this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2023
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I took three years of Spanish at my High School, and at 16 years old, went to Costa Rica for three weeks as a Foreign exchange student. I hosted an exchange student in my second year from Costa Rica. We become very good friends and penpals! It was the only time in my life I was outside the USA. I lived with a host family for two weeks, and the last week I stayed with the family I had hosted my second year.
Besides the obvious language immersion and attending a high school there. I also went on the planned trips. It was amazing! Went to the rain forest twice. Walking tour on 1, gondola ride along the canopy on 2nd. Saw a volcano erupt, went white water rafting in the rain forest. Both of my host families also took me to various locations that they liked too. Saw coffee fields, and beaches etc.
I also did stupid shit (I was 16yrs old so… obviously I did stupid shit). Examples are… went out to bars and clubs with my host sibling, (my passport did say I was 16, but they didn’t deny me from buying alcohol or cigarettes etc). That was fun then, but as a parent and an adult now.. I realize just how dangerous it was. As a passenger in cars there… it was terrifying. They drove so Fucking fast! And there were literally livestock in the middle of the highways sometimes.. and they didn’t slow down.. they just steered around and beside these huge animals like it was a “frogger” game… 😬
All in all though… it was a memorial experience. And I don’t regret going.