In my month of Spanish study in Costa Rica, I had the best time ever. I learned so much Spanish and so much about the culture of Costa Rica. The people there were kind and welcoming, especially my host family. We had class almost every day of the week at a beautiful institute in the center of town. We were given fresh fruit and coffee each day at the institute.

Some things we did outside the classroom included trying local food and visiting the beach. We also went to the rain-forest, to an amusement park, and even to a movie theater where we watched a movie in Spanish. Costa Rica also has the coolest malls. I went to mass with my family three times and visited a volcano with them, too.

My favorite part of my stay was our side-trip to La Paz. We saw beautiful waterfalls there, and so many types of animals. We also ate a lot of food. My favorite aspect of Costa Rica was the people’s laid-back mentality and an overall sense of calmness. I loved spending time with my Meredith College classmates and exploring Costa Rica with them. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity and I plan to return back to Costa Rica soon. I already miss it so much! I learned so much about myself and gained a whole new family, too.