I have just finished my first week in San José, Costa Rica. Whilst the rest of the country may be used to tourists, San José lacks the amenities that typical tourists in Costa Rica seek: jungles, waterfalls, beaches and wildlife. This means that the majority of the population of San José speak solely in Spanish, which has created a perfect opportunity to fully immerse myself in the Spanish language (I have never been more thankful for my Spanish A Level), an incredibly friendly culture, and a bustling capital city away from the tourist areas.

If you visit Costa Rica, you will hear 'Pura Vida' a lot! The 'ticos' (the local people of Costa Rica) use it for everything. If something has gone wrong, pura vida. If something is great, pura vida. If you want to greet someone, pura vida. It encapsulates the culture of Costa Rica - embracing life for what it is, with positivity and kindness. My host family exemplifies this, making me the traditional breakfast 'Gallo Pinto' every morning, and welcoming me into their family. There are lots of rice and beans to eat, and lots of new fruits to try (such as mamón chinos, jocotes and papaya). 

I have spent the first week volunteering in a pre-school/childcare organisation in San José, working primarily with local mothers and women who wish to improve their employment opportunities by learning how to use apps like Excel, Word, and improving their English. I also spent a lot of time with the children at the centre when the mothers cannot attend, helping them to practice their English, general childcare, upkeep of the centre and playing 'Zombies'. 

Initially, I found it quite difficult to form connections with the women and the children because I had little confidence in my Spanish. This was (for the most part) unfounded! With no one at the centre speaking English, I was forced to have the confidence to communicate solely in Spanish. When I came to terms with the fact that I would be making many mistakes, and that is ok, I progressed much faster and began to actually make an impact.

I will be spending another week helping at the centre, before spending my final three weeks at another project. I spent some time thinking about why I was here, and how I could leave a lasting, but sustainable, impact. Using digital skills I developed this summer in an internship, I used an interactive html link to create a 'skills assessor' for the women coming to the centre. It is entirely in Spanish, and tests the user on their ability to use Word, Excel, and other useful employability skills. At the end, it recommends resources that they can use to improve on their weakest areas. I am hoping to roll it out this week.

Going from a summer spent working in busy London to San José has been an adjustment, but surprisingly very welcome. I was particularly nervous about coming to Costa Rica, but it is safe, the people are friendly, and I love 'Pura Vida'. Getting to spend my weekends exploring the country is a pleasure, and Costa Rica has so much to offer. I have also made friends from all over the world through the volunteer centre I am working with, and through random interactions on the bus, in the jungle (shout out to Manuel from Chile who drove me and a friend in the pouring rain in La Fortuna so we could get our bus on time), and my host family.

I am looking forward to the next few weeks, and I hope to continue to push myself in terms of my contributions, developing my Spanish and embracing the wonderful culture (especially with the independence day coming up!).