Settling In (5/17 to 5/31)
5/17 to 5/31 Hello, my name is Jake and this is my first study abroad blog post. I am studying Spanish and tropical ecology in Costa Rica. I attend the Instituto de San Joaquin de Flores. I have had experience studying Spanish individually and at UNH. I hope to be at least conversationally fluent in the language by the end of my six-week study abroad term. It has already been two weeks in Costa Rica and while it has passed quickly, it feels like I have been here for much longer. Everyday is a complex series of experiences and introductions to new ideas. I constantly flow in and out of speaking Spanish and use it for many different tasks. So far, the greatest gift has been the hospitality of my host family. My family is rather large, but the members most involved in my life are my mother Elizabeth, my father Julio, and my brother Daniel. When I eat at home, one of them is always there to eat with me and engage in conversation. Daniel is the only one who knows English, which