I almost never left Costa Rica Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Most of my classes required as much attention and focus as my classes here in the United States. The Spanish classes were challenging to a point that I was still learning but it was not an easy class. They offered very particular classes like Spanish for Health Professions where we were taught how to correctly speak to patients in Spanish learned about the health systems and certain processes in Spanish as well. I was ably to take a Tropical Marine Biology class where what I learned in class was applied hands-on when we went snorkeling and wandering intertidal zones in the ocean. Overall, the classes were special and something not offered here at Saint Mike's but were still challenging enough for me to learn something new everyday.

On-site administration of your program

The on-sight administration was always there if we needed anything at all. They provided a lot of information about safety and how to handle ourselves in situations when we were on our own and not with the leaders at that time.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I absolutely loved being in a homestay as a living arrangement because becoming part of a family allows you to become much more immersed in the culture and to have an experience that has so much more meaning. My family welcomed me with open arms and was always there for me every step of the way. I still talk to my family and am waiting for my next opportunity to go back and visit.

I absolutely loved the food in Costa Rica. I am not a picky eater so that could be part of the reason why I loved everything but I was always trying something new and it very rarely did not satisfy my taste buds. My favorite part of the day was always dinner, a time when I sat down with my host family, said grace in Spanish, and made my stomach full of my Mama Tica's home cooking. They also were always making sure that we more than plenty enough food to eat and if there was a certain food we did not like they would stay away from that. One thing I truly miss is my Mama Tica's cooking.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

AIFS provided us with information about cultural opportunities every week and living in a homestay immersed me immensely in the local culture. Costa Rica is a place that prides itself on its Pura Vida culture and I feel I was able to soak in as much of the cultural as possible with the help from my professors, host family, and AIFS staff.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Luckily, I only got sick once while I was abroad. However other people that had serious health issues were taken care of immediately and with good quality care. The health system is different in Costa Rica than in the United States but everyone was always given immediate attention when their health was at question.

Just like being in any city, there are the dangers. Common sense is a big part of maturing while studying abroad. Just as you do not walk alone at night in the middle of a large city, there is no exception for Costa Rica.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Costa Rica is a place where much that is sold is grown there. The fruits and vegetables are all fresh and are much cheaper than here in the U.S. Also, cultural activities were made very affordable by AIFS and traveling on our own was also affordable due to staying in hostels (which were very safe) and being able to make our own food in the hostel kitchens. Since these components were very affordable there was always some cushion money for being able to do fun activities that costed a little more.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Yes, we were always encouraged to speak Spanish. It is the official language so Spanish was always spoken in the house, in classes that were taught in spanish, and in any opportunity in the community or to locals was spoken in Spanish. My speaking skills improved greatly due to this.

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• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Americans

• everything was so affordable
• I love how everything was included (tuition, housing, meal plan, cultural excursions)

• more cultural activities could be included always

The Academic or Linguist