 I'd like to introduce you to my host family, Alvaro and Iris. They've been very helpful and have made me feel comfortable in my new environment. (Click on photos for larger images.)
Costa Rica—Settling In
Hello, my name is David Fenlon, and I am studying abroad for the entire school year in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. I must warn you that this first entry is going to be quite long, since I am experiencing so many things for the first time.
First, you should get to know a little about me. I am what they call a nontraditional study abroad student, in that it is only my second year of college, and I am only 18 years old. Most students wait until their junior or senior year. Also, before this trip, I had never left the United States. In fact, I had never left the state of Michigan until about a month ago, when I took a summer field course through Tech's forestry department called "Conservation Issues in Yellowstone National Park." Also, I flew for the first time on the way to Costa Rica, which was an AWESOME experience! Everyone else on the plane was either sleeping or reading, while I was glued to the window the whole time!
 I am pursuing a major in biological sciences with a concentration in ecology, as well as an international minor in Spanish. This makes Costa Rica right up my alley; not only can I become fluent in Spanish, but I can take several biology courses, simultaneously, that I couldn't take in Houghton. Also, since my Spanish is kind of rusty right now, all my classes here are in English, to ease my passage into fluency.
At the time of this writing, I am already moved in with my host family. Their house is much nicer than I could have anticipated, and my new room is larger than my one in the states! My host family has been very helpful to me throughout the first couple of days, and are very determined to make me feel comfortable in my new environment. My host mother, whose name is Iris, doesn't speak a word of English, which helps challenge me to speak her language. However my host father, Alvaro, went to school at Stanford University for several years, and speaks very good English. I am regaining my ability to speak Spanish very quickly, and am much more confident in my ability than I was before I left.
 Talk about culture shock! As soon as I got off the plane in San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica) my ears were flooded with Spanish, and I was so distracted that it left me in a daze. I cannot wait to become fully integrated into Costa Rican society, and I am eager to share my experiences with you every step of the way!
Until next time, Adios!
This is the University Studies Abroad Consortium office in Puntarenas, where I'm taking my classes. |
