Once a Toucan, Always a Toucan!

I am so incredibly thankful that I had the opportunity to go on this trip. This was the experience of a lifetime and probably the best 3 weeks of my life. I don't think there are any words that would do this trip justice, but I'll try my best. To start, the people were absolutely amazing. The directors, Phil and Fernando, were so dedicated to making sure every person had the best experience possible, both educationally and culturally. The therapists as well, were so welcoming to us. They seemed equally excited to have the opportunity to teach us their ways of practicing physical therapy. Being in a completely new country and different setting, the people really make a difference, so I was very thankful to have the directors, therapists, and amazing group I did. As for the actual shadowing, it exceeded my expectations. I shadowed in two different clinics, one was a pediatric setting working with kids with cerebral paralysis and one was based on aquatherapy. These settings were so rewarding and enriching to my learning experience, I could not have asked for anything better. Unlike the United States, I was able to work hands on with the patients and really get a feel for what it was like to practice different techniques and new skills. I think one of the best parts of Toucan Abroad is how it's set up, in terms of education and travel. We shadowed throughout the week and traveled on the weekends, which was the perfect ratio. The weekends were really a time to embrace the beautiful country we were in. We had 2 free weekends, which we spent traveling to 2 different coasts and immersing ourselves into the Costa Rican lifestyle. The 3 weeks that I spent in Costa Rica were some that I will always cherish; I made lifelong friends, ate some of the best food, hiked a volcano, got to see toucans, sloths, and monkeys in the wild, and gained 60 hours of shadowing. Plus so much more. If you are considering studying with Toucan Abroad, I hope my review helped with your decision. It is so worth it. Pura Vida!