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| Tamarindo Beach, Costa Rica, July 13, 2014 |
I have comprised a list of the pros and cons of my study abroad that I personally feel are justified.
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PROS-
- Seeing a whole different culture and country
- THE FOOD
- Weekend Excursions (I did everything from visiting hot springs to zip lining over a rainforest... definite bucket list check)
- Being able to communicate with Locals in another language (yeah it took me almost till the end of my study abroad, but it happened!)
- Mama Tica aka the sweetest woman you will ever know (pictured right)
- Weather (Literally it can be thunderstorming and Costa Rica will still be beautiful)
CONS-
- Money (It is a tad expensive to study abroad... did not help that I lost my wallet the first weekend) **
- Language barrier (it is a tad overwhelming to be in a place where no one speaks English, but trust me, your ability to speak another language will develop fast in another country)
- Picked up wrong suitcase at airport (yes it happened, yes it was scary, but I did manage to get it back thanks to my amazing Mama Tica) **
- Being detained in Costa Rica (My passport had incorrect information on it, so when I first arrived I was detained and sent back to the United States.) **
** Important- My experience in Costa Rica was very unique. Yes I was detained, picked up the wrong suitcase, and also lost my wallet the first week, but I want to emphasis that I still had a great time in Costa Rica. Part of being in another culture is adapting to situations and finding solutions to problems on your own. They all were scary situations, but I would not regret my trip to Costa Rica at all.
So whether or not you are ever considering study abroad in your future, take my advice- Just do it!
Oh and... PURA VIDA!
Hey Gillian,
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to study aboard but unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to do so. I have friends that went to Spain, Italy, and Germany and they absolutely loved it. Costa Rica seems like an amazing place to go during the summer (I love the picture of the beach that you included). I'm really jealous that you got to go zip lining over a rainforest, that must have been an incredible experience and the view was probably beautiful. Being detained, taking the wrong suitcase, and losing your wallet are all things you don't want to happen to you while traveling, but at least now you have some interesting stories to tell.
-Autumn
Gillian,
ReplyDeleteI really want to study abroad my junior year. I only hear great things about it and I haven't heard one bad thing. If I were you I would of been terrified to lose my wallet in another country, just because I lose it like every other day. It seems like you had a great time in Costa Rica. Also I really like the picture of that waterfall!
-Haley
Hi Gillian! Costa Rica sounds like a beautiful place to visit! I love to travel and would love to have the experience of studying abroad. I went to Puerto Rico last summer and it was a blast, yes even though like you I could not speak the language quite well, however, towards the end of the trip I can definitely say that it is something that I would do again! In fact I am going to Spain in June and am looking forward to that next adventure!
ReplyDeleteGillian, Costa Rice seems like it would be an awesome place to visit. I also would've liked to study abroad, but the financial aspect as well as the time it would take make it unlikely to happen.
ReplyDeleteHey Gillian
ReplyDeleteI must say that I love the way you layout your blog. Having it broken down like that is awesome for readability. The pictures that you included are nice as well. It looks like you had a great time and you included a lot of good info for those looking into it. I sometimes wish I would have done some sort of study abroad program. I know I would enjoy it, but never pulled the trigger.