CREDIT: PROVIDED BY CARLEY HULLEY
Carley Hulley, a nursing student at Fanshawe College, has set up a GoFundMe page to help finance her placement trip to Costa Roca.

From Feb. 17 to March 10, a mixture of Fanshawe students from different courses will have the privilege to do placement in Costa Rica to help educate young students. The opportunity is available to nursing, early childhood education and early childhood leadership students in their final field placement, also referred to as an integrated practicuum.

The students will have the opportunities to do many activities that will familiarize them with the culture and generate leads and opportunities for employment as well. Students will collaborate from each of the different courses to create child friendly ways to promote healthy lifestyles. Additionally, students will have some free time to explore the attractions and grow accustomed to the environment and culture.

Carley Hulley, one of just 15 students chosen for the program, shed some insight on the main mission of the placement.

“The purpose of this trip is to provide activities that meet the needs of the Costa Rica government outline which include reinforcing globalization, promoting the learning of [the] English language and collaboration with the professionals and community families to promote healthy lifestyles and well being,” she said.

According to Hulley, she is looking forward to engaging with different cultures and languages.

“[I would like] to learn different kinds of communication techniques to interact with different cultures and languages and also health teaching skills to bring back into my daily nursing practice in Canada,” she said. “It is a great learning experience and opportunity to work on these skills, as there will be a language barrier between the school children and myself. Canada is becoming very diverse which brings in lots of different cultures and languages into the daily practice it will be a great skill to have in our world today.”

Another personal goal she has is making a difference in the lives of children and their families.

When asked what she is most excited about in terms of her trip she did not hesitate before saying how excited she was to learn about their culture and everyday life.

“Their routines, their food, education and to explore their health care, I am excited to see the differences everyday life is compared to Canada,” Hulley said. “I am pretty excited to explore the nature Costa Rica has [as well]…I heard Costa Rica is beautiful so I want to travel around to see what it has to offer which will help me learn their culture as well.”

The reason the school had chosen Costa Rica as its main destination for the students began when Margot Sippel, a professor at Fanshawe, had visited Costa Rica and had grown accustomed to the country and its people. She decided that it would be an excellent opportunity for the students to visit Costa Rica and extend their knowledge far beyond the classroom. She and Carol Tracey, another professor at Fanshawe, began to visit schools around the country and decided that a school called La Victoria would provide the right environment for the students.

While abroad, students will have their meals and living arrangements taken care of.

According to Shelly Masse, a professor at Fanshawe, students and faculty will stay in a hotel run by a local Costa Rican family who will also provide breakfast and dinner.

“We will work at La Victoria School each day and we will also participate in activities in the community in order to further integrate this group into the Costa Rican culture,” Masse said. “Students will have some free time in which they may choose to see some of the local tourist sites and attractions.”

Although an excellent opportunity for the students, it does not come without its costs. The trip has a high price of $3,500 and each student is responsible for paying the fees.

“Students have applied for the Fanshawe College International Exchange Opportunity Scholarship and we have also submitted a proposal for Fanshawe International Corporation (FIC) funding for this experiential learning project,” Masse said. “In addition to these, students have organized various other fundraising activities.”

Hulley is one of the students who have begun to take her own initiative to raise the funding needed to ensure her trip to Costa Rica.

“I have a GoFundMe page, I have written letters to community clubs from my hometown, I have also applied to the Fanshawe College International Exchange Opportunity Scholarship that I have got accepted for.”

If you would like to support Hulley in her mission to help Costa Rican children learn healthy lifestyle techniques, visit her Go- FundMe page at gofundme.com/carleys-costa-rica-practicum.