During the summer 1 term, I was fortunate enough to participate in an unforgettable study abroad experience in San José, Costa Rica. My program was a partner program between UTK and a company called ISA. While I was there, I took the UTK offered course, SPAN 495S. This course’s main purpose was to allow students to go into the community for daily volunteer work and then use that experience to complete online course work.
I volunteered with a local school that taught ages 4 to 18, and I worked within the first, second, and third grade classes. My jobs at the school differed based on which classroom I was in, but my overall role was as a teacher’s aide. I did a lot to maintain classroom expectations and behaviors, but I also did tasks around the class, like checking students’ work and creating their practice assignments. English was taught in all of the classes, so my students really enjoyed asking me questions about English words and culture. I loved interacting with them like this within the classroom because it gave them an avenue to learn more about me, and I got to learn more about them. During my time at the school, this was a huge priority of mine; I wanted my students to be able to relate to me and have a good experience with an outsider in their class. I also loved to get to know them outside of the classroom, like during lunch or recess. I spent a lot of time heating up lunches, and the kids loved to use that time to tell me all of their random stories. We also played a lot of volleyball and soccer together during recess; they thought it was hysterical to play sports with a teacher. Getting to know my students like this was so sweet, and I’m extremely grateful for it.
Additionally, my time out in the community was invaluable to my understanding of Costa Rica’s culture. Talking with the other teachers was a great way to get to know more about the country’s norms, especially within the educational system. It was also interesting to talk with my students because they provided a younger point of view, and I got to learn more about things they enjoy, like their games and books. Also, talking with everyone—and the immersive experience in general—was extremely helpful for developing my ability and comfortability in speaking Spanish. After this trip, I’ve seen an increase in my capacity to actually understand what people say to me and in my proclivity to speak and think with the correct grammatical structure. The opportunity to speak Spanish everyday was beneficial for me, and I think this will prove significant as I continue to work through my Spanish minor.
The things I learned while volunteering were also able to be applied to my online coursework. During the class, we did multiple writing assignments that showed me how much Spanish I was really picking up. We also did a research proposal where I was able to take a portion of my experiences at the school and relate it to my primary degree, electrical engineering. This was assignment was a great way for me find ways to apply my electrical knowledge in a seemingly unrelated situation.
While I did a lot of work during my time abroad, we also had time during the evenings and weekends to explore the country. We got to see some beautiful sights and participate in the true culture of the place. For instance, we went to Playa Blanca, a rock beach on the Pacific, Rio Celeste, a naturally cyan-colored river, and Monte Verde, a very biodiverse cloud forest. We were also able to watch a soccer match in the national stadium and hike several popular trails around the city. All these experiences displayed the beauty and diversity of Costa Rica in ways I never could’ve imagined, and I’m very thankful to have witnessed it. These experiences also provided a way to bond with the other students in my program, some from UTK and others from ISA. This meant I was regularly with students from all over the US, and that proved to be a great way to learn more about my own country. Throughout our time in Costa Rica, our 25-ish person group became very close, and now we’re lifelong friends.
All in all, this study abroad experience was one I truly enjoyed, and I believe it has changed me for the better. The program offered me a unique opportunity to really immerse myself in my surroundings and gain a deeper understanding of the world around me. For this, I will always be immensely grateful, and I can’t wait to go back and learn more!
