Since the young age of twelve, I have had a strong interest in studying and serving in

Costa Rica after hearing about a family friend who volunteered there while being involved in the

Peace Corps. Through my preparations for the upcoming trip to Costa Rica, I have spent much of

my free time researching the “pura vida” lifestyle and culture. In the interest of studying Costa

Rica’s history, government, and society, I learned Costa Rica is prideful for being different from

other Central American countries because of its progressive reputation in education, health, and

improving living conditions.

Starting at my home institution, I have gotten involved in the International Center’s

events held at the University of North Florida such as study abroad fairs, workshops, and even

alumni socials. Through these opportunities, I was fortunate enough to meet an exchange student

from Costa Rica who taught me about common social customs, such as sharing an air kiss when

greeting friends, relatives, and even acquaintances. Universidad Veritas is a private institution

that welcomes about 300 exchange students through its International Programs Department.

With this trip in mind, I have been engaging in Spanish conversations with my coworkers

and friends. I have also been practicing my abilities by reading Spanish text aloud; this helps me

by exposing myself to higher vocabulary and grammar. I look forward to improving my

intermediate level of Spanish with the “ticos”, or Costa Rican natives.

The International Studies Abroad organization offers many useful resources with

abundant material regarding travel, applying for visas and passports, as well as maintaining

health and safety abroad. I will be reviewing how to book an international flight and organize a

plan for traveling within Central America, so I will be knowledgeable about this subject before

arriving to a country I have never been to. I plan to obtain my passport and student visa within

the next month.

 This International Studies Abroad (ISA) program is based in San Jose, Costa Rica and

covers the length of the spring semester; the date of arrival is January 6th, 2018 and extends

through April 7th, 2018. I plan on enrolling in 3 classes at Universidad Veritas (for a total of 13

credits): “Intensive Spanish for Health Professionals”, “Ecological Photography”, and “Holistic

Health Approaches.” Upon arriving in the capital, ISA students will be subject to a mandatory

university orientation through the Bridging Cultures Program prior to beginning classes on

Monday, January 8th. Curricula end on April 6th, concluding with a farewell dinner. At this point,

we can choose to return to the U.S. or continue traveling independently.

Other than classes, I will be participating in a service-learning component. The service-

learning recruiter will decide my assignment based on a language competency exam, relevance

to my interests, and availability. My top choice of placement is at a children’s hospital; this will

give me the opportunity to observe and compare health care systems to that of the United States

while boosting morale of children in various wards. The dates for this element will likely start 1-

2 weeks after classes have started and will end the week preceding final exams. I expect to offer

5 to 10 hours of my services per week; during this time I will develop a portfolio including

reflection essays, group discussions, a log of completed hours, and a supervisor evaluation.

During the first month, each Saturday and Sunday will be dedicated to an excursion. The

spring term includes a trip to Bocas del Toro in Panama along with weekend tours of

Monteverde, Poas Volcano, Arenal Volcano, and the Manuel Antonio National Park. I look

forward to discovering the area of Arenal Volcano and Sustainable Farm, where we will learn

farming methods to produce and market products to the local communities by integrating

sociopolitical and environmental aspects to the domain of agriculture. I hope to acquire valuable

information about the cultivation and usage of medicinal herbs.

 This opportunity will support my academia by gaining credit for the courses I plan on

enrolling in, and the fact that the classes are subjects I am passionate about; I expect a significant

level of dedication in applying my knowledge to real world connections. My service-learning

involvement will offer the hands-on experience in the health field I have been striving for. This

experience will serve as a stepping-stone for my degree by providing me with practical skills and

allow for evaluation of health care in a developing country. This trip has already strengthened

my desire to continue higher education to further contribute to society as a whole.

The connections I make and skills I acquire will contribute to the professional aspect of

my future. These proficiencies will help develop my approach to healing people as a well-

rounded expert in holistic medicine with the element of cultivating a diverse mentality, which

will help me understand and adapt more seamlessly into the medical community. Each country

defines its own standards for health practices; although culture and resources are influencing

factors, my goal is to create a universal standard inspired from alternative medicines (Traditional

Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, etc.) that utilize what the Earth naturally provides us with. I hope

to eventually use these abilities to educate in ways that will reach many people in the effort to

change adverse mindsets and behaviors on a grand scale.

In my perspective, the amount of passion I have for what I will be doing coincides with

what fulfills my personal interests and the practicality of the naturopath career I am striving for.

My first experience abroad will open my eyes to the lifestyles and cultures outside of my

familiarity with America; on top of that, I will become more confident in traveling

independently. Additionally, the improvement in my abilities of the Spanish language will allow

me to build a stronger relationship with my family.