San Jose, Costa Rica: Living the Tica life Past Review
By Jen W (Sociology., Trinity University) for
API (Academic Programs International): San Jose - International Center for Development Studies (ICDS)
Absolutely! I think it is important for students to get the chance to experience another culture, and to do so during college is the ideal time because you are not tied down by tons of responsibilities. My time abroad has helped me to realize that I want to work in a foreign country in the future; I am not sure where yet, but thanks to my travel experiences, I am open to try new places.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The grading system was much more relaxed than that of my host university (Trinity University). The teachers were all on local time so they were late and very relaxed about most things. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We had two young employees of the program who were easy to contact and willing to communicate with us about anything, anytime |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
The food my family cooked was very bland, but many other host families prepared extravagant and flavorful dishes to their students every day. The cooking differences/abilities varied house-to-house just like they do in the U.S. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Our program provided a few trips for us and gave us many weekends to travel freely. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
San Jose is a large city, and just like any large city, there is crime. We had a few students get robbed throughout the semester but nobody was hurt. I did have to go to the doctor's while I was down there and my program managers set up an appointment for me, helped me get there, and continued to follow up with me. The local healthcare system is seemingly laid-back (as is Tico culture) and I was shocked that Rxs were just a few tablets or just a specific amount of medicine, rather than an entire bottle. It was a nice change. |
| 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? | ~$100/week (accounting for travelling; bus tickets to- and fro-, hostels, food, any souvenirs) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Be prepared to pay fees at the airport. If you travel out of the country during your stay abroad, make sure you have factored in taxes (into/out of each country)- your program will be able to help you with finding out that info. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I practiced Spanish with my host family. I definitely used Spanish in everyday interactions, but many Costa Ricans speak English so non-Spanish speakers could get by. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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 did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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