Why I Created This Blog

¡Hola, Bienvenidos a todos!

I am in my fourth year of school majoring in Education and Spanish. I'm from Minnesota and am about to embark on a life changing experience, immersing myself in the language, culture, and pura vida of Costa Rica!

My ultimate goal of going to Costa Rica is to become fluent in speaking Spanish. But along the way, I am going to be visiting a very close friend from high school, experiencing Costa Rican Independence Day and Christmas, traveling to three countries and living on the beach. Oh, and I am taking classes in a university in the capital city, but it goes without debate, most of my learning will be experienced when I am not in a classroom but around the friendly Ticos (name Costa Rican's call themselves) and being out on adventures.

If you're reading this, I miss you, so do your best to let me know what you're up to! And I'll do my best filling you in on my adventures :)

Why Study Abroad, Why Costa Rica

Why did I decide to study abroad?

      I decided to study abroad because I wanted the adventure and learning experience. I wanted to completely immerse myself to learn Spanish while also learning about another culture. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and learn more about who I am. 

      I love to travel and I have a passion for learning. The combination of meeting new people, seeing new places, learning spanish, and learning about another culture was something I know I needed to do. Also, I have an interest in living, working, or volunteering abroad one day so this was my opportunity to test the waters of what it might be like.
Why Costa Rica over other Spanish-speaking countries?

      I chose Costa Rica because I wanted to enjoy natural beauty more than architectural beauty of a European city. I have only heard about how beautiful Costa Rica is and I knew they care very much about their environment. This program had classes that I was interested in: Spanish literature and culture, photography, translation, film, and humanities. 

      My program also has options to work with children as a teacher’s assistant or volunteer in local schools. Also, there is an intensive language course I will take in addition to all of my classes. Through AIFS, I was confident I would receive strong on-site support as an exchange student. The program offers an orientation, options for a monthly transport pass for local buses or a bike rental, student advising, and placements for community involvement are made for exchange students.
How long is my trip?
Sept 13- Dec 28 (maybe longer?)
Classes begin Sept 27 and end Dec 15


What am I hoping to get out of it?
      
      I am hoping to become mostly fluent by the end of my trip, gain experience in a school, meet friends from around the US and Costa Rica, meet local Ticos, learn about myself, push myself out my comfort zone, try new foods, meet new people, and learn as much as I can. I hope one thing I learn is DANCING!! I hope to learn salsa, merengue, bachata, and anything and everything else! I am hoping to surprise myself in how much I gain out of this experience. I hope to make connections so that one day I can come back to visit, and possibly work and live! 

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