Junior and senior members of the Elon University football team are in Costa Rica as a part of the Elon Commitment to its students achieving a global experience. Check in to elonphoenix.com to view updates of the program from its athletes on the overall experience! Be sure to also check out posts and updates on the team's social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram.

Jack Landry provides the latest update about the team's adventures.

After enjoying our stay in the nation's capital, San Jose, we packed our bags on Monday morning and headed out to our next stop in Dominical. Fueling up with a complete breakfast at Barcelo, we boarded the bus with Miss Lucy and Billy and departed on our three hour trip to our beach town destination.

As we embarked on our trip we were given a lesson on the main sources of Costa Rica's economy from our guide Miss Lucy. Fully prepared from our class presentations with Dr. Bravo, some of the boys demonstrated their academic genius in our discussion about the economic importance of tourism, coffee, bananas, and medical equipment.

The vegetation-filled mountains provided a beautiful scenery as we headed to our first stop along the way to Dominical.
 
We first stopped at the Tarcoles River, a river known for the massive crocodiles that attract tourists. We made sure not to step too close to the short-sided bridge while we watched the hungry crocs circling below, waiting for someone to fall in. Grabbing some hand-carved crocodiles and other souvenirs, we headed out for the next stop along the way. The timing couldn't have been better as the bus pulled to a stop along side some fresh market stands with fruits and other candies and snacks. Billy introduced us to some of the freshest fruits, from pineapples and coconut drinks to guavas, mangos, and other delicious fruits we have never experienced. After some refreshment and sweet candies, we continued on to Dominical.
 

As we ventured into Dominical we were able to spot the Pacific coast for the first time. We passed along the coast and through native Costa Rican towns, getting a true dose of all the beauties and culture the country has to offer. Finally, we arrived at our cabinas in the Villas Rio Mar, which is located in the jungle environment of the town. We almost had a couple early returns to the U.S. after Miss Lucy warned us of the tarantulas, poisonous spiders, snakes, and other creatures we needed to be wary of.

Never disappointed by a Costa Rican dinner, we all sat down to enjoy the meal together. To end the night, we got a group of guys and headed into town to explore the local scene and scope out all best dining and places to be. We also spent some time on the beach, enjoying the sound of the crashing waves and the cool night breeze. 

I know we are all excited to see what the rest of our week in Dominical brings after a successful first day. Pura Vida!