Why Choose Costa Rica for your Supportive GAP?

Costa Rica? (eyes widen, jaw drops)... Why do we need to go to Costa Rica? Can’t we find a supportive gap community here in our home country? Sure, you certainly can. But what The Bridge offers is beyond what CAN be offered in the USA. 

Cultural immersion offers a fresh environment that exposes individuals to diverse ways of problem-solving and living. 
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When young adults are struggling, it’s often because they’re trapped in ineffective patterns of behavior ingrained through repetition and environmental triggers. By immersing in a different culture, we are not merely given a new solution but are introduced to a myriad of alternatives, allowing us to see different approaches to life’s challenges and fostering hope through possibility.

The new perspectives gained through cultural immersion can rejuvenate one’s ability to focus and engage more fully, ultimately paving the way for personal growth and self-discovery.

Unlike many nations, Costa Rica’s history as a peaceful nation has nurtured an environment centered on warmth, acceptance, and a welcoming spirit. This is embodied in Pura Vida: a carpe diem approach to life that prioritizes thriving over merely surviving.

For students who come from backgrounds where they face constant judgment and high expectations, immersing themselves in Costa Rican culture can be a refreshing change. The emphasis on enjoying life and valuing personal connections helps them see that they are valued just as they are, reducing feelings of inadequacy and fostering a sense of belonging.

The radical acceptance and joy inherent in Costa Rican culture make it a powerful antidote to the pressures found in other environments, offering young adults a transformative space to rejuvenate and embrace new futures.

​So Why Choose Costa Rica?

• The Costa Rican CULTURE itself IS THERAPEUTIC. Take the pressure down a notch. Slow down to connect with yourself and those around you. Live in an environment integrated with nature. Prioritize community. Support and be supported. Learn skills that build confidence and competence. Find within you what you have to offer the world around you

 

• The impressive RESUME one builds while studying abroad is unique, enriching and sets apart your job or college applications. Spanish language and cross-cultural communication skills. Service projects. Travel. Clarification of values through cultural immersion. Ability to take perspectives, be flexible and adapt. Internships to learn work ethic. Revitalization of motivation to follow a particular career path. Autonomy and self-governance. The list goes on and on… ​

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All of that makes sense and sounds wonderful… but it “feels” so far from home!
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How will I feel connected?

Direct flights from ATL (4 hrs), MIA & IAH (3hrs), NYC and LAX (5 hrs). We’re only 25 min from the airport once you land. 

Our commitment for enrollment is 4 months at The Bridge. Students say it flies by and about 80-85% of those who commit for the minimum time ask to stay longer.

Need a medical leave from your university? The Bridge is perfect for that too - take a time out to recenter, reset healthy routines, build up your skill sets in a more supportive environment and then head back to school rejuvenated and ready. ​

Our quarterly adventure trips are fantastic opportunities to break up routines and bond socially.

​Whether visiting a secluded indigenous village in Costa Rica and taking part of their mystical traditions, working on the protection of leatherback sea turtles, or going fishing with the locals of a sustainable fishing village in Guatemala, these week long adventure trips are often the biggest and best highlights of our student’s experiences as they gain confidence, perspective, and lots of memories with their peers and staff at The Bridge.

Before you know it, you’ll be heading back home, reflecting on the last few months of your life.  

How do you want to remember it?