Living the Tica Life

Stepping onto a plane that would take me to another country alone was daunting, a country that speaks a different language, and a country where I knew no one. The plane ride consisted of nervous but good nerves, awaiting to see what would happen. The second I walked into my Tica (Costa Rican) house, I felt at home. My home stay family was more than welcoming and immediately brought me to their grandparents house for a birthday party. I became a part of the family in a way I never thought possible. Living with my family for four months created a bond that I think about everyday now. The amount of cultural immersion I experienced will never be taken for granted. AIFS paired me with a family that I am waiting to go back and see very soon. The cultural excursions that were included into the program forced me to get out there and see how traveling can be done so easily. I formed relationships with friends I still talk to today and I matured immensely over this time, being on my own but always having the support of AIFS to have my back. The classes I took at Veritas University were just as challenging as my classes here in the United States but my favorite part was the teachers. They were always using creative ways to help us learn and understand. I took tropical marine biology and what we learned in class was applied hand-on when we went snorkeling and had to identify what we learned in the classroom. This type of learning was so beneficial because we got to apply what we learned and see it in real life. Another class that I absolutely loved was Spanish for Health Professions. I learned how to speak to a patient in spanish and how to perform certain tasks, all in spanish. I plan moving onto Physician Assistant school following graduation and continuing my spanish for the health field is a goal of mine. Costa Rica had it all for me. Even though my friends who went to Europe got to travel to so many countries, I was able to explore in depth everything Costa Rica offered. Costa Rica is so diverse and I was able to go to both the Atlantic and Caribbean sides, the cloud rain forest, tropical rain forest, and to the mountains. Every trip was always an adventure and completely affordable. All I need now is a plane ticket to go back to the place that helped me find out who I really am.