In 2010, I traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica where I lived with a Spanish-speaking host family and completed Spanish language classes Monday through Friday for four weeks. As the population in the United States is expected to further shift towards more Hispanic representation in the coming years, it is important for educators to better understand the values and customs of Latinos by learning Spanish and the cultures of Latin America in order to better connect with students.
I enjoyed my study-abroad experience and the things a typical student might encounter. For example, I rode the city bus to my school in the morning, ate meals with my host family in the afternoon and evenings, and studied and completed homework at my desk at night. I met students (of all ages) from every corner of the world. I also was able to take-in several weekend excursions where I experienced the beautiful geography, rode a zip line through the rain forest, saw a volcano erupting, and learned about Latin American culture first-hand outside the classroom walls.
Que tengas un buen día.
