I was told to arrive a day early and stay at the Best Western Kamuk, located in downtown Quepos, Costa Rica. As I exited the bus and started off down the unfamiliar street, luggage in tow, my very first observation about this quaint little sportsfishing town were its sidewalks. Unlike any place with sidewalks I had ever seen, these sidewalks were raised approximately two feet above the street, making for a nasty spill if one was to veer a tad too far off to the side. At first, I was indifferent about this interesting little characteristic of my new home for the next semester, until I realized that each time I needed to cross a street with my luggage, I would be forced to climb and descend two accompanying sets of steps. Oh man, did I try with all of my might to do this gracefully. But, as I would be staying for four whole months, my suitcase was, to put it mildly, a bit large. Compounding the issue was the fact that I had foolishly elected to adorn myself in a pair of high heels, hoping to make a good first impression. As you can imagine, by the time I reached Best Western Kamuk, on the opposite side of town, good first impressions were out of the question.
The next morning, I had been instructed to take a taxi at 7:30am to the school where I would be given a placement exam, meet the staff, acquaint myself with the school and, ultimately, be picked up by my host-mother-to-be around noon. The school was called Academia de Español D’Amore, located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, and had come highly recommended by the study abroad agency I had worked with. I was majoring in Spanish as an undergraduate student at the time, and really needed to gain oral proficiency; since this school was a Spanish Immersion School, practicing the target language would be my one and only goal throughout the semester. I would be placed in class based on my proficiency level, would attend for a total of four hours each day, Monday through Friday, and, at the end of the semester, would receive university credit.
As I arrived at the school for the very first time, I was in utter awe. It was small in size, similar in style to that of an upscale bungalow, and was perched cozily into the top of the mountain, overlooking the teal green waters of Manuel Antonio Beach. I had never witnessed a more spectacular view. Palm trees dotted the surrounding landscape, and iguanas were frequent visitors.
I sat on a bench outside, observing the other students around me and feeling a little nervous about speaking in Spanish. A petite and gentle woman approached, sat down beside me, and asked me my name in Spanish. Her name was Ivannia, and she was to be one of my teachers. To my surprise, I could understand her Spanish perfectly; she spoke clearly and her eyes displayed a sense of calm patience.
I was placed into Intermediate I, was given my own textbook and identification card, stating the name of my host family, their address and telephone number, and that I was a student at Academia D’Amore. My first week of classes, I would attend from 8:30am-12:30pm, and then the following week from 1:30pm-5:30pm. Each week students would switch schedules, allowing for free time in both mornings and afternoons, depending on the week. On the morning weeks, I would awake in my own private room in my host family’s home to the smell of fresh-made gallo pinto and eggs; my host mother would always be up before anyone. Usually, my host father would also arise, throw on his shoes and take a walk around the corner to the neighborhood bakery, where he would purchase a loaf of bread to accompany breakfast each morning. I’d get ready, grab a quick bite, and begin the walk to the bus station no later than 7:30am, in order to make it there by 8:00.
Upon arrival to the school, students gathered in the main lobby area, where there would always be freshly brewed coffee and breakfast treats awaiting us. Class would start promptly at 8:30 o’clock, when teachers would begin summoning their students to the appropriate classrooms. For me, class sizes were always small and intimate, which was such an advantage because it allowed for supremely individualized attention, as well as a non-threatening atmosphere in which to practice. Usually we would stop for a fifteen minute break, when students would indulge in another cup of Costa Rican coffee, walk to a neighboring café for a quick bite to eat, or purchase freshly made empanadas from a kind-hearted Costa Rican man who would walk the length of Manuel Antonio road from Quepos to the beach each and every day, selling his homemade masterpieces and always making sure to stop at the school.
Other days, instead of going straight to the school, students would go on a “local excursion” designed to promote cultural understanding and become active in the community. Students would meet up directly with their teacher at a predetermined location, and would head to the destination for that day together. Several times, we visited a local elementary school, called Escuela Cocal, and would spend the morning engaging in fun activities with the students or teaching an English lesson. Other excursions included a trip to the local governmental office to interview a community leader, a hike up the mountain behind hotel El Plinio to view all of Quepos from above, or participate in an organized session of cooking or dancing lessons.
Over the weeks, I found my Spanish becoming more and more fluent, and was placed in higher level classes accordingly. Eventually, I made it to Advanced II, the highest course offered, and was in a one-on-one situation with my teacher, who turned out to be Ivannia. Our four hours each day would fly as we conversed in Spanish, discussing life, love and future hopes and dreams. Each time I would make a mistake, or be at a loss for a word, Ivannia would chime in and, before I knew it, I barely had to think about speaking anymore. The words just started flowing naturally out of my mouth.
We all made friends with one another quickly, and each day when class was over, us group of students would typically hop a bus down to the beach, grab lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon lounging on the beach, strolling through Manuel Antonio National Park, finishing up some homework or kicking around a soccer ball. Happy hours were soon to follow at 4pm—two for one strawberry daquiris were common—and the night usually didn’t stop there. Students often would head back home to have dinner with their host families, shower, and meet back up with the others in town.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of being a student at Academia D’Amore was the group camaraderie it afforded us all. It certainly helped ease the transition into living in a foreign country, and gave each one of us several partners in crime, so to speak, that made it easier to go out and experience new things. Five years later, I am still in solid touch with several of the other students, and I sincerely value the friendships that resulted from this experience.
On my last day of classes, I received an official certificate for completing 300 hours advanced Spanish conversation, signed and sealed by the school. Upon my return to my home university, I received fifteen credits toward my Spanish degree, which helped me to earn my B.A. an entire year earlier than anticipated.
Overall, my experience abroad has been the most cherished time of my life. I learned a foreign language, became educated in another way of life, learned to appreciate the beauty of another culture and its people, made friends from around the world, and gained a place I can truly call my second home.
No hay comentarios.:
Publicar un comentario