That little Box

As I have now been here for about a week many new feeling and thoughts have occurred that have been something that I have never had to deal with. Being content completely on your own with no one around you is something that is hard, but even more so is being alone when there are others around you and also being comfortable in that space as well. It is something that I have just begun living through that has made finding my own rhythm somewhat difficult at times but has also shown me how much I have grown in the short time here. Before I would immediately would want to run and surround myself with others and avoid that alone feeling, but I have now realized how important those moments are to me. To step outside my comfort zone is exactly why I am doing this, allowing myself to grow in new and amazing ways.


- Your Global Citizen

Location:Heredia, Costa Rica

Exploring Heredia

Hola!(now you know as much Spanish as I do) It has been a crazy week filled with so many emotions that it is hard to explain. I am so excited to be here but it is also so overwhelming being faced with so many barriers in my day to day life. Communication, cultural differences, and looks all put this barrier causing a little bit of this "me and them" situation that can be hard to cope with. However all of that being said the moments that I have shared with so many beautiful people over the last few days has been so amazing. Once arriving in Costa Rica the group of us where put on a bus and then taken to a monastery(which sounds weird I know) however it was so beautiful and unique being able to all share this space together and to bond before we where all separated and taken to our host families. We played cards against humanity(the ultimate ice breaker if you ask me) and we did so many outdoor activities. Sure the bunk beds where uncomfortable but the food, people and coffee all made it worth it. Then on Friday we moved to Heredia a town right outside San Jose that has so many wonderful places to eat and people to meet. I have now met my host family and stayed with them for a night and they are so cute. The mom, Lilly is so little and happy her husband Jose is a nurse and is so sweet and does speak some English which is amazing! Then they have two sons Armando and I can't remember the other sons name sadly.
Now let's move on to the fun stuff shall we. Last night me and my neighbor(and great friend) Jesse decided we would go out, so we went to the local bar(beacuse yes I can legally drink!) and met some students from the local university and watched the Costa Rican Soccer team play Haiti. Then we all decided to go to a concert that was a mix of Reggae and Rock that was so good.
So all in all the experience of my first week has been so beautiful and has made me so excited for the adventures yet to come.

- Your Global Citizen

Location:Heredia, Costa Rica

Leaving it all behind...

Right now I am at this point in my life where I really have to start what I refer to as "adulting": acting like an adult even though you really don't feel like one. At this point in time I am sitting in the Newark airport waiting for my flight. However let's step back a bit I for the last week have been struggling with school paper work think there is no way I can go anywhere. And then somehow on Monday night it all came together! I booked 3 hours before, a red eye flight from home(Portland,OR) to New York to start orientation all by myself. I get there Tuesday morning at 7:00 am and I rush to grab my uber and just my luck it's rush hour and I need to get from Newark,NJ all the way to Brooklyn so obviously that takes and hour and forty five minutes. And as I arrive I attempt to roll my luggage (which weighs more than I do) all the way to the hotel and check in. The whole rest of the day rushes by and I meet the most amazing people, however the stress of not having all the right papers finished was so overwhelming it made the day difficult. Then as the evening comes to an end I go back to my hotel and as I take off my shoes guess what?? I had a giant bruise and a lot of pain upon seeing this I go to the ER and find that I have sprained a weird bone in my foot. The luck I possess really is just 👌. Skip ahead a good 15 hours and here we are sitting in the Newark airport yet again waiting..... To fly to Costa Rica where I will spend the next year studying through LIU GLOBAL gaining best traveling buddies I could ever hope for.  

Hello NYC

First stop Brooklyn Campus.