After a very early flight, we have made it to Costa Rica! We spent our first day in Playa Hermosa, a beautiful beach town in the Guanacaste Province. We spent the afternoon at the beach, where we enjoyed a laid back tico-style lunch (tico is a term for a Costa Rican). During lunch, we had special guests join us from the tress—monkeys! We watched in awe as the monkeys crossed from tree to tree carrying their babies.

After lunch, we played on the beach and went for a refreshing swim! We took a quick break from the beach when it started to rain (it is the wet season in Costa Rica). Jaimie, the other incredible group leader, used that opportunity to share some fun facts about Costa Rica. We learned that Costa Rica is home to 500,000 species, representing 4% of the total species worldwide! 

Tomorrow, we are heading to Pozo Azul, our host village for the next week. We are looking forward to the bienvenida fiesta that the town of 500 people will throw for our arrival! We are also excited for Shabbat, which always brings a refreshing feeling as we start this new journey.

Pura Vida!
Naomi