Costa Rica, una frase: Pura Vida! Past Review
By Sara B (Nursing., The University of Texas at Austin) for
API (Academic Programs International): San Joaquin de Flores - Instituto San Joaquin De Flores
It was absolutely worthwhile. I really improved my Spanish and learned a lot about people in general. I feel like I learned a lot about life and culture from my Mama Tica and the other students in my group and even from the professors at the Institute. I plan on making the Spanish language and the Latin culture a bigger part of my life here in the States. I hope to continue to learn more about the cultures of different Latin American countries. I also plan on continuing to practice my Spanish so that eventually, I can become fluent.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
In terms of homework, the workload was light and very manageable. The grading system seemed fair and the professors were really helpful and willing to answer any questions I had. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Overall great but often there was a disconnect between the Institute and the API program. Sometimes this made things difficult to coordinate. The staff of both the Institute and the API program are very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a 62-year-old widowed mother of a grown son. Her house was about 10-15 minutes walking distance from the Institute. I never felt in danger or threatened in the town of San Joaquín. Nightlife is a little tricky because you can´t walk around after dark and the sun sets around 6 pm. You have to call a taxi if you want to go anywhere but the taxis are readily available and very cheap. Usually between 1.50- 5.00 depending on where you are going. My host mom was fantastic and treated me like a family member. I was able to practice my spanish with her everyday and she was very patient with me. |
| * Food: |
The food was incredible. My host mom was able to accommodate my lactose intolerance without any problem. Food is a symbol of love here and there is plenty of it! I almost always had to ask for smaller portions. Eventually she started to understand and would serve me smaller portions. Don´t be afraid to ask for the foods that you like or the portions that you want. In my experience, the host families want to make you food that you like. Much of it is pretty unhealthy and a lot of students gained weight even in just six weeks. It´s a balancing act to enjoy the food as part of the culture and the experience but still maintain your health. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I would have loved to have gone to more cultural events or field trips in Heredia or San Joaquin. I think that part is a little lacking. Otherwise the excursions to Monteverde and Rincon de la Vieja were great. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Overall, San Joaquin seemed to be very safe. It's a smaller town that's partly rural but has urbanization too. The community is very close-knit and I knew my neighbors and other families nearby. Still, it's not safe to walk around after dark, especially if you look like a foreigner. I never got sick while I was there but I had two friends who did and they both thought the healthcare that they received was adequate. I did not need any specific vaccinations for this program. I would recommend not taking malaria pills as you really don't need them. If your program is located anywhere in the Central Valley, you don't need to be concerned about the mosquitoes/ malaria... If your program is located on either the Pacific or the Caribbean coast then it's a different story. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | I think I would have prefered that the program spend less money on really nice places to stay and more on activities as a group like zip-lining or rafting. Also, having to take taxis everywhere after dark- that's probably the one thing that I ended up spending money on frequently. Each ride is generally pretty cheap but it adds up. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 2 |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
I lived with a host mom in the community and I was able to practice Spanish with her everyday. Combined with my classes four days a week, my Spanish improved immensely. The staff at the Institute were all able to speak English but Spanish was very strongy encouraged. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I had a great experience with the classes at the Institute. Someone who really wants to learn Spanish or improve their Spanish would be a good fit. Also, someone who wants a Study Abroad experience but is not looking for an exchange program. You take classes with other American students so it's a little bit less intimidating than taking classes alongside local students in a university. And again, someone who can deal with a tropical climate including the rain, mud and bugs. |
Comments
Saritaaaa!!! Ahhhh I miss you & I wish were still in San Joaquin taking classes.
Kaiti September 03, 2010
