Cultural and Athletic Immersion, Very Educational

I stayed with a host family for three weeks, which helped improve my Spanish-speaking skills as well as helped me understand and grow with another culture. Although I am not an athlete myself, I was able to participate in daily workouts tailored to my ability level. The weekend excursions (zip lining, going to a hot springs, swimming at local beaches, etc.) were nothing short of gorgeous, but the weekdays were the most rewarding. During the week, I was partnered with a group that created an athletic program for underprivileged youth, and we also had the option to volunteer with the Costa Rican Special Olympics every weekday. The work we did felt valuable, and this will always be one of my favorite experiences.