After 17 hours flight through Frankfurt and Santo Domingo, I leave the airport in Alajuela and take a bus to San Jose. The view of bright sun, trees and small houses on the way, so different than in Europe, make my heart beat faster with excitement. I still can´t believe I´m here, on the other side of the world. Only three months earlier I bought a one way ticket to Costa Rica and left my boring office work. I have always been dreaming about travelling to Latin America and finally here I am. Let the adventure begin! :)
Through the Internet I found volunteering job in a hostel in San Jose. For couple of hours of work I get free accomodation. I walk from bus station to the hostel with my 20 kg backpack realising for the first time that I took too much stuff and curse myself for that. Exactly 24h after I left my home in Warsaw, I enter hostel B that´s gonna be my home for the next six weeks. Irene, small, pretty Costarican girl, the manager of the place greets me and shows me my bed.
 |
| Central Market |
Although I feel tired after long trip, I decide to stay awake during the day to get used to different time. With French girl from my dorm I go out to explore the city. My first impression is not very good. San Jose is not a pretty city and there´s not much tourist attractions to visit. It´s loud, with heavy traffic and cars honking like crazy. But with time I´ll get to love this city.
 |
| Main street |
In the main street people sell socks, DVDs, fruits, socks, toys... socks... They scream the prices to entice people to buy. We walk long way to Museum of Costa Rican Art on the other side of the city but we arrive just when they close it. Oh well, I´ll have to there again other time. We go back to the hostel, my new friend talking about Cuba, where she´s just been.
The weather is not tropical as I expected and in the evening I have to put on long jeans and blouse and make myself tea to warm my bones.
