Before arriving in Costa Rica, I expected to feel like a visitor most of the time due to the short time I would be there. The tourist gaze was weighing on my mind a lot, but one of my goals was to overcome it in my time studying abroad. Finding public spaces to embrace the culture as well as nature and my host mom helped me shift my gaze.  

Finding family in foreign places; we learned the importance of others to navigating the shift from tourists to locals 

Learning the labor behind each cup of coffee  

One of the photos included is of my host mom who played a key role in shifting me from a dorm mindset to a family mindset. I think that taking the conscious effort to share a home with someone was the first step into embracing the culture. She shared her culture through food by teaching us recipes and introducing us to new foods. She was so caring and took so much pride in providing for her host children that it really made me feel like I was truly part of her family.  

Finding beauty in the mundane; my host mother turning a chore into the rhythm of home life  

The silent roommates that always made a foreign place feel like a home; the local cats and dogs of Costa Rica always added an element of home to every place 

A lesson in local roots; my host mom sharing stories of the roots of flora in Costa Rica 

The photos of the cross and the farmers market expressed the places where I found community in Costa Rica. In those places, usually I was the odd one out being the foreigner which forced me to be in an uncomfortable, vulnerable place. I enjoyed visiting various farmers markets both with my host mom and fellow students as well as going to church with my host mom some weekends. Following what is important in others' lives/cultures instead of only my own made me very open and allowed me to shift into the local way of life and get out of the tourist gaze mindset. 

The lasting architecture of San José  

Symbols of faith in the community 

Along with these other photos, I included several photos of the beautiful nature of Costa Rica. These experiences really represented my personal growth while studying abroad. Nature was how I processed the culture of Costa Rica and where I could take time to reflect. Animals and nature are so important in the culture and I felt like embracing nature and trying new things like horseback riding made me feel like I was part of it.  

Leaving a piece of my adventure in the soil of Costa Rica  

Trading the paved roads for the trails  

Paving my story through the currents; exploring the wild areas of Costa Rica  

Collectively, these photos represent my journey of moving from the often arrogant tourist gaze to full participation in Costa Rica's culture.