As of right now I'm a mere 10 hours from partaking in my first immersion into a brand new culture since starting this blog. My destination? Costa Rica. A fan favorite along with its buddy Panama for those who venture into Latin America. I will be partaking in this immersion with 22 other students from UNC-Wilmington. Our goal; to put ourselves in the shoes of those students within the public school system who come from Latin America. On this trip we will be taking Spanish classes, having home-stays with locals, and going into primary schools.
Now, why would I personally go on this trip? For several reasons. The first, is that I'm studying to be an English-as-a-Second-Language teacher. Also the largest population that I'd be serving in North Carolina is that of Latino descent. Thus by going on this trip I would be acquiring Spanish and developing first hand knowledge of the culture. But mostly I'm going on this trip for these guys.
These students have impacted my life beyond measure this semester. They helped me become a better teacher and realize that I can make a different. I got see these students grow so much; some even went from non-verbal in English to chatting up a storm using short phrases! Going on this trip means that I will be able to further impact their lives and others of similar background.
As with any adventure I need to set some goals. Some will be pretty high and others not so much. For instance I hardly know any Spanish; if I could I would have circled babbling for my level of Spanish. Here's a list of some goals I have:
- Acquire enough Spanish to hold a conversation; which I can build upon in the States
- Try a lot of yummy Latin Food
- Don't get sick eating said yummy Latin Food
- Talk to all the locals I can
- Enjoy being with the host families; maybe they'll teach me how to play futbol
- Understand more about the culture within Costa Rica
- Understand more about the different geographical features of Costa Rica
- Become one with the locals
Even just by completing some of these goals I think will have a great impact on my teaching career. From being able to speak Spanish to newly arrived students to catering lessons based on cultural background of the students. Also I can see myself using facts about Costa Rica in my lessons to bring more culture into the classroom. Many of the students within an ESL program do not have the money to travel, by introducing Costa Rica will give them more culture in their lives. I noticed this by doing a lesson on Australia and actually using pictures I took in Sydney. The students loved it! I see Costa Rica filing that role.
Temperature check: Right now I'm a little nervous, but excited. I'm nervous more so about the home stay. The language barrier I can work with, but I'm hoping me and my host family get along. Going to another country to stay with people you've never met is quite the leap. I did hear they have a son so maybe he can be my little buddy who teaches me the ropes. Once I get settled in there the rest should fall into place. I just need to try speaking Spanish as often as possible. I'm sure the Ticos will be kind enough to help me out as long as I try.
Time for bed! Adios!
"Just keep babbling." - mantra for language learning
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