So the three things that I will be highlighting are going to go in backwards chronological order. While in Costa Rica we had the opportunity to stay with host families, and luckily my host spoke almost fluent English. That doesn't mean I wasn't still challenged with the language barrier, but it did allow for some more in depth conversations. I enjoyed sharing similarities and differences in our lives, prompted by questions I asked in Spanish. One specific thing that struck me, was when my host told me how Nicaraguans in Costa Rica are the equivalent to Mexicans in the U.S. However, Costa Rica doesn't put up a border to keep them out, they acknowledge that they won't do the work and the Nicaraguans could use the jobs. Overall, I really enjoyed my home stay and I really appreciate the patience my host family had when I would try and speak Spanish.  About half way through our Central American trip, we took a "break" and stayed at Costa Del Sol, a beach on the coast of El Salvador. We laid around in hammocks and went swimming in the ocean, as well as enjoyed some relaxed and delicious meals. One of the days we were there a group of students (including myself) and an adult, walked up the beach and past some fisherman's homes to a local restaurant. We ate chicken, fish, rice, and tortillas. This was probably my favorite meal out of the entire trip, because it was delicious and so authentic (at least in my mind). Our time at Costa Del Sol was really the perfect midway break. Towards the end of our time in Suchitoto we met with a guide and hiked up and around Guazapa,(a mountain range and sleeing volcano); an area that holds many stories and artifacts from the Civil War. Just a few days before, we had met with some survivors and heard their personal stories and only began to understand the war. I feel like our hike on Guazapa helped answer any questions I had and brought forth new facts and curiosities. A fact/curiosity that I found interesting was the role of the damn in the war. It was essentially the catalyst of the Civil War. The government blocked the Lampa river with a damn, so they could sell electricity to other countries. By doing so, the government was kicking indigenous and Spanish out from their homes and farms, leaving them to restart their lives completely. I found it interesting that there is talk of the government building another damn, which will most likely have the same effect.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the history I have soaked up, the new vocabulary, and of course the self growth I will be taking away from this trip. I look forward to sharing my stories with anyone who asks; it's hard to write a limited and concise amount when you have so much to tell.  - Serene Bray