Aero: Alaiza Dominguez – Costa Rica 2015 – My Expectations

Aero: Alaiza Dominguez – Costa Rica 2015 – My Expectations
Creative Commons Image via The LEAF Project

Aero: Alaiza Dominguez – Costa Rica 2015 – My Expectations

Alaiza Dominguez
CR@FLCC 2015

I have been looking forward to studying abroad since the second I found out about the program. I love traveling more than I could ever put into words and I don’t get to do it nearly as often as I’d like to. I’ve made my way through a handful of states but most of my adventures are local. Watkins Glen, Buttermilk Falls, and Howe Caverns are a few of my upstate favorites. As far as leaving the country, I’ve only been to Canada and Panama. And one time when I was a kid I took a bus from Panama to Costa Rica with my dad but we were only there for a very short amount of time and my only clear memory of the trip is me eating dry cereal on the bus and being fascinated by the bus’ air conditioner.

I’ve traveled without my family before, but I’ve always been with others I am very close to. This will be my first time traveling with people who are practically strangers and I couldn’t be more excited to get to know them.

ML@FLCC Costa Rica
2015 Flickr Gallery

I plan on using this trip as a stepping stone towards many more travels. I look forward to building new friendships, spending my 20th birthday in Costa Rica!!!, trying new things, eating a lot of Hispanic food, and growing as an adventurer. I am also very excited and a little nervous to speak with native Spanish speakers. It’s been almost six years since my last trip to Central America. Although I’ve been peaking Spanish to my family, they’ve become used to my “American Spanish” and don’t really correct me anymore, they just laugh it off. I’m hoping to brush up on my fluency and impress my family with what I’ve learned the next time we speak.

The community service is also something that will be very important to me. As exciting and fun as everything else sounds, I am incredibly excited to spend time with the girls at Hogar Siembra. I enjoy connecting with people and when I feel like I’ve helped someone it really helps me and makes me feel like a better person.

Traveling and volunteering are two very important things to me. Overall I think this trip will be one of the best experiences of my life and I am looking forward to every part of it.

Alaiza Dominguez
LEAF Contributor