Without knowledge of the native language, a bag filled with clothes, and enough money saved to last at least a few months, I stepped off of the plane knowing that I was making a monumental decision, but I did not know how my time abroad would fundamentally shape the person I am today. I was 19 years old, and I had just arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I remember distinctly boarding the plane in Seattle at freezing temperatures, and as I disembarked I was met with a heat that felt as if I ran into a wall. I would spend a little over the next two years teaching English to businessmen and women, but more importantly, on that trip, I found my passion for development economics. I had never been faced with sights of such contrasts of wealth and income inequality as I did in Brazil, and I immediately began wondering how this could happen. How are some places plagued with such levels of poverty? …show more content…
As I returned to the U.S. to begin studying my newfound passion for economics, I learned there are methods which macroeconomists agree will help these developing nations. However, knowing what fixes an issue and actual implementation is far different. Which brings me to a success story in development—Costa Rica. Their political stability, investment in education, and free trade policies have allowed Costa Rica to prosper. I believe other developing nations could use this model, and therefore it deserves to be studied. Because of this among other benefits of ecotourism and development of another language, I have decided to pursue the opportunity through Bellevue College to study Spanish and economics courses at the Instituto de Cultura y Lengua