By Brooklyn, High School Abroad Costa Rica Summer 2025
Brooklyn is a First Time Traveler Scholarship recipient who traveled to Costa Rica with Greenheart Travel’s High School Abroad program in Costa Rica! She spent two months over the summer working on her Spanish, attending a local high school in Costa Rica, and making new friends – both humans and animals! Keep reading to hear more about her experience and what daily life looks like as High School Abroad student in Costa Rica.
First off, I should give a little background information. I was born and raised in Canada, and I’ve always wanted to become a fluent Spanish speaker. Shout-out to my mom for making this all happen! We decided Costa Rica was a great fit for me, since it’s a smaller area, and people are very friendly. In this blog I’m going to try and show and tell you what a normal day in the life was like for me in Puriscal, Costa Rica.
What did I expect?
Before coming to Costa Rica, there was a lot of planning, from chatting with school coordinators to getting to know my host family. I felt pretty prepared and had a good idea of what my daily life might look like. But once I arrived, I realized that some of the best parts of this experience are the things I couldn’t plan for; exciting trips, trying new foods, and all the little moments that make each day unique.
Morning Routines🌞
For most of my 2 month stay, I attended school, but there was a 2 week break in between. However, most mornings in Costa Rica started early. The sun comes up around 5:30 AM and so does the world around me. This was one of the harder parts for me, I am the least morning person ever so adjusting to this was hard, especially since school started at 7:00. After dragging myself out of bed I got dressed in my school uniform (another thing very different here), did my hair and makeup, and made my bed.
Once I was ready for the day, I headed to the kitchen where my host family was already up and moving. Breakfast was usually fresh fruit, toast or pinto, (a traditional rice and beans dish). Our mornings were calm, sometimes we chat, sometimes it’s quiet, but I enjoyed that peaceful start to the day.
Midday: School Life, and Everyday Moments 📚🌊
I want to start off with special mentions, because this “day in the life” is looking more like a day at school.. not the vibe I’m going for. While I stayed in Costa Rica I had so many great experiences, these ranged from beaches or pools (my personal favorite) to amusement parks, beautiful sightseeing and nature walks, craft days with friends, or going out for lunch! I’m so grateful for all the memories I made here. Below I’ll add pictures from my fun experiences!
School life
Now, time to talk about what my everyday school life looked like. School days were definitely different here than what I’m used to back home. For one, this school was massive, there must be 1,000 kids! To put this into perspective, this school feels like walking into Hogwarts for me. However, I had my friend in my host family and all her lovely classmates to make me feel well come. Going to school was such a great way for me to continue practicing my Spanish even more, especially since the days were pretty long. It wasn’t stressful since I was only expected to practice my Spanish and try my best in class. People knew I was learning, so they were patient and kind, which makes such a huge difference.
At lunch I headed to the cafeteria with my classmates where there were always lots of exciting conversations. I loved breaks like these where we could just laugh and share stories.
Afternoon/After-School Life
After school, the pace slowed down. Some days I walked with friends to a corner store or hung out at the park, but most days I looked forward to spending the afternoon chilling at home! While school and all these adventures were exciting, they were also tiring, and when I spent chill time with the family; movie nights, crafts, or just simply hanging out together, that’s what I really enjoyed! (Sometimes there were even days where we all just wanted to tuck into bed, which was okay too!)
By the time I went to bed, I felt like I had lived a full day, different from my life back in Canada, but in a way that was teaching me new routines, new words, and new ways of seeing the world. Every day here felt like a small adventure, even in the ordinary moments.
Conclusion
Overall, my time here has been nothing short of amazing from the everyday moments, to the bigger adventures, each day gave me a chance to learn, grow and see life from a new perspective. It’s the kind of experience that stays with you, not just in memories, but in the way it shapes how you see the world. I feel so grateful for the people I’ve met, the places I’ve seen, and the little things that have made this chapter in my life so special.
Thanks for giving us a peak into your life abroad, Brooklyn!
Ready to change up your routine and try out daily life in another country? Click on these links to learn more about Greenheart’s High School Abroad programs and scholarship opportunities.
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