Submitted by Katelyn Shelly on the 2019 winter session program in Costa Rica sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
I tried not have any specific expectations for my programto Heredia, Costa Rica to study at a local university. I knew I would enjoy it more if I could just take everything in as it happens and explore, discover, and learn as I go along. However, I couldn’t help, but imagine what this amazing program and country would be like during the days leading up to our departure. Now that I have been here for almost a week, I can definitely say that there are many things that are different from what I was expecting. I was thinking that the city of Heredia would be a little more centred around tourism. At some points, I feel like we are the only “tourists” or foreigners in the area when walking around the city. We get many looks from the locals because many of us stand out from the local population as far as physical appearance and language goes. This is not a bad thing though, just one out of the many things to adjust to!
I have to say I am very grateful for my Costa Rican host parents, or my “mama tica” and “papa tico” (tico/a is a word for native Costa Ricans). They were so incredibly welcoming and supportive right from the start. They have helped my roommate and I adjust to the culture and the area so much! They are great host parents because they really care about us and our experience while we are here. They go out of their way to help us improve our Spanish everyday and love teaching us new things about the language and culture. I am already a little more comfortable with and confident in my Spanish. I’m excited to get to know them more and to share with them this wonderful experience.
Our first week has been mostly an adjustment period and time to get to know the city. We all got settled into our host family’s homes and began our classes. Because of this, we haven’t done that much exploring outside the city of Heredia yet. However, on our second day here we went to a big soccer (or fútbol) match that was held in San José. It was a great experience because fútbol is such a huge part of the culture here. We had a great time and the national stadium is breathtaking! This weekend, we will return to San José to tour the city and go to various museums, etc. I can’t wait to see what the next couple weeks here in Costa Rica has in store for me.
