Senior guard Brionna Dickerson is in Costa Rica, studying abroad as part of her international business degree. The program includes 20-25 students who take classes in the morning and have their afternoons free for exploring. Brionna will check in with GamecocksOnline periodically during her trip.

July 30, 2008

Well, this is my last week in Costa Rica. The big parties in Costa Rica ended on Monday night. Everything was so much fun.

The first night that my roommate and I went was during the week so not many people were there, but the next time was unbelievable. Right when we got there, we went to watch four of our classmates get into a ring with bulls at the rodeo. It was hilarious. The bull-riders would aggravate the bulls so when the gates opened, they would charge everybody in the ring. Every time a bull would come towards then, they would jump on the surrounding fence out of the way. It was like something off television on one of those shows about `what not to do’. I would never have had the courage to get into the ring. They were definitely men `brave’ enough to do it, or at least foolish enough. There was one man who danced in the middle of the ring each round; well, that’s until one bull was too fast for him and threw him under the fence…exactly my point.

The entertainment did not end there though. There were two huge parties that were packed with people. They were so crowded that they started to throw drunks out just to make room for more potential customers. It was sad but funny, all at the same time. The lines were so long, but thankfully, my friends and I caught the eye of a bodyguard, and he just let us right in. He figured that we were from out of town and claimed that he wanted us to leave with a great impression of Costa Rica. I do not know the sincerity behind that, but we definitely didn’t mind the hospitality.

The parties that we attended happen only twice a year so they are a big deal. When the Costa Ricans party … they party! The clubs on the fairgrounds that night did not end until six in the morning, and they even served breakfast afterward. Of course, I did not stay that long, but I tried to last as long as I could.

The whole weekend was a lot of fun, and I have plenty of pictures to refresh my memory later on in life. Everything about Costa Rica has me feeling torn. Part of me wants to stay in this beautiful country, but an even larger part wants to get back to my teammates and get back to business. This is going to be a great year for our team, and the hard work that everyone has put in is finally going to pay off. But in the back of my mind, there will always be Costa Rica. I am finally the doll made of salt, and I am fully submerged.

Pura Vida!