The Symbiotic Cultural Exchange Program consists of taking a group of students between the ages of 14 and 18 to Costa Rica to live with a student of his/her age and gender. While in Costa Rica; the student will attend school with his/her Costa Rican host, becoming not only the host’s shadow but also experiencing the opportunity of blending into a group of teenagers from a different culture. The selection of students and families in Costa Rica is conducted by the local school and approved by the representative of the program in the U.S. In a real concept of mutualism, the student from the United States will become a host as the Costa Rican student also travels to the U.S. The community in Costa Rica selected to accomplish this project is in a rural area. This place, located away from the a metropolis, allows the local coordinator to have easy control over the daily activities during the exchange program. It also makes it easy to monitor the students to see how they are doing. A small town also allows for a high level of communication amongst the hosting families, giving them the opportunity to coordinate several activities together. This gives the participants the possibility to really experience the Costa Rican culture from both a community and family point of view. The experiences accumulated with past Symbiotic Cultural Exchange Programs has been totally rewarding. The growth and learning experienced by both sides of the equation have been amazing. Opening the eyes of young people as they travel is part of our goal, but the most important part is the personal accomplishment that each student acquires as the project comes to an end.
