Letting kids go away abroad alone isn’t always easy for parents. However, international experiences are amazing opportunities to discover the world and collect memories that last a lifetime and open our eyes forever. We’ve come up with five life lessons that your teen will surely learn while being abroad on their own:

1. Being present every step of the way

Here at Outward Bound Costa Rica, we encourage all students to live the present moment fully while they enjoy their beautiful surroundings in Costa Rica and intense outdoor activities. By getting away from their routine at home, teens grow and learn fast: they can achieve their full potential in a new environment. This type of experience helps them to take advantage of every moment and value their time abroad.

You can listen to some of our instructors explaining how being in the moment change the way our students look at the world below:

2. Stay positive

As teens get out of their comfort zone, they get the chance to master the skill of positive thinking in all situations. Being away from home and having the chance to realize that his/her limits are self-imposed, will help him or her build self confidence while experimenting with new activities. They will also become more accustomed to the process and ups and downs of learning and integrate them as something normal, whether they are surfing warm-water breaks in Costa Rica or earning their scuba diving certification in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

3. Never be afraid of following his/her dreams

Living an experience abroad is an opportunity for teens to listen to their inner feelings and achieve something special by themselves, for themselves. Going abroad can be a great way to get in touch with what they truly want to achieve in life and how to adapt their daily life to reach these goals. Overcoming obstacles in a supportive environment and succeeding to complete activities in unfamiliar settings will prove to your teen that he or she is capable of anything he/she sets their mind to.

4. Discover a new culture

There’s no better way to expand your horizons than through authentic cultural exchanges while traveling! Going abroad alone will encourage teens to be open-minded and discover a new culture that will change or challenge the way they look at the world. Central America has so much to offer and so many landscapes to see, and many local traditions to learn from, including getting sugar cane juice from a trapiche or making tortillas.

Moreover, traveling to another country will most surely allow your teen to perfect a language they are already learning or pick up some new language skills; in a world where language skills are now indispensable, this is a great accomplishment!

5. Make new friends from all over the world

Making new connections with others from different countries or backgrounds is always important. By going on international programs, teens participate in new and challenging activities with others from around the world and form new friendships. They will learn while growing together and go back home with plenty of stories to tell to you and their friends. It will be an adventure that they will never forget and you will be proud of what they have accomplished!

To learn more about our Summer Expeditions in Costa Rica and Panama and find the right programs for your teen visit our website.