Looking back on my time in Costa Rica, I can honestly say that the experience was different from what I expected, but in ways that helped me grow. I went into the program excited to learn Spanish and experience another culture, and while those were both important parts of my time abroad, I also had…

Going into my experience in Costa Rica, I expected the language barrier to be difficult, but I don’t think I understood just how much it would affect my everyday life. I had studied abroad before, so I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. However, this experience was entirely different from…

One of my first “aha” moments in Costa Rica was realizing just how intense the language barrier would be. I had a very basic understanding of Spanish, and my host parents did not speak any English. I knew going into the program that communication would be a challenge, but I don’t think I fully understood…

Hi! My name is Alyssa Kocon, and I am currently a senior at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a degree in communication as well as a certificate in human rights and social justice. This is my fourth semester at Pitt, spending two of those semesters at Pitt Greensburg, and previously transferring from Community College of…