Outside One’s Comfort Zone in Costa Rica: Living the Pura Vida
“I participated in activities I would never have done on my own, from walking over hanging bridges above the jungle canopy, whitewater rafting, boating on the rivers observing monkeys, lizards, coati, birds, bugs and crocs in the wild. I stepped seriously outside my comfort zone.”
—Dawn, from Salem, Ore.
As I was perusing Road Scholar’s Facebook page, a conversation about Costa Rica stood out to me, and I decided to reach out to its author. Dawn, from Salem, Oregon, is a Road Scholar veteran, and attended The Best of Costa Rica: Exploring Natural Wonders. As someone who has also journeyed to Costa Rica, I was curious about her experiences and how they compared with my own. I reached out to her on Facebook messenger and we had a great conversation about our adventures.
On my own first trip to Costa Rica this winter I had an experience that was a bit different from Dawn’s. I did see creatures up close that I had never seen in my life, from coati to birds to tarantulas to sloths. However, I must say that, at almost 76 years old and a committed and steady walker, I was nevertheless queasy about taking on hanging bridges, zip lining and whitewater rafting (I admit that I did sit in a rubber raft on a calm river and let someone else do the paddling).
Over the past five years I have watched myself become more of an observer than an active participant. There are joys to that, too, from watching the clouds around the Arenal Volcano from different angles and at different times of the day to observing coati, sloths, monkeys, sea turtles, tree frogs, fabulous toucans and other birds and even a beautiful but slightly horrifying tarantula.
Since I’ve been back, I have been talking to other travelers about Costa Rica and reading about what folks on Road Scholar’s Facebook Groups have to say. I have come to realize more of what there is to do in Costa Rica, and I am also understanding that I can take baby steps (and perhaps eventually adult steps) on my next adventure there.
I know that I am not the only one who has felt frightened to jump into some activities that others are doing. And I must admit that I did regret not going horseback riding on the beach with several of my travel mates because they seemed so thrilled by it. Of her activities, Dawn says:
“I found the journey mentally challenging, culturally challenging and a little bit physically challenging. I never thought, at age 69 (and really not a ‘water person’), that I would go whitewater rafting for the first time in my life. The rapids were low level, safety and preparation were the highest priority, and it was absolutely exhilarating.”
Taking on the white water and other activities seems to have changed Dawn’s perspective and her feelings about what she can accomplish.
“I am an absolute cheerleader for the Road Scholar programs, because they are such deeply experiential learning journeys. Each of these educational adventures brings with it a feeling of personal accomplishment. Ultimately, I felt renewed and refreshed in mind and body for having participated.”
So, while I thoroughly enjoyed lying in a hammock near Manuel Antonio National Park, swinging slowly and watching the waves break (not that there is anything wrong with that), I do think that on my next visit to Costa Rica — Road Scholar offers 13 different Costa Rica experiences — I might even take a chance to find out what more I am able to do. I can even see myself stepping out of my comfort zone and zip lining (slowly) over the misty rainforests.
Find these 13 learning adventures and more information on our website.
Barbara Winard has earned degrees in English literature, journalism and, later in life, gerontology. For the past 25 years she was a senior editor and writer of online encyclopedia articles for children. Prior to that, after returning from a long trip to Asia, Barbara was hired by the Asia Society in New York City to produce films and print materials about Asian culture. She was also a producer and writer for New York City’s public television station, WNET/13.