Upon arriving and on my first night in the Homestay, I was a little nervous. It felt very weird to be overseas and I felt entirely out of place. However, my Mama Tica is incredibly welcoming and she helped make this change a lot easier for me.

The food has been amazing. Today we enjoyed lunch which consisted of salad, pork, chicken, steak, potatoes, onions, and plantain. The portions were incredible and it definitely highlighted my day. Additionally, my Mama Tica makes amazing food for both breakfast and dinner so it has been easy to eat at home. Based on how Professor Teeter described it, my expectations for the food were high coming into this trip, and the food has definitely fulfilled my expectations.

Another highlight of the day that made me feel comfortable here was playing soccer as a group. We even played with 4 local children who were hilarious and fun to be around. The scenery around the field in which we played was beautiful and it really was an out-of-body experience.

To sum up my first impressions, I am having a great time. I came into this situation very nervous and scared, but it has been anything but that. Huge thanks to Professors Teeter and Nath and mi Mama Tica for making all of this so easy and enjoyable!