Leaving the turtle project and arriving in San Jose was bittersweet. We were glad to be on normal sleep schedules again, but also felt the impending end of our trip. Though San Jose was different for everyone, we all enjoyed a few days of relaxation and the time to gear up for and awesome week in Roatan.
In San Jose we saw gorgeous parks and fascinating museums. Some of us went to the Jade museum, while others went to the gold exhibit. I, being so tired from the turtle project, laid around the hostel reading for the first 2 days before venturing into downtown San Jose. When I did finally venture out, I was struck by the city’s size and flavor. San Jose was interesting because it was vastly different from any other place we visited on the trip. A mix of globalization and sprawl left for a different feel down any given street. One unfortunate sighting I experienced was in the market, where they were openly selling huevos de tortuga, or sea turtle eggs. I was so angry, especially after our group had just spent one week trying to save such a beautiful species.
Jump forward to Roatan and it was smooth sailing! Roatan was the most beautiful place to wind down our intense journey. The crystal clear water, white sand, tropical fish, and stunning sections of reef were the perfect catalyst for our group to become boss scuba divers! The underwater life was so beautiful! I never knew such a sight existed; it was nothing short of incredible.
Our amazing time in Roatan was laced with occasional anxiety and sadness because of the impending end to what has been the time of my life. We all did our best to stay positive and enjoy the last week but we could not help acknowledge that our beautiful travel group/family was about to be broken up.
This trip has been full of surprises, thrills, and beautiful experiences. Even the hardest days were made easy with the help of the 11 other people who came on this trip. If there is one thing I treasure most from this experience, it is the love and support we all have for each other. It would be impossible to describe the bonds we now all share.
Thank you to all of our amazing friends and family who kept watch over us and read our blogs. We miss you tons and cannot wait to see you!
Con amor,
Patricio
