Shantale Davis

Shantale Davis studied at Veritas University in San Jose, Costa Rica for five weeks through the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS). During the day she took an intensive Spanish course and an Art class. Though the classes were beneficial, the majority of her experience took place outside of the classroom. Her program did an excellent job of providing weekly excursions in San Jose and weekend programs to other parts of the country. She traveled to Jaco, Puerto Viejo and Quepos. She and 5 other girls from different programs lived with a wonderful host family who provided traditional Tico (Costa Rican) meals for breakfast and dinner. She volunteered at a local orphanage and spent time with the children doing whatever they wanted to do, which often included drawing and playing volleyball or soccer. These children, while slow to warm up to new guests, would treat her like they’ve known each other forever once they were okay with the presence of Shantale and her friends. She also spent time at a local park near the University where she could interact with the Costa Rican people on a more informal level. She would talk and play basketball with the local children who loved to playfully correct her when her Spanish was incorrect. While abroad she completed class projects that included learning about specific holidays and researching important Latino historical figures. Shantale also learned to cook a few traditional Costa Rican dishes like gallo pinto and her mama tica’s secret guacamole recipe. On the weekends Shantale traveled throughout the country, eventually making it to the Caribbean Coast, Puerto Viejo, which was very vibrant and one of the least Americanized places she had the opportunity to visit. This experience was one that she would call life changing, because it has contributed a positive view to the world outside of the United States and has given her the desire to travel more in her future.