University of Wisconsin–Madison

Costa Rica: Abram McGrath

Program: UW Team Building in Costa Rica, Summer

Abram’s Major: Kinesiology

A man in a white t-shirt and green life vest holds up peace signs in both hands. There is a waterfall in the background.
This photo was taken partway through our whitewater rafting journey. We hiked up to a waterfall that was only accessible by river and that is where this picture was taken of me. This little waterfall was so cool and probably my favorite part about whitewater rafting.

What is a custom, food or tradition from your host country that you are taking forward?

One custom that is very prevalent in Costa Rica is the preservation of wildlife and plants. They put such a heavy weight in protecting these two things and I believe that is something that I can implement as one of my personal customs.

Our environment is where we are going to spend our entire lives and I think it is important to cherish and protect it.

What is your most memorable experience from your program?

The most memorable part of my program was most definitely when we went zip lining. We had just visited La Fortuna National Park and then had the opportunity to drive to a nearby mountain side and zip line with the park’s volcano and lake as the scenery. It was absolutely exhilarating and was a view I will never forget.

What challenges or barriers did you face as you prepared to go abroad and/or during your time abroad? How did you work through them?

One challenge I was faced with starting my program was that I did not know anyone at all. I had been nervous because I felt as though everyone else had at least someone they knew. However, after landing in San Jose the group did an amazing job of including everyone and I was quick to make really good friends. This allowed me to overcome this challenge.