Our last couple days in Costa Rica were nothing short of amazing. We spent Thursday the 15th hiking down into the forest to spend the morning at a waterfall that was amazingly cool. It had 3 different tiers, all with a shallow pool for swimming / wading. It was tucked away under a canopy of lush trees, with beautiful butterflies floating around overhead. We then, of course, had to hike back up the mountain we came down, which sounds much easier than it turned out to be.

The following morning on the 16th, we packed up and had to say goodbye to our host family and researchers as we made our way back to San Jose. It was a bittersweet ending to a trip we had been planning for over 6 months. We ate in this neat little restaurant a few blocks from our hotel. There were many options to choose from; however, I surprisingly chose chicken and rice. Guess Costa Rica got to my taste buds. 😉

May 17th marked the day for us to make our journey back to the states, but not before we explored the city shopping a little bit before heading to the airport. While I was extremely excited to get home to my own bed, I was a little disappointed it was over so soon. The previous 10 days flew by. I cannot tell you how much more I appreciate everything I have to come home to every day. The experience was truly unforgettable. The entire experience was made even more by sharing it with a wonderful group of people; some I knew beforehand, some I had the pleasure to meet on the trip. I cannot wait to broaden my horizons and travel more in the future!