You never know what to expect on a study abroad trip. I was surprised at how quickly I made friends and how we’ve stayed in touch even weeks after the trip. When you’re with 19 students for three weeks straight, you truly get to know them. I figured that I would make friends while I was there, but I never thought I’d meet friends that I was so close with by the end of the trip. I was also surprised at how comfortable I was with living in Costa Rica for three weeks. I feel like I wasn’t homesick at all. I emailed my mom three times during the trip, but I would’ve been content with staying there for an extra month. The experiences that I had were amazing.

To be honest, the biodiversity of Costa Rica surprised me as well. I didn’t realize that such a small country would have such a variety of wildlife. Costa Rica is currently big on ecotourism, and after spending three weeks there, I can see why. From the active volcanoes to the chilly cloud forests, to the wild sloths and monkeys, Costa Rica is a great destination for anyone who wants to experience a wide variety of flora and fauna.

I felt very prepared for my trip, but I wish I had known that I wouldn’t want to leave. We had the option to stay behind to explore on your own, and I thought I’d be ready to leave by the end of three weeks. I was so wrong, and I wish I had decided to stay a couple more weeks with some of my new friends!

I’d give anyone who is thinking about studying abroad this advice: just go somewhere. Even if you study abroad for a week during spring or fall break, just do it. It was the best experience of my life and I would love to be able to do it again.