The Arcos studying abroad trip was one of the best educational experiences I have had in my academic career. This experience has helped me figure out what I would like to do with my future career and introduced me to great friends. Costa Rica was not what I expected when I first applied for this trip. I thought this trip would be like any other mini-semester class with a few bonuses added, but I was wrong. We enjoyed an even balance of school lectures, fun excursions, and cultural experiences. My biggest takeaway from the lectures was how difficult it is to start and own a business there. There are many rules and regulations you must follow to start and maintain your business successfully. The most surprising thing to learn was that Costa Rica depends on tourism and has more monopolies than you could imagine. Costa Rica is a beautiful country when you look it up online, I was lucky enough to see it in person in La Fortuna. However, my homestay was in Heredia, and in my honest opinion, I was scared to leave my place without my guy friends. Heredia isn?t what I am used to but it was real. Everyone lives differently in the world so it was refreshing to see and experience it in person. My host family was nothing but kind and welcoming to me and my roommate, they took us in and made us feel like family. The language barrier was tough at first but our mama tica helped us every step of the way. Our final lecture with the U.S. Embassy was the highlight of my trip. I never knew what I wanted to do after I graduated college with a degree in economics. Being able to speak and ask questions to a real government economic officer was enough to get me hooked. My initial impressions were simple, I?d meet some nice people and come back knowing how the international business system worked. Instead, I came back with great stories, even better friends, and knowing my next step in life. I encourage everyone to do a studying abroad program because you leave as one lost college student and can come back more aware than ever (and tan).
