Until next time..

Upon returning to Georgia, I have personally grown in so many ways and gained knowledge of a different culture. Costa Rica is a beautiful country that sits between Nicaragua and Panama. In comparison to Georgia, Costa Rica is full of green vegetation where various fruits are grown. With every meal we have eaten pineapple or papaya as well as gallo pinto, rice and beans. The meals are delicious and all so fresh tasting. All of the meals we ate at our host family's house were homemade and cooked by the woman of the household usually around 6am, 12pm, and 6pm. 

I have learned after visiting Costa Rica for two weeks that the culture here is very Eco-friendly. For some families, conserving energy may be for monetary reasons but for others conservation may be more of something they value. Not only do people try to conserve energy, but also gasoline, food and water. Individuals living in Costa Rica often turn off the power when not using it or simply do not use electricity by using the natural sunlight. Gasoline is preserved by using public transportation such as the auto bus or a taxi. Food and water are rationed and never served in excess. Unlike the USA, Costa Rican restaurants do not serve water unless requested by the customer. 

Family time is highly valued in Costa Rica. My host family was a prime example of the importance family takes in each persons life. My host mom made sure to take care of all housekeeping such as cooking, cleaning and laundry everyday. Her fiancé and son worked long, demanding hours to pay off living expenses. My host mother's two married daughters and grandchildren came to visit multiple times throughout the week. Whenever family was visiting the family would talk and interact with one another rather than just watching tv or using the computer or cell phone like much of the American culture. Every family member was so sweet and respectful and wanted to know about me and Carly's lives. I truly felt loved and cared about by everyone in the house. 

I would like to thank everyone who made this trip possible for me. First and foremost my Heavenly Father for providing financially, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. Without His love and goodness I would not have had this opportunity to experience the culture of Costa Rica. I also want to thank my family and friends, Dr. Tabi, Ms. Laura, Mr. Fabricio, and my wonderful host family. I could not have asked for a better host family! The whole family was so wonderful and treated me as a member of their family. I believe I grew the most from the love and relationships I shared with my host family. I already miss all of them and hope to see them again someday. 

Pura Vida!

Missing Costa Rica already.

I'm saddened to say that our journey in Costa Rica has come to an end. It is hard to believe that in the short two weeks that I was there, I developed a love for people who were complete strangers. Despite my eagerness for returning to the United States, saying goodbye to my host family was extremely difficult for me.  Even though we are miles apart, I have talked to my host family a few time since I have been home. It makes me miss them even more, but at least I am still able to talk to them!  I am so thankful to have been placed in such a wonderful and caring home and I couldn't have asked for a better host family. 

Studying abroad in Costa Rica was more than just a school trip in my eyes. It was a life lesson to me. By being in a foreign country, I had to learn how to adapt to different situations and overcome the obstacles that were before me. I learned that unlike language and culture, everybody understands a smile. At times it was difficult to communicate, but whenever there was a smile on my face it was evident that others were more understanding of the language barrier. Some of the people would laugh it off and some would attempt to motion and act things out. In the end, there is no doubt that one thing that is universal is a smile. A genuine smile shows that you care. This study abroad experience taught me that when you physically show that you care about someone's well being, they are happier, easier to get along with, and more times than not, they also show that they care about you as well. Thankful doesn't begin to explain how I feel about the experience I was blessed to be a part of. I honestly believe that I will be able to be a better nurse because of the experiences I was a part of while studying abroad in Costa Rica. 

Costa Rica 1

     Nursing care in Costa Rica has given me a whole new perspective of being culturally sensitive in the healthcare profession. After working in four different nursing homes in Costa Rica, I have learned many barriers and differences in the Hispanic culture and my own culture. I quickly realized that language variations pose a barrier between the nurse and patient. When communicating with individuals who spoke solely Spanish, I had to adapt my communication skills such as learn Spanish words, point or demonstrate skills, and use nonverbal communication techniques. For example to instruct a patient to step on the scale to determine his or her weight, I said "peso", Spanish for weight, and pointed toward the scale on the ground. For those who didn't understand what I was talking about, I demonstrated how to correctly use the scale.

     As with any culture, diet and exercise routine may depend on the individual and his or her resources. I have noticed a trend in the diet of Costa Rican people which includes rice, beans, fruit, and juice with every meal. Often times they have some kind of meat and some type of bread with the meal. Coffee is also commonly drank throughout the day for a snack or with meals. I haven't noticed many local Costa Ricans drinking water. This sort of diet may have a large impact on the body, especially GI and urinary systems. When caring for patients with Hispanic culture, I will be sure to ask each individual what their regular diet consists of. Changing up diet can greatly affect an individual. 

     Exercise may be limited for some individuals living in Costa Rica, whereas others may engage in daily activity depending on the personal preference and economic status of the individual. A couple of people I have met here in Costa Rica have told me that they work between 60 to 72 hours per week! With a job that demanding, those people may not want to participate in vigorous activities. I have noticed while in this country that many people walk places or use public transportation. The preferred method of communicating may contribute to the individual's daily activity. 

