Conclusions

It's very hard to summarize my whole experience now, a week after the trip, though I imagine it will continue to remain difficult for quite some time. I met some amazing people from all the over world during my travels, one of the great boons of solo trips, and had lot of experiences I wouldn't have been able to have had I been with others. The relaxed and friendly demeanor of Costa Ricans was very appealing to experience especially following my time in D.C. I saw that the relationship between students and teachers is a very delicate one that can only be fostered through dedication and trust. I also grappled with several relationships between foreigners and locals: tourists, imperialists, completely ignorant visitors and those who attempted to help but had to overcome the bad taste that the other kinds of foreigners had left in the mouths' of the locals.
Costa Rica is not an unambiguously perfect place, it has its warts, but I really, really enjoyed my time there. There are many more, subtler conclusions that I think will make themselves clear to me over time but at this point the experience still looms a little too large in my field of vision to perceive clearly.
I really enjoyed writing recording my travels, despite the technical difficulties, in this blog. I'm planning on resuming Time and again in the summer, when my traveling will recommence. Til then, thanks for reading.



Alex