Every year my immediate family and I have gone somewhere on vacation. The family consists of Mom- Andi, Dad- Jeff,and sister- Alyssa. Before my freshmen year I had been to Destin, Florida for 8 years. Dad's business was doing well my freshmen year so we decided to go to Costa Rica for spring break. We were so excited! First time out of the country, for me, and one could sense it would be the trip of a lifetime. We got to the resort and it was beautiful. The scenery and the people were incredible. It seemed as if those who were woking there truly enjoyed their job.
No matter what the family does, we have an incredible time. We are a very close family who actually enjoy every second we get to have with eachother. it's truly a blessing. We didn't have to go to Costa Rica for a good time, but this trip made all of our relationships that much better. We got along the best on this vacation. My family is crazy! I specifically remember laughing a whole bunch on this trip. We went zip lining through the rainforest, went to a spa and got smothered in exfoliating mud, ate delicious food that never ended, and played an obnoxious amount of phase ten games. Those reasons aren't really what made the trip, although they were a good asset.
I knew a little bit of spanish at this time, that is "Como estas?" Ha, I knew how to tell them the food was good and ask how they were doing. When you ask the workers at Papagayo hotel how they were doing, the majority of the responses were "Pura Vida." Coming into Costa Rica we didn't know that this saying was their way of life. It means to live a good life worth living. It translates to "Pure Life." In America our lives are so much different that the Costa Ricans. We have more freedom and more opportunities. They know what they are missing and yet they still are happy and accept the trials that come their way.
We left Costa Rica full of joy. We left knowing how rare of a family we were, and how blessed we were to be able to live in the place that we do. My father, sister, and I all got pura vida tattooed on us. The trip really opened our eyes and was one we will always remember. I enjoyed writing this essay, this was a memory I will always keep in my heart (and on my back where the tattoo sits š ).
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