comment that it feels absolutely amazing to say I am done with my bachelor’s degree. All I am waiting for now are for my grades to arrive in the states so that I can pick up my diploma and make it official. I will be sticking around Egypt for a few weeks, just because I love it here so much. Hopefully, the time spent here will be full of fun and more moments I will keep forever in my memories.

Until next time!

I don´t know if you´ve ever been rafting before, but it is FUN! I took on my first white-water rafting experience ever on the highly recommended Río Pacuare, a rapid-ridden river whose mouth is found in the Caribbean coast of central Costa Rica, last Thursday, and let´s just say I´m afraid I got spoiled. The trip didn´t start out so great due to a miscommunication of pick-up time and place, but when all was said and done it turned out to be better than if things had gone according to the original plan because I got to get to know a cool couple that was in the same situation, they made us some delicious breakfast-to-go, we got a private ride/informational tour down to the put-in site and the company even paid me back for my taxi fare (plus $2 extra, so I even got paid for all that!). Funny how worrying and stress is so often negated later, isn´t it? Upon arrival to the river, I told one of the personnel I was by myself and needed a group, so he immediately found me this lovely group of 4 that unfortunately looked like they belonged more in a nursing home than in a raft. At first I was reluctant, but my outlook quickly changed when the guide put me in the front (probably because I was the only one who would be able to hear his paddling commands from that distance and perform them without dislocating a hip). Plus, it meant I was the only one who could do some of the tricks he suggested, like riding the front of the raft like a bull or laying prostrate on the raft with my head and neck hanging over so that when the huge rapids came they rushed over my whole body and submerged me from head to toe! The class of rapids ranged from 1-4, so it was a perfect combination of leisure and thrill that left us wanting more even after 3 consecutive hours of direct, tropical sun exposure that laughs in the face of SPF 30. When it got to the point where we could hop out and float with the current under a waterfall in the canyon and I was laying there looking up at the sky surrounded by unending green and birds flying overhead, I had one of those rare moments when… you know? To top it all off, we were met with an enormously delicious lunch afterwards of too many heavenly things to mention. I´m telling you, that trip has put forth a serious case for being considered my single favorite experience in Costa Rica.

Sunset after beach clean-up

As if one unforgettable experience in Pacuare that week wasn´t enough, I returned the very next day; this time for a 3-day visit to a private reserve a little farther up the coast that is dedicated to the protection and survival of various types of sea turtles. The trip itself was free (with a mere purchase of an entire semester abroad with the IFSA program), but we paid a high price in a losing battle against the ungodly amount of insects and reptiles swarming around that place. I never thought I´d see the day when mosquito bites were so unavoidable that I actually wanted them to bite me so that every part of my body would itch equally and perhaps cancel out the urge to scratch. Though just so you know, that theory doesn´t work in practice. Despite our insect inconveniences, I would go back in a heartbeat if given the chance because it was something special to see and help those turtles. I mean, these things are gigantic. We´re talking like well-over 2 meters and approaching 1500-2000 lbs. But man are they SLOW. I don´t see how that hare could have lost. They would just take forever to find where they wanted to dig, dig the hole, lay their eggs, cover the hole up and they may even just doddle for a while if they feel like it before finally heading back to the ocean. I guess they´ve got nowhere to go in a rush, but after 7-hour graveyard shifts of surveying over 7 km of beach, one´s got a right mind to just put a shovel to use for her. Despite the long waits, it was certainly awe-inspiring to watch the miraculous process take place, and we even stumbled across some baby turtle hatchlings later! Normally they don´t come out during the day because the sand is too hot, so pictures are nearly impossible because flash and any other white lights are prohibited, but I got to take a few of the 69 that we saved from, according to our guide, “certain death.” We dug them a path of cooler sand to the ocean, and I couldn´t help but feeling like a proud father as they were scurrying along to the sea to start their life. Of course, apparently only 1 in 1000 survives to adulthood, but I´d like to think one of ours is gonna make it!

Returning to Heredia has confronted me with a manageable multitude of projects to complete and presentations to prepare before heading north to Nicaragua this Friday. Julian and I still have no hotel reservations, bus tickets or even ideas of things we want to do, but we´re as certain as we can be that we´re going to Nicaragua this weekend. Maybe it will be better to go with an open itinerary, but those sound like famous last words to me…

Into that crazy ocean

On the road to survival...