Pre-departure experiences
The spring semester of my junior year I went to San Jose Costa Rica. There were many things that went into my decision to study abroad. The main reason I wanted to leave the country is to experience something new. College, in my opinion, is the perfect time to travel abroad because your responsibilities are lower. I can’t think of any other time where you can pack your bags and go to a different country for months. I knew this was a...
Leaving a New Home to Return to Your Old One
During my study abroad I was always a little excited to return to the United States and to my family and friends, but when the time to leave was actually near, it was more scary and daunting than exciting. Saying goodbye to my new friends and host family was so hard (knowing I would likely not see them again). But nevertheless, I boarded the plane and made my way back to Chicago. My mom picked me up from the airport, but I was in such...
Homesickness? It’ll pass
In fall of 2019 I studied abroad in San Ramón, Costa Rica, a small town in the heart of the country. I remember getting to the airport in Chicago to fly to Central America and really understanding for the first time that I wasn’t going to see anyone that I knew for 4 months. Touching down in Costa Rica I was obviously excited, but the stronger feeling inside me was fear. How was I doing this? Did I make the right decision? Are...
Deciding where to study abroad
During high school I always dreamed about studying abroad in college, so when I started at UA I made it a top priority to plan ahead and make sure I could fit it in/ take classes that worked for my major. Through talking to an amazing study abroad advisor, I narrowed down my choices and, after hours and hours of research on my own, chose to study abroad in San Ramón, Costa Rica. This decision did not come easily to me at first because...
Learning new things
A study abroad program that’s only three weeks long seems very short. It doesn’t seem like you would get a lot out of it. However, my experience in Belize learning about reef systems and conservation management truly taught me a lot. I also learned a lot about myself. Field experiences truly helped me see how what I learn in the classroom can apply in real life. My goal was to learn about regional and environmental planning. In my...
Going without expectations
Study abroad is a great opportunity to learn something different. Studying abroad has been a big part of my university experience. I have gone twice already, both times to China. My focus has always been on language-learning. This time, I’m doing something different. I will be participating in a field experience in Belize and learning about conservation through the first-hand experience. I am very excited but also nervous. My goal...