Parent Reflections on The Bridge Costa Rica

We recently received a letter from a parent of a graduate of The Bridge that speaks to the long-term impact of a supportive gap year experience.

Three years ago, their son arrived feeling uncertain about who he was and where he was headed. After a difficult first year of college, anxiety and depression had taken hold. What followed during his year at The Bridge was, in his parents’ words, “a year of profound growth.”

Through supportive mentorship, cultural immersion, university coursework, service experiences, host family life, and everyday moments — brewing coffee, planting herbs, building relationships — he began to rebuild confidence and clarity.

It wasn’t one person or one experience, but the culmination of many that helped him find his footing.

Today, he is preparing to graduate from college and was recently accepted into a master’s program in social work at Loyola University Chicago. He plans to become a therapist supporting young people with their mental health, a path his parents believe was deeply shaped by his time at The Bridge.

“The change in him has been nothing short of transformative.”

We are grateful to walk alongside young adults and their families in seasons that matter.

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