Semana 1

My School

Tuesday was my first day of classes at Universidad Veritas. It was a stressful day getting back into the routine of classes and having class 4 hours in a row was a difficult transition for me. I have the class Intermediate Spanish Monday- Friday from 8am-12pm and a Spanish conversation and culture class on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5pm. I think both classes with be helpful for practicing grammar, speaking, and writing and also, learning about the culture of Costa Rica. It is very tiring to talk and comprehend Spanish all day long because it is something I am not used to; however, it is great practice and will improve my skills tremendously. After class, I ate dinner, worked on homework, and relaxed.

Jess and I walking to class.

Wednesday was a much easier day because I only had class from 8am-12pm. After class, we went to the supermarket and bought a lot of (American) snacks. 

Lunch with friends from my university.

Today, I had class most of the day. I am adjusting to living here and taking summer classes. During lunch, some friends and I went downtown San José. We ate at a festive local restaurant called, Nuestra Tierra. I had chicken rice with corn, french fries, and a piña colada. After, we went to the flea market to look for souvenirs. It is easy to get downtown from my university because you can take a taxi for about $2. The food is more expensive here than I expected, a meal for lunch is around $13. Tonight, Jess and I are taking a Latin dance class at the university, and I am happy I get to continue doing what I love in another country.

Lunch at the Nuevo Tierra Restaurant.

Tomorrow, I will be traveling to Manuel Antonio National Park for the weekend with the other students in my program. I am excited to have a relaxing weekend after this week and see the natural beauty of Costa Rica.

Sobre Costa Rica

Location
Costa Rica is a country in Central America, south of Nicaragua and north of Panama. It has 7 provinces (states) and a population around 4.5 million. I was surprised to learn that most places including our home stay, do not have addresses; instead, they have directions. The directions include the state, district, neighborhood, and a point of reference to a popular destination. 

Climate
The climate is tropical year-round. The country has two seasons, the dry season (December-April) and the rainy season (May-November). The country has a wide variety of plants and animals, and is home to 5% of the world's biodiversity. There are many beautiful national parks that people can visit. 

History
Christopher Colombus discovered Costa Rica in 1502. After gaining it's independence in 1821, there were many problems deciding the best future for the country, especially where the capital should be located, and a civil war began. The republicans won the war, and the capital was moved from Cartago to San José.

Government
Costa Rica has a democratic system with two main parties, similar to the United States. The president and 57 members of Congress are elected for 4-year terms. The current president, Luis Guillermo Solís, who was elected in 2014, is the first president elected from an independent party. He was supported because of his promises of change to the people; however, little changes have been made, frustrating the locals. The country has very little military and instead, uses that money for education. 


Economy
The main industries in Costa Rica are tourism, agriculture, and electronics. The country's main product of export used to be coffee, and the locals swear that the best cup of coffee is in Costa Rica. The currency used is the Costa Rican colón, and currently, 1 USD= 530 CRC.

Culture 
The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish; however, English and many local indigenous languages are used around the country. The official religion is Catholicism. Education is a high priority in the culture, and about 95% of the people can read and write. Art is popular among many people here and can be seen when walking down the street. The typical dish is gallo pinto (rice and beans), and is eaten almost every day. Other typical dishes are arroz con pollo, olla de carne, tamales, and casado.

Costa Rican people refer to themselves as ticos. "Pura vida" is a saying used often in the country that means pure life/ full of life. Locals use this saying to promote their way of life. Nicknames are given by the ticos, and are often given based on physical appearance. It is common and not offensive to call someone by the color of their skin or hair, something we do not do in the United States. 

El Primer Día

El Museo National with my classmates and study abroad directors

Yesterday, Jessica and I arrived in Costa Rica. We are staying in a house in a residential neighborhood in San José. I would consider the neighborhood fairly safe; however, all of the houses have bars on the windows and most have barbed wire fences for safety. We live with our host mom, "Mama Tica," and her two dogs. When we first arrived, it was a bit overwhelming meeting our Mama Tica because she talked very fast, and it was hard for us to understand. However, she is super nice and has cooked us great food so far! She often calls Jess and I machas, which means blondes in Spanish. I am starting to understand more with every conversation. The weather is great here, it is hot and sunny most of the time; however, our house does not have air conditioning. Almost every day, it rains for two hours around 2p.m., which keeps us cool. 

