Before going to Costa Rica, I honestly had imagined it as a tourist destination where people commonly went for vacations. I perceived the global business program as a platform for learning new experiences and business operations in a new country. I initially thought the program had a strict schedule requiring most students to attend classes and lessons frequently abroad (little did I know I would have plenty of free time to explore the city myself). From this experience in Costa Rica, I hope to gain a newfound understanding of how businesses abroad function differently than what we have learned regarding businesses in the United States. I want to be surrounded by a new culture that allows me to come home with a new appreciation for international experiences. I hope to grow my business relations across the globe with this trip and further my professional network. I also want to be able to grow my student connections as I go on this trip with new peers and learn interesting things about them and how we can work as a team in a new place under new conditions to accomplish the goals we set. Now after being in Costa Rica, I have seen the large differences between the United States and my temporary home here. The people are all very friendly, but as being from the United States you draw more attention to yourself leading to unsolicited comments or hellos from strangers. Additionally, being immersed in a place that only speaks Spanish forces you to think back to what you’ve learned in your past or catch onto to new learning techniques such as following hand movements or actions to make out new words. Another large difference is the currency, this was initially not perceived to be a large deal but when shopping at the local markets or making a purchase on the street, because we do not fully comprehend the exchange rate of USD to Colones (the currency in Costa Rica) locals often had us paying more than we should’ve. A final difference I’ve noticed in my first week here was the directions. In America we plug something into GPS or if someone wants to come over you send them your house address. In Costa Rica, street names and addresses are not frequently used when providing directions; rather instead landmarks and descriptions of surrounding areas is the most common way people explain where to go. While Costa Rica is very different than the United States the people I have met here have been very welcoming and encouraging for the other students and I to learn more about their culture and bring back some Costa Rican knowledge to Texas.
