This was not my first international trip so I was not in complete “culture shock” once we arrived. It was however, very different from what I imaged. My only preconceived notions of Costa Rica was what I would see on t.v. advertisements for vacationing and what one of my co-workers had told me about it. I did no research on the country prior to entering because I really just wanted to be surprised and open minded, but I didn’t want to have too many expectations. Upon arrival in San Jose, I thought that the country seemed well developed and was not too far off from what America was like. But once we began our journey Playa Blanca, I quickly learned that I was wrong. Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical country where most of its natives make their homes out of natural materials. Many of the establishments such as gas stations, businesses, and restaurants are not completely closed off and have large openings to the outside environment. One of the things that I enjoyed the most was that families always seemed together. There was a sense of community there, where almost everyone had a companion of some sort with them, especially during meal time.