Visiting the Central Park of Heredia was a stark contrast to what I have experiences in the United States. Unlike in the US, locals were not buried deep in the screen of their phones or plugged into their headphones. Many were sitting and talking with one another throughout the park. Religious celebration, it being a Sunday, was also something that was more public that I would have expected. Although much of the country shares the same religion, I did think it was nice that their practice of faith is more public than I have seen in other countries.

Although some parts of Heredia look more dated than others, such as the Church and park, the city surprised me with how many advertisements and billboards came from US companies. Many of the products in the stores were things we could have purchased at a mall back home. It shocked me how widespread and truly international so many of the US brands are. This led me to think deeper about companies of international scale and what they have to think about. Each country may require slightly different products that better suit that culture, a tailored marketing program to resonate with the local community, and many other things!

I continue to be shocked by how much Spanish I am able to pick up and use in conversation. Breakfast with our host mother consisted of conversation about our upcoming day and the different types of fruit we were given. What is most helpful is the slow pace that she speaks at and how clearly she annunciates her words. Locals I have heard in passing conversation, especially at the market discussing various products, speak quickly and often use slang terms that we wouldn’t know. Regardless, I continue to find that locals appreciate the effort you make to speak their language. Hopefully I will continue to improve.

John Boyle