Before I went to Costa Rica this summer, I pictured a flawless, gorgeous country rich in rainforests, endless sunshine, coffee and bananas. ÿ

When I received my acceptance letter for the summer program, I envisioned minimal hours spent in the classroom and endless hours spent exploring rainforests and relaxing at the beach. I arrived in Costa Rica and discovered that the town my host family lived in was infested with gangs of stray dogs, had no street names and few sidewalks. It was also the start of its rainy, winter season. Most disappointing of all was finding out that most of my waking hours, Monday through Thursday, would be spent in classes. ÿ

Luckily, my school was a four-minute walk from my host family’s house. In six weeks of instruction, I completed three classes entirely taught in Spanish. I was expecting my classes to be super easy, but I spent the first week of school bewildered by everything my teachers said to me. ÿ

That bewilderment was incomparable to the dumbfounded stares I gave my host mom as she explained how Costa Ricans lived. Determined to overcome my feelings of helplessness in a new country, I tried my best to fit in. In Costa Rica, the Spanish language was my backbone. Most locals at the “touristy” places understood English, but as a foreigner, Spanish skills were important. Vaguely understanding a language provides little comfort to a foreigner abroad. ÿ

Although it was frustrating at times, speaking Spanish started to seem somewhat natural with each passing day. Besides the language, I found certain mannerisms difficult to follow. Even using the toilet became a foreign experience. Because of weak pipes, Costa Ricans do not flush toilet paper. They throw it in the garbage. The adjustment was slight but difficult at first. ÿ

The purpose of my trip was to take Spanish classes, but I used my three-day weekends to travel. Although it was a pain to read packets of Spanish literature homework while lounging at the beach, exploring Latin America was worth eight-hour long bus rides and 4 a.m. departure times. ÿ

I visited sandy beaches off the Caribbean, phenomenal volcanoes in Nicaragua, historic churches with impressive architecture and a spirited soccer game between Costa Rica and Cuba. I also met some fabulous people, including enthusiastic locals and even Miss Costa Rica 2004. ÿÿ

Out of all of my experiences, the rainforests amazed me most. ÿ

During my first trip to a rainforest I went zip lining high above the rainforest floor via cable cords. Afterwards I was filthy from head to toe with rainwater, mud and God knows what else, but I was also filled with an exhilaration I had never experienced before. On my second trip, feisty monkeys jumped onto my boat during a river tour, sloths relaxed in treetops directly above my head and bright blue butterflies glided through the air.

During my first weekend in Costa Rica, I stumbled across a copy of “Me Talk Pretty One Day” at a used bookstore off the beach. The author of this book, David Sedaris, happens to be one of my favorite writers. Surprised that I found this particular book in Costa Rica, of all places, I bought it. ÿIn “Me Talk Pretty One Day”, Sedaris wrote, “What I found appealing in life abroad was the inevitable sense of helplessness it would inspire. Equally exciting would be the work involved in overcoming that helplessness.”

That’s exactly how I feel about my trip to Costa Rica. ÿ

In the end, I was happy to return to the United States but I know I will never have an experience like the one I had in Costa Rica this past summer. ÿ

Studying abroad in Costa Rica electrified my summer, and most importantly, further fueled my passion for learning Spanish. ÿ