Bridge Year Costa Rica – Fall 2025

The other evening, I found myself in the garden, kicking a football around with my host family’s grandchildren. The air was warm and humid, the kids’ laughter drifted through the garden, and for the first time in a long time, I wasn’t thinking about work, deadlines, or productivity. I was just present – and it felt like such a breath of fresh air.

Coming from a fast-paced life where my days revolved around work and productivity, this shift has been both strange and wonderful. For the first time in years, I don’t feel guilty about slowing down. Instead, I’m enjoying the little things: playing football, making friendship bracelets, sharing meals, hiking in nature, admiring views on bus rides, and chatting with my bridge year group as we figure out this journey together. Life here feels measured not in tasks or deadlines, but in moments. Even something as simple as sitting down for a meal has a different rhythm. Meals aren’t rushed – there’s time to talk, to laugh, to really connect. I’ve already enjoyed gallo pinto for breakfast several times, and each time I’m struck by how food here is not just about eating, but about being together.

Of course, it hasn’t all been easy. There’s a bit of FOMO as I see many of my peers continuing their education while I’m here. It’s easy to look sideways and wonder if I should be doing what they’re doing. But I remind myself this is part of my education too – just a different kind. I’ve already learned so much in such a short time: about Costa Rica, about others, and about myself. When I think of learning now, I don’t just think of classrooms or textbooks, but of conversations in Spanish, guided hikes that teach me about biodiversity, long bus rides through the mountains, and small challenges that stretch me in unexpected ways.

One of the hardest parts so far has been the language barrier. Having never learned Spanish before, I didn’t know how I’d manage not being able to communicate fully. It’s still challenging, but I’m beginning to understand more each day. When I struggle, I’m learning patience and perseverance.

There have also been plenty of nerves along the way – leaving my family behind, stepping on that plane, meeting my host family for the first time. Each of those moments carried both excitement and fear. But with every challenge comes growth, and I’m starting to see the value in not comparing myself to others. Everyone’s journey here looks a little different, and that’s the beauty of it: we can learn from each other’s differences, and support each other through the ups and downs.

Next week, we begin our internships, and I’ll be spending mine in a local elementary school. I feel both nervous and excited about stepping into that space. I’m not sure what each day will bring, but I know it will push me to learn in new ways. I want to go in with an open mind, ask questions, and not be afraid of making mistakes. I think I’ll learn a lot from simply being around the kids and teachers, and I’m curious to see how the experience shapes me.

I feel very blessed to have this opportunity – supported by my peers, my host family, the on-site staff, and my loved ones back home. Already, I can see how these connections are shaping me and how they will carry me through the rest of the year.

If these first weeks are anything to go by, this year will be less about deadlines and racing ahead, and more about learning to move at a different pace – finding growth in small moments, step by step, with resilience, gratitude, and curiosity.