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Levin, Benjamin. "Sharpen your writing skills with this comprehensive creative writing bundle" Photo. cnn.com Apr. 5 2021. 2 Aug. 2022 <https://www.cnn.com>.

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Introduction

¡Hola! Me llamo Louisa. Estoy bien, y también muy ocupada. Soy de Los Estados Unidos. Tengo dieciséis años.

School

Mi escuela es de tres a cinco años en costa rica. La escuela empieza en febrero y termina en diciembre. Hay una escuela cerca de mi casa. Las estudiantes aprenden a leer y escribir.

Housing

Vivo en una casa cerca de la playa. La casa es grande, amarilla y nueva.También es caro y de ladrillo. Tiene tres dormitorios y dos baños.

Host family

Mi nueva familia tiene hijos, padres y abuelos.  La madre es ama de casa y el padre trabaja. Los abuelos no trabajan, ellos cuidan a los niños. La familia es muy importante para ellos.

Hobbies

Me gusta ir al centro comercial e ir de compras. Me gusta cocinar e ir al mercado también. No me gusta jugar fútbol. No me gusta surfear ni pescar, pero me gusta la playa.

Food

A veces desayuno tostadas, a veces gallo pinto. No me gusta el almuerzo, pero es importante. Tengo un casado a veces. Como lo que cocina la madre para la cena. Me gusta mucho comer fruta. También me gusta tomar café, es bueno en Costa Rica.

Shopping

Me gusta mucho ir de compras en costa rica. El supermercado tiene toallas, cepillos, jabón, desodorante y medicina. el centro comercial tiene zapatos, camisas, pantalones, vestidos y joyas. El centro comercial es bueno para pasar tiempo con amigos.

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Kouremetis, Dena. “Reflecting On Your Own Twisted Life Path” Photo. Psychologytoday.com 28 Aug 2019. 2 Aug. 2022 <https://www.psychologytoday.com>.

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What differences have you seen between the Spanish language and your native language?

The Spanish language contains gendered nouns, while the English language does not. The Spanish language also uses accent marks, as well as upside-down question marks and exclamation points.

What did you find interesting and exciting about the Costa Rican culture?

I liked the emphasis on peace in Costa Rican culture. I think it is interesting that Costa Ricans have no army. I also find it interesting how Costa Rica has a lot of things to do outdoors, and I wonder if I would spend more time outdoors if I were to visit. The separation of seasons into “wet” and “dry” categories is interesting to me as well, as it’s not found in America.

What do you hope to learn if you continue to study the Spanish language?

If I continue to study the Spanish language, I hope I learn to feel confident in making basic conversation with others. I would also like to be able to listen to Spanish music, and maybe be able to understand Spanish literature.

We have learned elements of a language in a different teaching/learning style than you may be used to. Talk about your experience with learning Spanish in an online class. What did you like about the course? What did you not like and/or what could be improved?

I liked the ability to pace my own assignments in online Spanish class, and I liked not being required to speak publicly in person. I had issues with the live recorded classes, as the information felt rather disorganized to me.

What things did you do that helped you learn Spanish in this course?

I took detailed notes and used the vocabulary flashcards as references in order to learn Spanish more effectively. I also made sure to set aside time in which I wouldn’t have other stressors or distractions in order to learn.

What things can you do to improve your own Spanish learning in the future?

Something that I could stand to work on is doing assignments in a more timely manner and doing them consistently. If I take an online Spanish class again, I should try and communicate with my teacher more. If I want to learn more Spanish in the future, I will try practicing immersion with music and podcasts.

What things did your instructor do to help you with your learning?

When I had questions about my assignments, my instructor helped me in a timely manner. Throughout the course, I felt like my instructor was someone I could go to for help if needed.

Was there anything that your instructor didn't do that would have helped you?

There wasn’t anything I needed that wasn’t provided by the instructor or through the course.