Aero: Brittany Gleason – Costa Rica 2014 – My Expectations
Aero: Brittany Gleason – Costa Rica 2014 – My Expectations
Aero: Brittany Gleason – Costa Rica 2014 – My Expectations
Brittany Gleason
As I write about what to expect during my experience in Costa Rica I am filled with excitement, but also I am nervous. I have not been out of the United States enough to see how other people live so I think I will be amazed when exploring Costa Rica. I have had so many people tell me how beautiful the country is and how much I am going to love it there.
One of the most exciting parts about this trip is that I actually get to live with a host family. I am lucky because I get a tourist perspective of Costa Rica, but also getting to live with a host family and not a hotel permits an authentic experience. I not only get to live with a family, but I will be able to try different foods that are common in Costa Rica. I am a somewhat picky eater, so I plan to be open and try new foods. After doing some research, I have assumed that people eat a lot of rice in Costa Rica which I am excited about. I also noticed several people talking about eating fried plantains so I hope I get a chance to try those as well. They also drink a lot of coffee. I am not currently a coffee drinker but it will be interesting to see if I start drinking coffee while on this trip.
I am very excited to go on the excursions to different places around Costa Rica. I am most looking forward to seeing all of the different scenery such as the cloud forest, the volcanoes, and the beach. I think I will be amazed by the views that I see while I am in Costa Rica. I am excited to learn about the coffee plantation, and the cheese factory to see how they are run and if there are similarities between the factories in the United States.
My host family is one of the homes that do not have Internet access. This will be a challenge, but also a breath of fresh air because I will not be hooked onto my phone while I am down there. I will be able to really cherish the moments spent on the trip. I do hope to check in with family and friends once in awhile but I think not having constant access to them will allow me to become more independent.
I am happy that I get to take a class at the Language Institute because I have not taken a Spanish class in 3 years. I took 5 years of Spanish in high school and really enjoyed the language, however I do not know how much of it I remember. I have been studying a bit to brush up on conjugating verbs and using basic phrases so hopefully the class will help me be able to communicate more smoothly with my host family and other community members in Costa Rica. Overall I expect to come back home with a new perspective on life, and more knowledge on how other people live compared to myself.
– Brittany Gleason
The LEAF Project
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