Costa Rica has been a dream so far. Between the amazing surf, great food and good company, we could not be any happier to be where we are. It's so easy to live slowly here, as it's baked into the lifestyle and culture. Everyone is relaxed, walking slowly and lethargically, with nowhere to be (although, to be fair, that could be in part due to the heat-it's near impossible to move quickly during the hottest part of the day). Our days are mellow, revolving around surf, of course, but other than that we are really enjoying reading, going on walks, and soaking up the culture.

As I've mentioned, our hostel has been wonderful for meeting people. The 'living room' and kitchen are large outdoor spaces where everyone hangs out all day, escaping the sun, playing games, socializing, cooking, and drinking. The crowd is quite a bit calmer than some of the other hostels around town, which we appreciate. Most of the group staying here is focused on surfing which tends to be all consuming, and exhausting, so there is a lot of chilling going on at all times. We've made a handful of friends so far, from all over, including a Danish man named Frederick who was on the Danish version of Survivor, 'Robinson'. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, Niko and I got WAY too into Survivor so we've completely been star struck by Fred, who has turned out to be a really awesome guy.

As trite as it is to say, traveling always reminds me that people are more or less the same wherever you go. Languages and cultures and customs change, but at the core of people, we are all the same. We all crave human connection, get embarrassed, have anxiety, want to look cool and say the right thing, and be someone people like and want to be around. All of this was especially noticeable to me when I was having a conversation with two women I met at the hostel. Michelle, Libby and I were talking about travel anxieties due to staying at home for years during the pandemic, anxiety about socializing again, and the pressure to look cool/be unflappable while traveling. It was such a relief, for all of us I think, to be able to talk openly and frankly about all of these things together and realize that despite any differences we may have, we're more alike than what we originally think. Unfortunately, Michelle and Libby left before we really got to hang out with them a ton, but I always feel like the people you meet and the bonds you form traveling are remarkably strong so I have no doubt in my mind we'll see them again someday.

On a lighter note, we have a gaggle of Frenchmen in the room next to us (I believe gaggle is the right word but please send a note to my editor if this is not correct) who are an absolute blast. They are just full of pure, rambunctious, honest, French energy. They're just so animated and full of life, it seems. Anyway, the first night they moved into the room next to us, Niko and I shared some beers with them, to which they were incredibly grateful (despite the fact that Imperials cost less than water, but nonetheless they were beyond grateful) and a fast friendship formed between us. Nikolas, Theo and Theo, all 24 ish, are a blast to hang out with, We went out with a few other friends from the hostel last night to grab beers and came back to find them causing a raucous in the kitchen. They immediately poured us some gin and tonics, and started apologizing profusely because, verbatim, "they forget their fucking English when they drink". Mind you, my French is horrendous at best, and Niko's is nonexistent, so we had a fun time encouraging them despite their drunkenness and shyness about their English skills (which were actually quite good). As the group became progressively drunker, the conversations inherently became sloppier and more maudlin, as it tends to happen. At one point they insisted we come stay with them in France, where they live on the coast. I for one, will not turn that invite down so perhaps we will have to casually remind them of their invitation when they are more sober today. At the end of the night, they solemnly approached Niko and I as a group and told us "we have an announcement". I wasn't sure what to expect, but given the formality of the declaration, I was expecting to be knighted or invited into some secret French brotherhood. Instead, the boys all collaborated in French for a second, and then presented us with a gift. In exchange for the $2 beers we gave them on the first night, the boys proudly offered us a tin of Pork Pate...My initial reaction (given that I was drunk as well) was of serious acceptance. I understand the importance of food in French culture, so I recognized the seriousness of the moment. As soon as that wore off, however, I had SO many questions. WHAT! Why are you carrying tins of Pate in your bag!? Do you have more of these to hand out to worthy strangers? It was so unbelievably French, I could not believe it.

I am still cracking up about it today. Maybe we'll offer them something else of greater value later, and receive a baguette that has traveled all the way from the bakeries of Paris, unscathed in their bag, to eat with the pate later. One can hope, right?

Oh, travel.