Everything I wish I had known before I traveled to Costa Rica

Before I came, I knew I was going to go on some walks here and there, but I had no idea how many great hiking trails there are in our student town.

Just an Uber ride away from the student house you’ll find many great hiking trails, including Costa Rica’s highest mountain! I’ve often regretted not packing a light pair of hiking pants and hiking boots, because they’re absolutely worth the space in your suitcase.

I also highly recommend bringing a waterproof windbreaker. Costa Rica and several of its neighboring countries have lots of cool mountains and volcanoes, and it’s extremely frustrating not to be able to go for a hike just because you don’t have the right clothes with you.

After living here for almost four months, I’ve learned that pura vida is a way of expressing gratitude and optimism about life.

This is deeply ingrained in the culture here, and all the Costa Ricans I’ve met have a positive attitude toward life. If something doesn’t go their way, they always manage to see the positive side of the situation.

We experienced this culture extremely up close when we were going to take the bus home from San Jose a few weeks ago. Because of an accident, we had to wait an extra five hours together with all the other locals on the bus.

During those hours I didn’t hear a single complaint. On the contrary, they only talked about the positive sides. “At least we have access to toilets and food” and “fortunately no one was injured” were repeated. I will without a doubt take this attitude back with me to Norway.

If you see a store with ropa americana in its name, you can be sure it’s a thrift store and that you’re going to find lots of great stuff.

One of my favorite activities here in San Isidro is thrift shopping. I’ve never been in a city with so many great secondhand stores. The downside of this is that all the shopping has resulted in an overstuffed suitcase.

That’s why my tip is not to pack too much! I know this can be difficult, but you’re going to do a lot of shopping here, and it really sucks to reach the end of the semester and realize you have to leave a bunch of things behind.

There’s no denying that Costa Rica can be expensive. Things that are grown and produced domestically are often relatively cheap, while imported products are more expensive than in Norway, often double or triple the price.

Included in this are hygiene products. A small bottle of shampoo that costs 40 kroner in Norway costs 100 here, and a deodorant that costs 20 kroner in Norway can cost 60 kroner.

The same goes for sunscreen. A bottle is often twice or three times as expensive as in Norway, depending on the brand. On top of that, it’s almost impossible to find SPF 30 here, and the same applies to dry shampoo. That’s why I recommend packing extra of any products you think you’ll use up during your stay.

Central and South America offer an unlimited number of cool experiences. During the semester you may have done everything from hiking in Patagonia, to enjoying city life in Colombia, to relaxing on the beach in Mexico.

The possibilities are endless, but unfortunately your wallet isn’t. It’s easy to say yes to everything at the start of the semester, and then suddenly realize you don’t have much money left for the last part of your stay.

That’s why I recommend saving up as much money as possible before the trip and making a list of the places you want to visit!

Before I left, I was incredibly nervous about what it would be like to live in Costa Rica as a Norwegian. Among other things, I was afraid that the locals would get annoyed with me if I didn’t speak perfect Spanish.

It turned out I had nothing to worry about, because Costa Ricans, or ticos as they’re also called, are the nicest people I’ve ever met.

They are accommodating and don’t judge you for your level of Spanish. On the contrary, they’re just happy if you try to speak Spanish, and they help you if you don’t know a word or pronounce it incorrectly.

You will also get to know the Culture Studies staff well, and they will help you with everything you need. To all future students: Have an amazing trip and good luck with your semester; it’s going to be an absolutely unforgettable experience!

All good!