Lessons Learned From Costa Rica

 Although my trip is over, my love is permanently embedded in me. I would love to share some lessons I learned at the Los Angeles school that I will take into account personally and professionally. 

  • DONT ASSUME.
Being in the Los Angeles school, I was able to help them while they helped me. It also reinforced the destigmatization that although a community may seem marginalized or in need, they have made their way into beautiful outcome. Two truths can remain in one fact, the fact that while you see a community that may have less than yours, it can be just as great. You can learn so much more than what your head limits you to. Being from a low-income community, I didn't have this stigma because I was accustomed to it, however, it gave me the idea that outside support we think we may need can be formed from within.
  • LEARNING ASSESSMENT.
In wherever direction I head, I want to dive deeper into everyone. If I choose to work with students, I would want to administer tests as the Los Angeles School did, which were learning styles and natural intelligence. The learning styles had a series of questions for students to answer, then at the end would rally up scores that determined their top two. The natural intelligence would ask students a series of question that would mark significant habilidad in qualities such as intra/interpersonal, musical, logic math, and more.
  • SAY HI TO EVERYONE.
In the Los Angeles school, everyone said good morning to you even if they didn't know you. As a "teacher", whenever I passed a student they never failed to say good morning even when I never worked with them. That kindness and respect made me be accustomed to do the same, because it makes people happy to be recognized and seen, rather than passing by like they're a ghost.
  • IMPACT
I learned many things about myself, more so the capacity of my impact. The first day I worked in the primary school, I was introduced to a student for a quick second. The next day, I went to her classroom for an observation, and the student still remembered my name! Every time I went to my 2nd grade classroom, they all instantly jumped up to hug me and say hello, and even deliver me some presents. Everyday was another day that reminded me that I was seen and appreciated for me.

These lessons, amongst the others, were crucial for my development and growth.

I am currently a rising junior at Providence College studying Social Work and Psychology. During my spring semester of sophomore year, I was granted the Smith Fellowship to San Jose, Costa Rica for six weeks. After the end of the semester, I arrived in San Jose to begin my fellowship at the Los Angeles School to assist in the pedagogy department and teach various English classes. Follow me along my journey of immersing in the Dominican community of Costa Rica whilst exploring faith and immersion.