So long and farewell Costa Rica

When Dr, Tabi asked me to come to Costa Rica just a few months ago, I was kind of spectacle of what this trip would offer me. Now that this trip is almost over, I have to say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life. As an up and coming nurse, I know all the experiences that I have gained from this trip and the cultural barriers I broke within myself will help me become a better and more responsible person. The nursing clinics has given me the opportunity to get a head start on the skills that I will need to have while in the program at Georgia Southern University. The people I met in the clinics were so thankful for all the services we gave them, and know I know that I want to be a nurse now. Seeing the expression of thankfulness on each person’s face gave me goose bumps. I will never forget what I did for them, and I hope they will never forget me.

Costa Rica is such a beautiful place. The people, the nature, and the places are all so different, but I will always appreciate everything I had the chance to do here, from doing clinics to snorkeling in the ocean. I have to thank Dr, Tabi for giving me this opportunity to spend these two amazing weeks here. Also, Laura for giving me the full Costa Rican experience while here. So this is a farewell to Costa Rica for now. I know that I will be back some time in my life to experience it all over again. As always… Pura Vida en Costa Rica. 

Costa rica

There are many cultural differences I have noticed just by being in Costa Rica for one week. It has definitely been an eye opening experience for me. This trip has been the first time that I've been out of the country so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

The first moment I really noticed a difference was when we were leaving the airport in Costa Rica. Me and a few of the girls were still going through security when majority of the group went to meet up with Mrs. Laura. After we went through security, we tried to find the rest of the group but we couldn't. We walked out of the airport and there were so many people there yelling at us asking if we wanted a taxi. We couldn't understand what they were saying because we only knew little spanish. They kept trying to take our bags and we tried telling them no but they couldn't understand what we were trying to say. Finally, our group found us and took us to the bus.

The language barrier has been the biggest problem for me. While at the nursing home, we had to ask the patients important questions about their health but it was very hard to comprehend what their answer was. During the foot assessment, some of the patients would point to their leg or foot and I would have to get a translator over to where I was to tell me what they were saying. This trip has inspired me to learn more Spanish. I strongly believe that it will help me to become a better nurse. It will allow me to connect more with the patients who speak only Spanish. 

I love how close the families here are compared to families in the United States. I hardly ever see the families watching tv or texting. They are almost always together enjoying each others company. The children and grandchildren live really close and the son lives at home even though he is twenty seven. I will keep that in mind if I ever have a patient who is from Costa Rica. I will be sure to include the family in my nursing care.

Another thing I will keep in mind is that most people from Costa Rica have a very strong faith. They are majority catholic. Every time our host family even passed a church while driving he would do the like at the end of every prayer. They also have statues of saints all in their house. If I have a future patient who is from Costa Rica I could ask if they wanted me to bring the chaplain into the room to pray over the patient.

Riu Hotel of Guanacatse

By far the Riu Hotel in Guanacaste has been one of the best experiences on this trip so far. This place is absolutely beautiful. When I walked into the lobby, I knew immediately that these three days would be amazing. Honestly speaking I kept to myself a lot, but that’s how I wanted it. The very first day, I had the urge to go jet skiing and horseback riding. When I rented everything and was out on the water, I was over by bliss and serenity. The view of the hotel from the ocean was gorgeous. How the waves met the shoreline and the birds flew around the building calmed me and I felt the effects on paradise take hold of me. This hotel was all inclusive and I reaped of the benefits it offered, from the food to the entertainment. I had such a wide array of food to enjoy, from Asian to Italian. Everything was so delicious. Honestly speaking, the second on third day were not as good as the first, mainly because I was starting to get sick. I sucked it up and put my problems aside, and was positive that I would not let this get me down. The second day was even better than the one before. I had the chance to snorkel in the ocean. The habitat under the water was so beautiful and serene. Our tour guide showed that was with us even allowed us to hold and touch some of the creature. My favorite of all of them was the starfish. The Riu Hotel of Guanacaste will always be a special place to me, and I know in the future I will return to it again.

 

Nursing Care in Paradise

       The first week of our trip was dedicated to the care of patients here in Costa Rica. We traveled to and visited four nursing homes throughout the country. Each home was different than the rest. I love how the nursing homes are set up here. When most people think of a.nursing home,  a dreary depressing place comes to mind. Here these homes are vibrant and full of life. All of the elderly seemed happy and content being where they were. Our presence appeared to make them ecstatic. The care we provided was much needed and appreciated. Seeing all the smiling faces and hearing all the thanks we were receiving is enough to warm any one's heart. Of course there were obviously language barriers that made communication difficult. With the help.and.guidance from Dr.Tabi and Sra. Laura we were able to better communicate. As the days went by our spanish improved. This trip has proven to me how beneficial it is to speak the language of the person you are caring for. All four of these opportunities allowed us to work on and develop or nursing skills when working with a different population. We learned how.to communicate effectively, obtain past and present medical health history,  and proper foot care and assessment. All of this skills are necessary for a nurse to have. I plan to use what I learned to help improve my nursing care. I am humbled and and very grateful for this opportunity to do such great work. I know better understand what it means to provide quality and affectionate nursing care for those who need it. No matter how small the act,  everything we do counts in the end to the person(s) we care for.