Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The Costa Rican Challenge!! Past Review

By (International Business., Cardinal Stritch University) for

CEA CAPA Education Abroad: San Jose, Costa Rica

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The biggest quality I've gained was the ability to live as an expatriate. This prepared me for my future career in International Business. I love the feeling of knowing that I am someone exceptional having lived in another country for some time. Since my time in Costa Rica, I always have stories to relate to other things. They often begin by me saying "When I lived in Costa Rica..." This is a phrase that I know I will be saying for the rest of my life. I know that it has been a transformational experience for me that has led me to become the worldy and culturally competent individual that I am now. Since my return, I have purchased a large world map which I placed on my wall that represents in a red dot of where I've been (Costa Rica) and of course many more places of study and experience that I will embark on throughout my global career.

Review Photos

CEA Global Education: San Jose, Costa Rica Photo

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.

All things regarding the way the school was ran was fairly comparable to things I am used to in my own culture and education. I was atleast satisfied with this aspect of the education abroad.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The professors were really skilled in the fields that they taught in. My most favorite professor was Mauricio Castro who taught the Philosophy course I took. His teachings were really meaningful.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

In addition to having a host family that CEA provided to me, I also lived with a local family whom I had known prior to studying in Costa Rica. So I would go back and forth between homes to spend time with both. I had my own room in both homes which made me feel really at home and like I had a place of my own to just have "me" time.

* Food:

My host mom through CEA was very accomodating of my food preferences. I was most pleased with that.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Baldi Hot Springs was nice and relaxing.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

They gave us plenty of safety advice and even provided nightly shuttles from class back to our homes.

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? CEA didn't give students enough information of how much food tickets they would be alloted every month. We were told that once we got there and most students were pretty upset. The program initially advertised that food was included. For those who stayed in the Residencia...only recieved 20 meal tickets which is fairly low for one month. Students had to pay out of pocket for food. This took away from money they had saved up for other basic living needs out there. Some students ate once a day to better spread out their tickets throughout the month.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Actual food allotment, washer/dryer facilities, having to provide our own transportation back to the airport after the program. Luckily for me, I had my other family outside of CEA who were happy to get up at 5:35am to take me to the airport. Every student are lucky to have such a luxury where they can save $40 on a taxi trip to the airport...especially knowing the departure tax is $26. Most students were tapped out on money by the end of the program.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Intermediate 2
If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Language acquisition improvement?

I could practice Spanish with almost everyone...the school (as many staff members only spoke spanish), the local college restaurants, the professors who also spoke english, the host family and American students.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The scenery was very beautiful. Everyday I'd wake up feeling like I was living in a postcard.
* What could be improved?
  • The native students could be more open to communication or mentorship to the study abroad students. I like integration more over seperation. And I think if there was some sort of a buddy system established where the program or univerisity paired a local with a study abroad student it would seem a bit more relaxing to us. This could also eliminate the stares we recieved from them.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If you are mentally strong then this may be the program for you. Even though living here was a challenge...I can say that it changed my life and made me a whole lot stronger and independent.