When the final weeks of my program came around, I could feel a sense of peace wash over me. This was a feeling that was very contrary to the other exchanged students who were panicking at the thought of going home and leaving the wonderful paradise and the life they had created here. Yes, I was sad to be leaving. Devastated actually. I would miss the friends I have made, the bonds I have formed in my family, the sunsets and the delicious food. But I had accomplished what I set out for. I came to Costa Rica for adventure and immersion into an entirely new culture. I came to learn a new language and a new way of life. I came here for change, change is always something I've worked to embrace. So now with the change of moving back home, I have to be ready.
The second to last week I spent with my closest AFS friends, three girls from California and Wisconsin. The whole trip was filled with a sense of nostalgia as we walked through San Jose, remembering the first time we went on a trip and had gotten so lost. Our bus ride was filled with laughter, and on the ferry to our destination the wind caressed our smiling cheeks. Montezuma was incredible, a colorful beach town with friendly artisans. I was reminded again of the kindness of ticos when some complete strangers led us through the jungle to a set of three magnificent waterfalls. They even guided us on how to safely take a seven meter jump on the start of the waterfall into the cool, bubbling waters below. I think one quote can describe my final solo journey, as well as my entire AFS experience,
"Take a leap and risk the fall, if it's what you want it's worth it all."
In order to have this amazing experience, I had to take that leap. I had to work hard to get to Costa Rica, and work even harder to become a part of it. But in the end it was worth it all.
Years later, as I reminisce about my time in this beautiful gem of a country, all the ways it has changed me are apparent. Right now, I am one of two freshmen in my advanced Spanish class. My love for the language blossomed in Costa Rica, and I plan on studying it for the rest of my student career. I will soon be changing my Spanish minor to a major. As for my other major, the culture I experienced in Costa Rica really opened my eyes to the many colorful different ways in which people around the world live. It fascinates me endlessly how the world interacts with people in their own cultures and in other cultures. That is why I am now in Global Studies with an emphasis on culture and art. Would I still be studying these things if it were not for my time at AFS? I can't say. But I can say that studying abroad has opened my eyes to a magnificently beautiful and diverse world.
Though my time in Costa Rica has been over for some time, my adventures are not. In the final months of being in Costa Rica I was able to convince my mom to continue this journey and even bring it into our home. Hosting Helen from Finland worked to further open my eyes to the diversity of our world. I will definitely have to make some blog posts about being a host sister. It was such a rewarding experience, and if you have dreams of studying abroad but can't afford it, I highly recommend bringing a student into your home!
As for the future, I want to keep writing about my experiences and findings in this blog. I'm very excited to spend a month of this summer with my sister Abby in Chicago, and I have applied for a job working with AFS (!!!!!) in San Diego. Fingers crossed those plans will work out. As for the really exciting news: I have officially applied to become a study abroad student in Spain! This program is also a homestay program, so I look forward to comparing my experiences of Costa Rica home life and Spain home life. I will also be writing about the many other adventures I will be embarking upon while I'm in Spain. I of course will be traveling as much as I can, with definite plans to go to Morocco and the Czech Republic to my stepmom's hometown to meet up with a former AFS friend who is studying in Hungary. I am also making plans to, of course, visit my exchanged sister Helen in Finland, and hoping to make my way to Iceland to meet a few more of my very good AFS friends.
As you can see, with the end of my program the adventure did not end. In fact, it is just beginning.
