Aero: Ashley Hager – Costa Rica 2014 – My Expectations
Aero: Ashley Hager – Costa Rica 2014 – My Expectations
Aero: Ashley Hager – Costa Rica 2014 – My Expectations
Ashley Hager
When I think of Costa Rica, I think of sun, sand, and beaches. When I heard about the Costa Rica Study Abroad Program, the first thing on my mind was being somewhere other than New York in January when it is cold outside. It was then, when I wanted to complete more research about this program. What I found, was that this program offered much more than just warm weather. This program offers the opportunity to explore the life and the customs of the Costa Rican culture.
I am a little nervous about being in a country where English is not the primary language. However, I am looking forward to learning more about the Spanish language, since my only experience with Spanish is the four years of instruction at my High School. Which I can admit was a little over four years ago. Even though, I do not have a strong background in speaking the Spanish language, I feel that the classes offered will provide me with the tools that I need to communicate and navigate in Costa Rica. I am hoping that my host family and the natives and to Costa Rica will understand my poor Spanish speaking skills and help me learn the proper Spanish speaking language. I feel that compared to the United States where everyone is living in fast pace world, Costa Rica will have a more laid back type of environment. I am very excited to be living with a host family that will allow me to be fully immersed into the Costa Rican culture. I feel that at first it will be slightly uncomfortable to be living in someone else’s home especially, if they don’t speak a lot of English. However, I feel once classes start taking place my memory will be triggered, and some of the Spanish language I learned in High School will come back to me, and hopefully I will learn even more than what I once knew.
I expect that Costa Rica will be different from the United States, as far as the primary language being spoken and the values of the Costa Rican culture compared to the United States. However, from what I have been told, Costa Rica is a well developed country that has all the essentials; like running water, bathrooms, and supermarkets. As well as the extras; like Wal-Mart, and fast food restaurants, as well as internet access and cell phones. I expect there to be lots of coffee houses since coffee is mainly produced in Costa Rica. Although as far as coffee goes, I am not a person that likes to drink coffee but, I am willing to try new foods and drinks in Costa Rica. Hey! You never know you may find a new favorite food. I am excited about being able to see the cloud forest, Volcanoes, Rainforest, Waterfalls, Beaches, Coffee plantations, and local supermarkets. I imagine the landscape and habitats are extraordinarily beautiful. I feel that this is not only an opportunity for college credits but, is also an opportunity for allowing me to expand my knowledge and step outside of my comfort zone, for I have never been outside of the United States. I am getting very excited for such a great opportunity, and I am ready to learn.
– Ashley Hager
The LEAF Project
www.leaflanguages.org
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