Reflection

It has been an amazing experience to study abroad in Costa Rica. The time and effort it took to study abroad was totally worth it. I have learned so many valuable lessons from my experience. Here are the top 5 things which made my experience amazing and contributed to my personal growth.

Top 5

1. Living with my host family

Living with a Costa Rican family was such an unforgettable experience. I remember when I first arrived and the mother in the house only spoke Spanish. It was very difficult for me to speak only Spanish, and I felt a little overwhelmed. But through speaking Spanish with the family day by day, my conversation skills drastically improved. I was able to learn about the Costa Rican culture through the many conversations we had. During the two months I lived there, I was able to build a great relationship with my host family. For this reason, I consider this experience one of the most important things that helped me to grow and learn more about the culture and language of Costa Rica.

2. The Classes

The Spanish classes that I took helped me to grow in so many ways. I learned how to critically think about our world, and properly express myself in Spanish. Before coming to the classes, I had a limited knowledge about what was happening in the world, especially when it comes to the environment. Many of the topics that were covered had to do with the environment, the life in Costa Rica and Latin America, and the problems/issues with the United States. Now I see it is very important for me to be in touch with what is happening in my world.

Also, the classes were very small, and this helped me to receive extra help with my Spanish. The professors helped me to work on the things which I had problems with, such as my pronunciation, my grammar, and sentence structure. Through all the exercises, homework, and presentations, I was able to drastically improve in my grammar, convsersation, reading, and writing skills.

3. The Nature and Beauty of Costa Rica

I had the opportunity to go on excursions to various places through Costa Rica. It was amazing to see all the different types of animals, such as monkeys, sloths, snakes, and toucans. I also was able to see the beautiful waterfalls of La Paz, as well as the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean waves. This helped me to better appreciate the enviorment and beautiful scenery of Costa Rica. Now, I hope to explore more places in Costa Rica and Latin America in the future.

4. Living Independently

During my time in Costa Rica, I learned to live independently and really grow as a person. I didn't have my family and close friends there with me. But I was forced to make decisions on my own, manage money, and find directions within a foreign country. This helped me to develop and mature as a young adult, and to be better prepared for the real world after college. Truly, without this experience I would have never developed valuable skills which are needed for the professional world, such as responsibility, time management, decision making, etc.

5. Culture Immersion

Within two months, I was totally immersed into the culture of Costa Rica and Latin America. One part of the cultural immersion was through the relationships with the locals. I had the opportunity to build great relationships with many Costa Ricans. Through the many conversations I had, I was able to better understand the culture and world which they live in. Also, I really enjoyed learning about all the types of food, vegetables, and fruits of Costa Rica. I was able to enjoy and taste so many different types of fruits and vegetable that I've never had before.

Now if someone asks me, what do you know about Costa Rica, I can tell them so much about the culture. I've learned about the history, celebrations, dances, and music of Costa Rica. Yet there is so much more that I need to learn. Truly, I am so grateful for the chance to come to Costa Rica and be immersed in the culture.

Me and a Toucan

La Paz Waterfalls                                     The "Frog" of Costa Rica

Parade at Jaco Beach

Picture with my classmates

National Theatre

Challenges

Going to Costa Rica has been an amazing experience so far.  I've been here for about 1 1/2 months. To be honest, it hasn't been all peaches and cream, but has been a challenge and an adventure. Many times I have felt overwhelmed with all of the information I've been learning in Spanish. But I have learned that persevering and pushing though the challenges is totally worth it. Being in a totally new country on my own has also been a challenge. I had to find out things on my own, and this has helped me to be more independent. I have to make decisions for myself, which is definitely a good thing. I went from being very reliant on others, to being able to take responsibility for myself.

Puerto Viejo Trip

I had the opportunity to go on a trip to Puerto Viejo, a beach close to the Caribbean in the Provence of Limon.

It was great to be able to get out of the city and see the beauty of Costa Rica.

On Saturday we took a trip to a national park to see the various animals. I was able to see many different types of animals. As I was walking past a creek, there was a crocodile sitting right in the water. I also was able to see a group of monkeys in the trees. They were jumping around and swinging over us, and began throwing almonds at us. Then I got the chance to go into the Caribbean ocean, it felt so amazing. As time progressed we ran into a heavy rain storm, so we all had to go back.

At Puerto Viejo, there was the rich and diverse culture of the Caribbean. Many of the people there played reggae music, and spoke much differently then the Costa Ricans in San Jose. Overall, it was great to experience the culture of Costa Rica at Puerto Viejo. 

