As I mentioned in my last post, my dad, Lori, and Erica came to Costa Rica to visit me and have an awesome time. Because I had class during the first couple of days they were here we stayed in San José so I could still go to my classes.
The first day, after I located my lost, cell phone-less family wandering around campus (we had a little miscommunication), I gave them a tour of the university. We also stopped by to say "hi" to Isa, Zaida, and a few friends in the Grupo de Kansas office.
 |
| Dad, me, Erica, and Lori in the Grupo de Kansas office |
Later that night we all went to my host moms' house for dinner. We had rice with chicken and salad. Dad had a good time speaking Spanish with my moms, while Lori and Erica were awesome for being such good sports. I had a great time and I'm pretty sure everyone else did too.
 |
| Guanabana (Its a delicious fruit) |
Before my class on Tuesday we headed downtown to check out the local market. It was really neat! Unusual fruits and meats can be bought there, as well as everything from a pair of shoes to a clay piggy bank. Turtle eggs (yeah, the illegal ones) were even being sold.
We went to the artisan market after our adventure to the local market.
 |
| Turtle eggs for sale |
I'm really glad my family had the opportunity to see the city I live in and get some sort of an idea about what life is like here.
Wanting to get out of San José for a day Dad, Lori, Erica, and I took a day trip to La Paz Waterfall Garden. Just two and a half hours away from San José, La Paz Waterfall Garden is an oasis of beautiful waterfalls and wild life. The privately owned nature park is home to a jaguar, coati mundis, multiple species of beautiful humming birds, red macaws, frogs, cute ocelots, pumas, the list goes on... lets just say it lives somewhere in Costa Rica, they had it. It rain the entire day, but thats life here in Costa Rica land. The rain just gave us the opportunity to wear our stylish rain jackets all day. Sounds like a good deal to me.
 |
| Anyone want a Froot Loop? |
 |
| Two sleeping pumas |
 |
| Standing in a traditional cart pulled by oxen |
In addition to tons of awesome animals, the garden also has four huge waterfalls that are more than 100 feet tall. You can't go swimming in these waterfalls; the pressure from the falling water could easily snap your neck. And I'm pretty sure know one wants that. So we observed the giant waterfalls from a distance. Well almost....
 |
*Erica survived
|
 |
| The family |
