I thought that my experience in Costa Rica would be a lot easier than it really was. It was weird when I got off the plane and into the bus because I thought that I was in one of those infomercials about ‘supporting the people of ____ country because they live in slums and don’t have clean water’.

The sad thing is before I saw that stuff, I didn’t really pay attention to it because it didn’t apply to my life (very selfish, I know), but it does affect many people in Costa Rica. It’s not only a beautiful country, but a poor country. People actually do live in one room huts that they made out of scraps and wood. People actually do have to live off the land. People actually do have to physically work extremely hard to have the basics – clean water, food, clothing, shelter, etc. Basic human rights that people, like myself, take for granted in America.

This trip made me realize how lucky I am to live in America and to be appreciative of the things I have rather than always wishing for the things I don’t. I don’t have to worry about bugs in the bathroom, whether the power will go out or not (most of the time), whether the water is safe to drink or not, and if I’m going to eat tonight or not (granted, I did not have this problem, but I’m sure many people in Costa Rica have this issue). All in all, I am glad and blessed to be home in America.