I first visited Costa Rica during the summer of my sophomore year as a part of a study abroad program. In addition to the natural beauty of the land from rainforests to volcanoes to great beaches, the country also has very nice and hospitable people. Soon after I graduated from college, I returned here with a friend, Matt Nolan, to play soccer on the equivalent of a semi-pro team. One of our teammates in college was from Costa Rica and was able to get us some connections to play with one of the local teams and helped us find a place to stay in Nicoya. We played for six weeks, practicing almost every day and taking trips on the weekends to the local beaches and some of the surrounding parks.