By ANDRIANNA MARSTON

alm045@latech.edu

 

In order to become fully immersed in the Hispanic culture, Taryn Branson decided to take a step beyond the Spanish classrooms to study abroad in Costa Rica this summer.

Branson, a senior Spanish and political science major, said the academic summer program is a four-week study designed to help students gain a cultural understanding and personal independence with the Hispanic language.

“Being fluent in a second language is learning how to own the language,” Branson said. “And I don’t think the classroom lectures are enough for students who want to be fluent in Spanish, but studying abroad can offer those students academic and life lessons.”

Stacy Case, a continuing instructor for foreign languages, said this is the second year for the foreign language department and Tech to sponsor the Costa Rica study abroad program, and many students have benefited from it.

“Before the program was officially organized, many students who were interested in studying the Hispanic culture abroad were taking their own approach of finding institutions that would help them with their studies,” Case said.

“Depending upon what institution the student studied at, many students were taking a risk of our university not accepting the credits,” she said.

Because of the high rate of student interest, Case said she felt it was necessary to have a Hispanic study abroad program at Tech.

Case said the foreign language department picked Costa Rica because everyone felt it was the most stable Hispanic country economically, politically and socially.

“To get comfortable with conversation, students have to take the learning environment outside of the class into the real world; students who study abroad want real-world Spanish,” she said.

Case also said as a part of the learning experience, the students live in a Hispanic family’s house, based off of the student’s application of family preference, and attend Spanish classes as well. 

Branson said she has little knowledge of what Costa Rica is like beyond what she has learned in the classroom.

“In Spanish 101 and 102, I learned about different Hispanic and Latin countries and cities, but only small things that would help me get familiarized with them, not detailed information,” Branson said.

Even after Branson signed up to study abroad, she decided not to do any heavy research on Costa Rica.

“I don’t know much about Costa Rica at all,” Branson said. “But I figured if I did research ahead of time, I would have an opportunity to form a perception about things I like and don’t like before I even get there. So I decided I don’t want to be pre-exposed to anything.”

Some students studied abroad last summer and are making arrangements to take the academic trip again.

Shedrick Hay, a senior Spanish major, said his trip to Costa Rica last summer was a success, so he decided to get funds together and go again.

“Studying abroad has advanced my conversational skills and made the process of becoming a fluent speaker easier,” Hay said.

Learning to speak Spanish is more than just adapting to a new language, Hay said.

“Studying abroad takes learning Spanish to another level,” Hay said. “Students get to learn more about the culture, religions and the language, and these factors are what make students appreciate the language more.”

Hay said finding activities to help time pass was never a problem.

“There were many days I would find myself at restaurants, the grocery store or even the mall by myself, embracing the atmosphere and having a good time,” Hay said. “Sometimes when I would pass by, people would look at me in awe, like I was a giant, because I am 6 feet 1 inch, and many Hispanics are kind of short.”

This summer Hay said he will stay with the same family in Costa Rica.

“I have kept in touch with my family since the summer, and I am anxious to see them again.”