Getting on the plane, Elaine Nelson, senior, was ecstatic not only because she was about to leave the country for the first time, but also because she was about to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — immersing herself in a culture she had learned about in classes since middle school.
From June 3 to June 13, Nelson visited Costa Rica along with 10 other students, who had to complete Spanish 3 to attend, and 2 teacher chaperones. During the trip, students attended various excursions and practiced their Spanish-speaking skills with native speakers, Nelson said.
“It was a little more challenging, but I figured it out,” Nelson said. “I got better at saying phrases I didn’t know and rephrasing things when I didn’t know the right word.”
Each student stayed with a host family for three days of the trip, Nelson said. During their stay, students also attended Liceo Experimental Bilingue Jose Figueres Ferrer, a local high school in Cartago, Costa Rica.
“For them, their school year starts at the beginning of the year rather than in August,” Nelson said. “They only really have two seasons, wet and dry, so their summer break is closer to November and December.”
Marina French, junior, said the trip allowed her to improve her Spanish-speaking skills.
“I finally used my in class experience and kind of took it to another level,” French said. “No matter how much you learn in class, it’ll never compare to actually going and experiencing the culture.”
The students’ days were packed with new activities that always kept them busy, French said.
“We went to a local farm on our second day where they gave us herbs to eat and we got a lot of information about the surrounding agriculture,” French said.
French said that being in a Spanish-speaking country pushed her to speak the language.
“I can do basic things like pay for something and not panic,” French said. “It just kind of forces you out of your shell.”
Kelsey Smith, Spanish teacher, chaperoned the trip along with former MHS Spanish teacher Julie Bayha.
“When she was a high school student, Mrs. Bayha did a Costa Rican family stay and fell in love with the country and has been back multiple times and has done multiple trips with students,” Smith said.
Xperitas is the language travel immersion company that was used to find host families for the students, Smith said. The students wrote letters about themselves for the company and were paired with families based on their interests and personality.
“They were really nervous at first, but then by the time we left, they were like, ‘oh, I want to stay’,” Smith said.
Smith said the group will remember this trip forever.
“I’ve talked to a few of the students already, and they’re still in communication with their host family. They’re still texting and emailing and stuff so they’re making lifelong connections,” Smith said.
