My Experience in Costa Rica

Imagine an area that is green and lush, full of trees, vegetation, and livestock.  That describes the surroundings in La Paz, Costa Rica, the small agricultural town that I visited during a 10-day learning trip to Costa Rica with the National Louis University honors program this June. What really stood out to me during my visit to La Paz was the time I spent with my homestay family. My Costa Rican “parents,” Janet and Javier, were incredibly caring and cooked for us every day we were there. Even though I couldn’t fully understand my host mother, my NLU classmates and homestay “sisters,” Alondra and Wendy, translated what she said to make it easier for me to understand. Even without speaking fluent Spanish, I always knew that Janet cared about me and my well-being. For example, every time I finished eating, Janet would check in with me to ensure I was full.  I would never go to bed hungry in her house!  Janet and Javier always asked us how we slept and how our day was; Javier even played music for us and gave me the chance to try his accordion.   I was able to connect with my host family through music and food, even without a shared language.  My homestay pets were also great. They had a kind dog named Oso, who followed us everywhere, and a cat, Taquito, who snuggled up to me while I slept; I didn't know pets slept outside in rural Costa Rica, so she got into trouble for that.

My Costa Rican family has inspired me to improve my Spanish; I intend to continue to travel and return to visit them one day.  Through my experience in Costa Rica, I learned to be adaptable and resourceful and to find new strengths in myself; I also found a connection to an extended family that I hope to maintain.