Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

7 Weeks in Costa Rica! Past Review

By (International Relations And Global Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 06/30/2013 to 08/17/2013 with

API (Academic Programs International): San Joaquin de Flores - Instituto San Joaquin De Flores

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to be independent. There were only 3 of us in our entire group so we definitely learned how to be off on our own. Now I feel like I'm ready to take on the world! \m/

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

Finances

* 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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Don't use the ATM every two seconds. Fees will add up.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Upper division Spanish
How many hours per day did you use the language? 10+
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? PodCasts

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • I LOVED ALL THE VOLCANOS, BEACHES, WILDLIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* What could be improved?
  • It can get pretty boring during the week because the town is like 4,000 people so, as bad as it sounds, I couldn't wait to leave my host home so I could explore Costa Rica.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? GPS will not work in Costa Rica (because there are no street signs/adresses) so make sure to take a map that has the names/pictures of landmarks.

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 Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.