May 14th, 2015

Pre-Departure

I have had all kinds of emotions while packing and preparing for my adventure to come in Costa Rica. I am mostly excited. I can't wait to meet my host families and students. I can't wait to breath in the fresh Costa Rican air and see all of the wonderful things Costa Rica has to offer. I am also a little nervous. As I pack, I keep thinking "Oh my I'm packing way too much but I need this and I need that." I'm nervous because my Spanish is not great and I'm fearful that I will not be able to communicate well. 
 
I have wanted to study abroad for a while now and when I found out about this faculty lead trip to Costa Rica I was sold. I love adventure and learning knew things about different cultures but what really sold me was the fact that we will be experiencing what it is like to be in the shoes of an English Language Learner. I am a Special Education major and I have read many statistics about ELL's being place into special education programs when they may not necessarily need to be. A lot of people, including myself, do not understand what it is like to be in a different country with different languages, cultures, customs, and beliefs. I hope to experience what it might be like for a student coming into my classroom that is not originally from the United States. I hope to learn empathy for these students and find ways to relate to them. I anticipate immersing myself in the rich culture of Costa Rica and walking in the shoes of English Language Learners to strengthen my professional growth as a future educator.