Here are some things I’ve been thinking about:

• What do you hope to gain and how much research have you done on your host country and culture that will better prepare you for this experience?
  • I hope to gain many things, mostly knowledge of Costa Rican historical impacts, the social dynamics of the Costa Rican people and a deep appreciation for Costa Rican Culture! I have done an immense amount of research in several areas surrounding Costa Rican life, food, historical context and current legislation. I know that this research is not the entirety of the country, as well as surrounding countries.
• What are you most excited about? What are you most scared or nervous about?
  • I’m most excited about the food, language, and people. Specifically, I am very excited about Afro-Latinx communities in Costa Rica. I know that within Costa Rican culture there are different segments of the culture that vary between populations, and I intend on learning about this differences. I’m also nervous about the entire experience! An excited, joyful nervousness, but nervousness none-the-less.
• What strategies have you implemented that will allow you to overcome these challenges and take full advantage of your opportunities?
  • Since I have completed so much research on Costa Rica, I have a better basis of comfort for myself. Things like gestures, cultural norms, slang, and social disparities are all things in the back of my head to the coming experience. These researched areas will not overshadow my interactions but they will give me a little more confidence with social interactions.