Lake Arenal, Costa Rica

As the afternoon began flirting with evening, the bus pulled up to a couple of souvenir stands on the side of the road. As everyone pilfered for treasures to bring back home, Ever and I leaned against the guardrail and stared out at this gorgeous landscape. To me it was this foreign, serene paradise. To Ever, it was home. He pointed across the man-made Lake Arenal and traced the town he had grown up in, another town he had worked in during the day, and the route the bus took to bring him to night classes at the university on this side of the lake. He had been to San Jose, the capital, but confessed it was too big. Like the guides in Corcovado, he lit up with pride when talking about each region. Ever made you feel like this place could be your backyard too.