 

My First Week

My first week in Costa Rica, here are some things I can share:

Living with a host family:

Living with my host family has been quite an experience. The person I live with speaks only Spanish. The first breakfast meal on July 3rd we talked and I really had a difficult time communicating. I would want to say something, but couldn’t put it in Spanish words. But day by day I am getting better, and learning about the culture of Costa Rica, especially the family life. We have coffee quite a lot, breakfast and dinner. On Sunday we had dinner together, and many of the relatives joined us. The first thing we had was bread and butter; I though that was all I was going to eat. But we talked for about thirty minutes and then the food was ready. The entire dinner time was around two hours; we spent time talking and playing games. Definitely the family time together is very important to Costa Ricans, whereas many Americans have a quick dinner without really talking to one another.

Classes:

My classes have been great! My Spanish class in the morning has only seven students in it. The first day we spent time introducing ourselves, talking for about an hour! The professor really likes to know about our life and also wants us to know about the culture in Costa Rica. Many of our assignments included researching an important world topic and reporting it to the class. Also,I have to interact with other Costa Ricans to better understand certain Costa Rican words and phrases.

Food:

The food has been amazing! The most famous dish is called Gallo pinto, (rice and beans). It is cooked a little different. I had a meal at a restaurant, called a ‘soda’, and it was delicious! It came with plantains, rice, beans, potatoes, and steak. These restaurants are throughout the whole city and it is where the real authentic food is.

Orientation Day

Gallo Pinto

Streets of San Jose



 

 

Before the Launch

Before the Launch

I am senior pursuing my degree in Communications with an emphasis in Media Studies, and a minor in Spanish. Through my time at NIU, I have developed a passion for the Spanish language and culture. I also love to hang out with my friends and play sports, watch movies, and Latin dance. I will be graduating by the end of this summer after my studies in Costa Rica.

So why am I choosing to study abroad in Costa Rica? I remember one of my professors telling the class the benefits of studying abroad, and learning Spanish. I really thought it was a cool idea, but in my mind I didn't think it would be possible for me financially. I decided to go to the study abroad fair and get a little more information. I only had 12 more credits to finish school, and thought about finishing up the classes abroad. I never traveled outside of the country, and did something adventurous. So I saw the CIS program for Costa Rica and it offered the right amount of credits I needed  in order to graduate. I thought to myself, "Why not?" Many of the study abroad summer programs offered only 6-9 credits, and the CIS program offered the right amount. I really wanted to learn the Spanish language, and experience the culture, especially the music and dance. After looking at the CIS program for Costa Rica, I knew this is what I wanted. They offered a chance to live with a host family and experience the culture of Costa Rica. I really was drawn to the pictures of Costa Rica and the amazing beauty of the land.

Now I probably say preparing for my trip was the most difficult process, but it was totally worth it. I had to approve courses, fill out and read many papers, and work towards get my passport. But every step of the way, the NIU study abroad office helped me tremendously. I got my airport ticket earlier this month, and I'm all set for my trip. Now I am getting my vaccinations later this week, and making all the preparations for the big launch. I have to make sure I get all the things I need such as, medicine, food, the right clothes, and toiletries. Overall, I am ready to go to begin a new journey in Costa Rica.

What do I hope to gain from my experience?

1. Improvement in Spanish- I really hope to be able to tremendously improve in my Spanish speaking and conversational skills. It will definitely force me to talk Spanish 24/7.

2. New perspective of the world-I want to have a different perspective of what life and culture is like outside of the bubble that I live in.

3. Long lasting Relationships-I desire to gain some long lasting friendships with the people I meet during my time in Costa Rica.

4. Better clarity for my future-I hope that through being here I can have a better sense of direction for my future plans after graduation, and have future opportunities to travel to even more places in Latin America.

5. Dance! I know that in Costa Rica dance and music are an important thing. I hope I can learn the dances in Costa Rica, and gain some great Latin dancing skills.

What fears and anxieties do I have?

1. The language- I know it will be difficult sometimes to understand people with the language and cultural barriers. But I know the more I immerse myself in the culture and language, I will be able to understand and adjust to the language.

2. Having difficulties with transportation and other things- I worry about if I loose directions, and facing complications with travel and the unexpected occurrences.

3. Health-I have to make sure I take care of my health, as I am aware of the many health problems that can occur overseas.

Now I am ready to go to this land and I will keep you all up to date during my trip to the amazing land of Costa Rica!