Wonderful! Wouldn't have asked for a better one! Past Review
By Sarah C (Agriculture, Berea College) - abroad from 07/08/2014 to 08/09/2014 with
AIFS: San José - Universidad Veritas and Internship Program
Too much to write about! Experienced a wide range of ecosystems and wildlife including watching sea turtles lay eggs on the beach and monkeys as abundant as squirrels.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
One class was ridiculously difficult and the other class was of moderate difficulty |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Most were great but communication was rough when there were administration that worked with US students that did not speak any english. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My Tica Momma was great! |
| * Food: |
Some was great and other was not so much. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Difficulties arose when locals targets US students for theft and with scams. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Though not needed, if a strip to the doctor was needed, the student was expected to pay in full before and then be reimbursed. This is difficult when on a strict budget. |
| * Safety: |
You just have to be smart. Do not put yourself in situations that increase your chances of being a target. We knew students that had been drugged as well as robbed at knife and gun point. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | not calculated exactly. about $100 I suppose |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save as much as you can so you can experience as much as you can while you are there. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | high school spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Don't be afraid to try. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | More spanish. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
