Where did you study abroad?
I did a J-Term course in Costa Rica when I was a junior and I loved the course so much that I returned to Costa Rica the following year for a semester.

Why did you study abroad?
I am from Minnesota and had never had the opportunity to see a rain forest.  So, when the opportunity to go on a J-Term to Costa Rica appeared, I jumped at it.  Costa Rica has some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.  It's a haven for biologists because it is so biologically diverse.  The courses fit with my major so it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.  While there over J-term, we worked on a beach project.  I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to get more involved.  I worked with the biology department to make it possible for me to return.

What was the greatest benefit of studying abroad?
For me, the biggest benefit was all the field experience I gained.   A lot of times, when you go to school in a big city, you do a lot of work in a lab but don't get a lot of field experience.  By going to Costa Rica, I was able to go out into the field and learn a lot of research techniques.  I can put the field work on my resume--which is something a lot of graduate students don't have enough of!

Also, just experiencing another culture is amazing. One of my roommates during the semester was student from Costa Rica.  It was really nice to relate to someone my age from another culture.  It was really meaningful for me and we are still friends today.

What was the biggest challenge?
Again, my experience was unique and I think the biggest challenge was the hours that we had to keep.   Our project involved counting turtle nests--and turtles only nest at night.  So, we would start around 11 p.m. and work until the sun came up.  It was challenging but it was something we got used to.

Did you find classes that fit your major?
I am a biology major and due to the nature of my semester abroad, I got only biology credit so it worked out perfectly.  As an added bonus, although I didn't get any Spanish credit, I had to use my Spanish all the time.  So in addition to biology credit, I also learned a lot of Spanish.

What advice would you give to students who are thinking about studying abroad?
The opportunity to study abroad is something that every student should take advantage of.  It's really important to learn about and experience another culture.  Costa Rica is not a developed nation and it was great to see people who are satisfied in life without all of the possessions we think are necessary.  It made me re-evaluate the way I think.  Here were people who were living in shacks but were wonderfully happy people.  Experiencing another culture and seeing how other people live in an invaluable experience.

What is your favorite study abroad story?
There were so many wonderful times, I can hardly count them. However, one thing I really remember was on the J-Term course, we all had to sleep in a bunk house in the middle of a rainforest.  There were openings in the floor and in the ceiling--this was not a fancy place!  We would wake up during the night with bugs and bats and lizards.  We were living with so many different critters?it was definitely an experience you would not get in Minnesota!