I knew I wanted to study abroad ever since my senior year of high school. My family and I have always loved traveling cross country and seeing the cool things that each different city or state offers. Primarily, I chose to study abroad in Japan because that was my dream vacation for so long. A couple weeks after I applied I got an email explaining that the program was now shut down due to COVID-19. I was a little upset, but I knew there were many other options to lean back on. I then deduced that the next best option would be Costa Rica, since I’ve been learning Spanish for a while now. To be honest, I didn’t really have to prepare myself to study abroad, I just knew I wanted to leave the United States and experience how another part of the world lives. I was getting too comfortable in my home and needed a change, especially after the lockdowns. I didn’t have any major aspirations or dreams as to what this study abroad experience would live up to. I just wanted to encounter different cultures, activities, and landscapes. It all happened so fast when it was close to leave. I picked to leave in May, so right after my last final at the University of Alabama I had to pack my apartment and drive home. The next morning, I left for the airport and flew out. It was surreal to see the changing landscape out of the airplane window once we got to Costa Rica. The heightened emotions of leaving the country did not really hit me until I touched down in the Costa Rica airport.