My bedroom

The dining room

Stature of William Walker being defeated

Today, we met another student in our program and had orientation. The walk to our school is about 10 minutes and easy to navigate. After our orientation, we ate a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. I ate a popular dish called Cascadas, which includes rice and beans, a meat (I had chicken), potatoes, salad, and fried banana. It was delicious and much more than I could eat for lunch. After, we had a tour of downtown San José. During the tour, we visited many popular and historical sites of the city, such as the national museum, many parks, schools, a large church, and the national theater. It was interesting to learn about the history and government of Costa Rica because in the United States we do not hear much about the country.  

"Cascadas," my lunch at a local restaurant

The Congress Building

Universidad Veritas

Tomorrow, we have our orientation with Universidad Veritas, the school we will be taking classes at. I will be taking Intermediate Spanish 2: Conversation and Composition to improve my Spanish speaking, writing, and listening skills; however, I think the majority of my learning will be outside of the classroom speaking Spanish with my host family, the locals, and learning about the culture of this diverse country.

Antes de Salir para Costa Rica

Leaving next week for Costa Rica gives me a mixture of emotions. I am both nervous and excited for this experience. It is a relief to have all the paperwork and placement tests done for this trip; all I have left to do is finish packing. I know I will have an amazing time, meet many new people, and learn a lot; however, I am a little worried about being homesick. I am most excited to develop my Spanish skills, visit a new place, and experience a new culture. I also am enthusiastic about the two weekend excursions; Manuel Antonio National Park and Arenal and Hot Springs. It was a long and challenging process to be prepared to study abroad, but I know it will be well worth it and will be an experience of a lifetime!

I have set some goals for this trip:

• Use every opportunity to speak and practice the Spanish language.

• Experience the culture as much as possible.

• Less naps, more exploring.

• Try new foods.

• Take lots of photos.

• Do well in my classes. 

On my trip, I will be posting updates of my experience every week!

Source: Jetblue.com

Sobre Mi

My name is Haley Tolitsky, and I am a sophomore at Grand Valley State University, majoring in Finance and minoring in Spanish. This summer I will be spending a month studying Spanish in San Jose, Costa Rica with my friend, Jessica. I am studying abroad to learn a new culture and improve my speaking, writing, and listening skills in Spanish. Jessica and I chose Costa Rica because it is a place we have never been that is known for its jungles, beautiful beaches, and cities full of culture.

I started taking Spanish classes my freshman year of high school and have studied the language for 6 years total. I have a love for traveling and exploring new places. After family vacations every year for spring break to Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico and the Dominican Republic, one of my biggest goals has been to be fluent in the Spanish language. By communicating with locals on these trips and being exposed to the Spanish culture, I have developed a love for the language. I believe it is a great advantage to be bilingual and plan on using my fluency in the language in my future career and volunteer work.

My dream job is to own a resort somewhere in the Caribbean. I hope that after working for many years in a finance career, I will have the knowledge and funding to make my dream a reality. After family vacations to resorts around the Caribbean area, I have seen the poverty in villages surrounding the tourist areas, and by owning my own resort, I will be creating hundreds of new jobs for these people. The friendly atmosphere, warm weather, and elaborate culture is exactly where and how I want to start my business. With a minor in Spanish, I will be able to communicate with the local people, my employees, and tourists. It will be an amazing experience to use Spanish in my everyday life. I am prepared to sacrifice my current location, constantly seeing my family, and everything I am used to in order to move south and achieve my goals. I know that it will take a great deal of time, money, and effort in order to own a resort, but I am excited and ready to face these challenges. Participating in this study abroad will expose me to a new area where I might want to start my business and help me to prepare for this journey.

I am writing this blog to document my experiences abroad and for other students to learn what my program was like, what I obtained from the experience, and all the benefits of studying abroad. I hope to provide other students with a source to use while planning their study abroad trip. I am excited to have the opportunity to advance my education in another country and to share my reflections with others.

Jessica (left) and I our freshman year of college.