Bridge Year Costa Rica – Fall 2025

These past three weeks have been nothing short from adventurous, new, joyful, full of life, and also scary. That’s not surprising given where we are: Costa Rica.

Pura Vida. Todo va a estar bien!

Adjusting to a new environment is far from easy but it is not overly difficult. Change is scary but change is necessary; change is necessary for growth, maturity, resilience, and perseverance. Change feels lighter though when you are accompanied by a group of supportive, comforting friends who are alongside your journey, discovering a new world together. Their presence creates an uplifting environment especially when you realize and acknowledge they’re also trying to create a new sense of home away from home. What we all share though, as we try and familiarize ourselves with the world around us, is each other.

Our group dynamic is truly unmatched: we are inseparable. Whether it’s stopping & capturing the moment through photos, appreciating the nature around us, dancing the day away, connecting with the community, filling the room with laughter, and even getting tormented by the vast quantity of insects, I wouldn’t want to experience such memorable moments with anyone else—I wouldn’t want it any other way.

In just a short time, we’ve already experienced so much together! As we prepared to meet our host families, we knew that came at the expense of seeing each other less. However, when we did meet our host families, they immediately welcomed us with warmth and generosity, allowing it to feel like we were already part of their homes. Grateful enough to share that experience, it made leaving the group less dreadful but still difficult. The challenge came from the unforgettable routine the group and I shared for the past two weeks; we’ve shared meals, stories, laughter, and countless hugs. These aspects uniquely contributed to our daily Costa Rican life that we’re now beginning to learn how to share with a new group of people: our host families.

This shift, though bittersweet, carried a sense of familiarity—and a sense of necessity. Just a few weeks earlier, we had left behind our families back home, filling that absence by forming a new family within our Costa Rican group at Princeton University. Now, it felt as though those same emotions were repeating, only in a different form. Regardless, it was understood how this separation would be essential for each of us to adjust appropriately to Costa Rica. Living apart meant embracing independence and allowing ourselves to grow in new ways—navigating language barriers, adapting to daily customs, and finding comfort in unfamiliar spaces. Living apart catered time for us individually to understand and discover qualities about ourselves that we never knew before; it allotted time for reflection, finding purpose in the things we do, appreciating moments for what they are, and picking up intricate hobbies. The time apart also reminded us that while our group remains our anchor, a pivotal part of this journey is also learning how to grow on our own—this next step serves to do exactly that. Independence definitely feels daunting at first, but it quickly becomes empowering, exemplifying how each of us has the chance to build confidence, discover resilience, and deepen connection to life, and foster qualities of maturity.

Now, as the first phase of this experience settles, we look ahead with anticipation. In just a few days, we’ll begin our internships—an opportunity to deepen our understanding, to contribute, and to truly immerse ourselves in the culture that surrounds us.

We bring open-mindness and leave ignorance. We bring perseverance and leave intimidation. We bring selflessness and learn pura vida.

This excitement is undeniable; the nerves are real too. But that’s the beauty of this journey: we are learning to embrace the unfamiliar, to enjoy life and the challenges it brings, and to trust that, together, we’ll make the most of every moment!

Pura vida, indeed. This is only the beginning. The start of a new chapter. I truly have so much faith—Todo va a estar bien!