What inspired you to go abroad?
My daughter! She did their teen Spanish program last year, and she just loved it so much that it actually gave me the idea to go myself. She told me about all the teen stuff and also how many adult students were in the regular adult classes.
I didn’t realize there were people my age who did these things; I figured it was all college kids, but there were people of all ages, even a couple of people in their 70s.
Why did you choose Intercultura Costa Rica?
They’re really well-known, it seems like; they’re the only ones certified by the UN, which I liked, and they’ve been around for more than 30 years. Also, they were great with the communication; they always wrote back quickly and answered all my questions and more!
Nela and Claudia were great; they eased my nerves for sure and made me feel like they actually cared about making sure everything went well for me. And also the campuses, for sure. I love the option of both; my next trip will include both the beach and the city.
Oh yes, also I really liked that they have local students studying English at their program. I wanted to meet “ticos” and not just hang out with other foreigners, and I did!
What was your favorite part about Costa Rica?
My host family and the school itself are beautiful old colonial-style buildings with inner courtyards, a garden, and lots of study and social areas for students. I spent a lot of time there, and it was really easy to meet people that way.
Also, the activities: loved dancing classes with Kikey; he is so good at making you feel like you can do it (salsa), and the cooking class with Doña Jeannette—best plantains with beans and guacamole ever!
when we went to monteverde
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The personal attention from everyone at school—from the receptionist to my teachers—was that I could see I wasn’t just a number; everyone knew my name, talked to me when I’d arrive each morning, sometimes had lunch with me at school, or it was just such a special experience to be welcomed into the community.
Tico people are really so warm and generous, at least those connected to Intercultura are! A lot of them have been with the school for years and years, like Jovanna and Marcelo, you can tell they treat their staff well and it creates a great vibe.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
As above, they were there for everything I needed or wanted to do. Their motto should be “for everything there is a solution” because, for real, they went above and beyond.
Like, I wanted to volunteer coaching basketball, and they made it happen in a marginalized neighborhood in town, one of the highlights of my stay and a real eye-opener.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
Stayed longer!
Seriously, I plan to come back and stay as long as possible. I think that in 2 months, I would feel really comfortable speaking Spanish with anyone, back home or in Costa Rica. Other than that, I don’t think I’d change much. Maybe eat less rice and exercise more. Other than that, I don’t know what I’d change.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
Get up for breakfast at 7 am, shower at 7:30, and be at school by 8:30 when classes start. Classes till 12:30, with two breaks where foreigners and local students socialize over board games and coffee in the gardens.
Lunch with other students in town—tons of great places within a few blocks. And cheap. Then back to school for Latin dance class with Kikey, then maybe one other activity, like a cooking class, a conversation club, or a culture tour to a local colonial town, depending on the day.
Then do some homework and hang out with friends at school or around town, then back to my homestay for dinner (think rice, beans, chicken, vegetables, tropical fruit shakes…delicious), then talk with my host mom and maybe play cards or watch something with her on TV, then go to bed!
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
Meeting Tico students and hanging out with them on weekends, we went hiking in the mountains and played basketball a lot. Then we’d go out dancing once a week, which was a little intimidating, but I loved it!
Being the man, you have to lead, but I was lucky and had some women who took pity on me and showed me how to lead.
this was at manuel antonio beach and is a national park too
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
Homestay—as mentioned, just an incredible experience, the food, the way they all took care of me, the mum taking time every day to talk with me and help me with my Spanish, the fact that they seemed to actually really enjoy having me there.
Did I mention the food?! The amount of tropical fruit is incredible, especially the mangoes. I'm addicted.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Costa Rican homes are louder than back home, so bring earplugs or download a white-noise app on your phone. Bring repellent and sunscreen; they’re more expensive here. And bring an open mind—be curious and remember things are just different and that’s OK—this is why it’s interesting to travel!
And know that personal space is more reduced, so don’t feel weird if you get a hug or a kiss on the cheek when you greet people you know, like at your host family.
Would you recommend Intercultura Costa Rica to others? Why?
For sure 100%. There is no other school like Intercultura—I talked to other students who’d studied at other schools when I was there, and not one came close to the quality of the classes, the activities and the personal care towards every student.
I mean, I guess different people have different styles, but I feel like at Intercultura, there is something for everyone—they are also really open-minded, which surprised me. I guess I thought Latinos were maybe more conservative with things like LGBT and race issues, but not at all.
I never felt any kind of discrimination being black, and one of my classmates was a gay woman, and her partner was there, not studying but would come to activities, and no one treated them any differently, which I thought was cool.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
Opening your mind, learning new things, about everything, not just Spanish, meeting people from everywhere and every kind of background, getting a whole second family (the Homestay one) that continues after you leave too, mine are coming to visit me in California, and I can’t wait!
And all the things you can do in tiny Costa Rica—I went from the beach to a volcano in the space of a couple of hours; it’s crazy how close things are and how different the different areas are.
Arenal Volcano, which is live still
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
I can talk to people in my hometown in Spanish; we have a big Latino community, and now it’s like I’m part of that, not living on the outside. Just talking in my intermediate Spanish makes them appreciate that I’m making the effort, and it opens up a whole new world right there at home.
Also, I think I can be more open-minded myself and more self-reflective, I guess, like I learned not to judge based on my own experience and try instead to see each thing as its own unique process.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
The same thing, it means learning to broaden your viewpoints and understand other cultures, not just their languages, and feeling like you really integrate into a new community, which you really do best by living with a local family, it’s a whole other experience that way for sure.
And also, I guess trying to leave a positive footprint, show people the best of my own culture, and invite them to share it as best I can.
