The people and culture of Costa Rica will come alive as you read reflections on visits to the rainforests surrounding the active volcano called Arenal and the markets and neighborhoods in the barrio of San Jose called Zapote. But you will also read much more about a rich array of encounters with the Tico -that's how Costa Ricans refer to themselves- culture. Schools, zoos, buses, beaches, sodas (local cafes), orphanages, both Pacific and Caribbean tourist destinations, coffee plantations, taxis, urban parks, churches, urban markets in central San Jose and so much more will be discussed in this book. From Arenal to Zapote was produced so that it could be used as a tool to enhance the experience of traveling to Costa Rica for a short visit or for an entire semester (or more ). Travel to Costa Rica is expensive both in terms of real dollars but perhaps more importantly in terms of the time planning and anticipating the travel, of course the time 'in country" being a temporary expat, and then the many weeks and months processing the experience with friends and family. Reading this book will help you to maximize the return on your investment in time and money, to squeeze every bit of value out of your sojourn to this small, stunningly beautiful nation. In short, this book was written by new travelers to Costa Rica for those planning to travel to this ecological wonderland that the authors grew to know and love. Understanding a new culture is a huge challenge both intellectually and emotionally and takes a good deal of work. The students who wrote this book were immersed in the Costa Rican culture for four months, taking classes at Universidad de Veritas and living in home stays with Tico families. As you will read these student authors met the challenges of encountering the Costa Rican culture with deep intellectual curiosity, open minds and hearts, and with a wonderful mixture of grace and humor.