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First, there was one. Then came a second. And by the end of this week, our new house at The Bridge will be alive with energy as four young women settle into their transformative gap experience in Costa Rica. To mark this exciting milestone, we sat down with Fia, the very first participant to arrive, to hear what drew her to The Bridge, her favorite moments so far, her hopes for the months ahead, and what she’d tell anyone considering a supportive gap year with us.
Why did you choose The Bridge?
I have been talking about doing a gap year since the beginning of my senior year. I really wanted to do it, but I wasn’t ready to go into a full-on "independent" one yet. I need the support and safety net that The Bridge provides.
What have been a few highlights so far? Community service. I enjoy doing that. Especially with CECUDI and APRODISA. I loved making a mural and having everyone be included with their hands on the wall. Seeing them smiling and having fun makes me very happy. At CECUDI, the kids are amazing, and I love working with them.
I have been talking about doing a gap year since the beginning of my senior year. I really wanted to do it, but I wasn’t ready to go into a full-on "independent" one yet. I need the support and safety net that The Bridge provides.
What have been a few highlights so far? Community service. I enjoy doing that. Especially with CECUDI and APRODISA. I loved making a mural and having everyone be included with their hands on the wall. Seeing them smiling and having fun makes me very happy. At CECUDI, the kids are amazing, and I love working with them.
What are you most looking forward to during your gap year?
I want to learn all these new skills and tools I can apply to when I actually move out and live on my own. Also, meeting new people, getting the cultural immersion piece, practicing my Spanish and just taking little steps into adulthood.
What are you hoping to take away from this experience?
Learning things about myself. Finding things that I enjoy and find comfort in. Learning how to live independently.
What advice do you have for other young women considering The Bridge?
That you should definitely do it. It’s very fun. It's a great experience that not many people get to do. It's a great program where they balance giving you your freedom but also being there to support you. Practicing living with other people, taking care of your chores, doing your responsibilities, and having a fun time.
I want to learn all these new skills and tools I can apply to when I actually move out and live on my own. Also, meeting new people, getting the cultural immersion piece, practicing my Spanish and just taking little steps into adulthood.
What are you hoping to take away from this experience?
Learning things about myself. Finding things that I enjoy and find comfort in. Learning how to live independently.
What advice do you have for other young women considering The Bridge?
That you should definitely do it. It’s very fun. It's a great experience that not many people get to do. It's a great program where they balance giving you your freedom but also being there to support you. Practicing living with other people, taking care of your chores, doing your responsibilities, and having a fun time.
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Our latest interview in the Life After The Bridge series is with James, a 2012 graduate of The Bridge currently pursuing a Doctorate in Psychology from George Fox University.
"The Bridge is really where I had the seed planted that I could be happy in life. I was really happy living in Costa Rica, and really happy living at The Bridge."
Tune in to hear James' reflections on his supportive gap experience more than a decade after leaving Costa Rica, including:
- How a visit to the Bribri indigenous community in Costa Rica helped shape his perspective and worldview
- Why he still carries a seed from Costa Rica with him nearly 15 years later as a reminder of the seeds that were planted in him at The Bridge
- The reasons a structured and supportive community was so powerful for his sense of self and confidence
- How living in a different country allowed him to focus on personal growth during his gap experience