Cerro Chirrpo. It is the tallest mountain in Costa Rica at an elevation of 3,820 meters. And climbing it is very, very difficult. But when my family asked me if I wanted to climb it with them my answer was of course YES!!! After months of being your typical exchanged student and gorging myself with delicious Costa Rican food I wasn't exactly in the best shape to be climbing the tallest mountain in Costa Rica. That combined with the fact that I didn't have any warm clothing whatsoever (I was in Costa Rica!!! What do you expect?) made me very unprepared.
Before I went on this trek I would have told you studying abroad is the hardest thing I've ever done. After, I'd have to change my answer to climbing the tallest mountain in Costa Rica.
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| The whole crew at the entrance! |
By the time we reached the hut at the halfway point, I was dying. While amazing and rewarding, studying abroad is very difficult. Being surrounded by a language and culture that you don't understand can be very alienating. And now as I was sitting at the half way point, my legs and lungs burning, I was wondering if I would make it.
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| I thought I was supposed to go up! |
That's when my host brother stood up, nodded at me, and we continued on. Along the path there would often be signs that urged walkers to persevere and continue on. That, with the fact my host brother and I began pretending we were on a very important mission that could not be failed, ("This is for our honor, Emma!") made it possible for me to continue. Studying abroad requires that same perseverance and patience. You will learn that language, you will understand that strange custom. It takes time. Just continue to put one foot in front of the other.
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| Some encouragement goes a long way! |
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| My favorite sign! |
Just as the experiences you have in your study abroad journey begin to change you and your outlook on the world, the mountain scenery changes as you ascend higher into the heavens. Starting at the bottom I was surrounded by the rain forests typical to Costa Rica, with birds whose songs reminded me of swinging gates and lush greenery spilling onto the path. As we got higher up cloud banks rolled over us, trees became more and more scarce and moss carpeted to floor interrupted by the occasional rushing creeks that were surely fed by the occasional spit of rain. It was amazing to see my surroundings change as I trekked through more ecological zones than you can find in most entire countries!
I can't describe the feeling of finally seeing the lodge where I would be staying that night. At that point I was taking a few steps, stopping, taking a few steps, stopping, and so on because I was so exhausted. But the thought of a warm meal!! I nearly ran to the lodge. It's impossible to put words to the beauty of the place we were staying at. The valley that the lodge was nestled in was surrounded by majestic, rocky mountain peaks and covered in green moss. You could hear the sound of a river rushing through the valley, carving through the stone of the mountain nearby. Clouds floated by lazily, casting low shadows on the rock formations below. If it wasn't so freezing and I wasn't so exhausted I could have explored that valley for days. But the few borrowed too-small sweaters I had layered on in an attempt for warmth just weren't doing the job. That night I nearly froze to death.
The next morning we woke up at around 4am. I was terrified that the Costa Rican custom of taking a freezing cold shower every morning without fail would be enforced up here in this climate, but luckily we all turned a blind eye to that cultural habit that morning. As we made our way up the last few kilometers of mountain, the sun rose and drenched the beautiful landscape with golden light. That's when I laid eyes on the peak of Mount Chirripo for the first time. There were already some tiny figures up at the top, and I could practically taste the victory (and the honor ;P). It's an incredible feeling to finally make it to the top after two days of pain-staking travel. I had put my own two feet in front of each other for each step. I had accomplished this amazing thing. After all the pain and thoughts of turning back I had made it, and I was looking out to the world below me, a few lakes below glistening in the morning sun, the Pacific ocean on one side of us, the Atlantic ocean on the other. How cool is it that I get to say I saw both oceans from the top of a mountain on such a beautiful, clear day? Studying abroad is difficult. It's entirely unglamorous at times with homesickness and culture shock. But with time and perseverance, it becomes something incredible. I have made friends of a life time from all over the world. I have created a second family. I have learned about a new culture, and learned a new language. In the end everything is worth it a hundred times over.
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| Beautiful view. The Pacific is just visible. |
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| At the top.
P.S. Did you know you can get cell service in from the tallest mountain in Costa Rica?
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