I had the great opportunity to study abroad for five weeks in Heredia, Costa Rica. I completed two courses that count toward my Spanish major while also being immersed in the culture of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica taught me not only about the culture about Latin America, but it also gave me a different perspective on the American culture I’ve been surrounded with my whole life. For example, family is incredibly close in Costa Rica. Living with a host family allowed me to see this first-hand. In fact, all three of my host mother’s children lived at home, including her two adult children aged at 29 and 32. This is a normal practice in Costa Rica, and they were shocked to know that most young people move out of their parents’ home by their early 20s. This left me wondering what caused this difference to exist between our separate countries. Although the list of reasons is long, I imagine that one of the largest contributors is America’s emphasis on being an independent individual.

It was also very eye opening to spend time in a country with such different standards of living. Air conditioning was incredibly rare. I only ever encountered it once or twice in really nice stores—not a single home. Electricity was also something that was used differently. Although most places had it, they all used much less. Even when lights were turned on, they were really dim. Coming back to the United States, it was shocking coming back and seeing how bright the lights are here. We as a country use way more energy than Costa Rica. Then, “middle class” there would probably be considered “lower class” here. Although I didn’t see a lot of poverty up close, I could definitely tell that it existed. Overall, Costa Rica provided a lot of evidence that the United States is very privileged, and I am privileged to live here.

Being immersed in the lifestyle of Costa Rica is what made this experience as valuable as it was. I lived with a Costa Rican family, rode the bus to the university, took classes in a university full of native Costa Ricans, went to the local restaurants and shops—the list continues on. All the while, I spoke only in Spanish, except maybe with the exception of my fellow American students in my group. With all that being said, being immersed to the extent that I was, without having the ability to rely on English, made it possible for me to catch a glimpse of what true life is like in that country. I never felt like a tourist, and that is what made all the difference. As a tourist, one is on the outside looking in, observing something they can’t be a part of. I was on the inside, experiencing the language and culture in a much more authentic format.

Whatever Costa Ricans did, I did. For example, my family relied on the buses to travel, despite owning multiple cars. My host mother didn’t even bother to have her license—that’s how little they rely on cars compared to the U.S. I’d never used buses for long distances before going to Costa Rica, but I learned quickly that in order to go anywhere or do anything, buses are the best way. I was forced to familiarize myself with a method of transportation I’d never used much before. Through doing so, I got to experience a completely different way of life that I might not have ever experienced otherwise. I further appreciate the differences and similarities between our cultures.

While I learned to love the convenience of the bus system, not all cultural differences were a good experience. I mention them here, however, because they did help me learn about Costa Rica as well as appreciate some aspects of the United States more than I did before. In particular, throughout my time abroad, I learned more and more that Costa Ricans, particularly the men, view women in a very different way than I was used to. Being a woman myself, this was something I experienced firsthand. For example, catcalling women is extremely common, even more than in the states. I experienced comments, whistles, winks, and gestures from more men than I can count, as did every other female student on my trip. Soon, us girls began to just tune it out because of how much it happened, although it never ceased to be uncomfortable for us. It was one of the most shocking cultural differences between Costa Rica and home. Being home now, I have a renewed appreciation to be a woman in the states and not any other country. It’s easy to lose sight of your privileges when the only thing you know is home—going abroad made me appreciate aspects of home that I didn’t fully appreciate.

In conclusion, my time abroad taught me numerous things about myself, the culture I come from, and the culture I visited. About myself, I learned that I’ve made the right decision to have Spanish as a major. I loved every moment of my time using Spanish abroad. In fact, the primary reason I wanted to study abroad from the very beginning was to improve my Spanish. That’s exactly what came of it. Furthermore, my time abroad gave me an entirely new appreciation for differing cultures. Everything I learned is incredibly important to me succeeding in my Spanish major. This was truly the most valuable learning experience that I could have asked for, and I hope to someday have the opportunity to do something similar again.