Beautiful Country, Questionable People Past Review
By Skylar M (Spanish Language and Literature., Saint Bonaventure University) - abroad from 09/29/2014 to 12/19/2014 with
Centro Linguistico Conversa: Santa Ana - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I definitely improved my spanish speaking and listening abilities, but I could have accomplished that in any spanish speaking country. The people here are very concerned with outward appearances and money, but not the students.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Unorganized and seemingly unconcerned with most students' problems, including housing issues and robberies. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I did not feel overly welcome in my house, nor was I integrated much. The family often complained about my and my roommates' needs and seemed only in it for the money. |
| * Food: |
The food was relatively bland and very expensive to buy outside of the house. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt more integrated when I made my own trips to small country towns than I did in my home or in the city where my college was. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I personally did not have any problems, but everyone I knew got medical help quickly. It is very expensive here and the doctors do not do a thorough examination and just prescribe pills which does not seem safe. |
| * Safety: |
For about a month and a half, study abroad students were being mugged at least once a week with knives and guns. This happened late at night, on weekends, and even in the afternoon on weekdays while walking to school. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Breakfast, dinner, and housing was included in the program, but other necessities like toiletries and lunch were very expensive in this country. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I would estimate I spent about $50 a week, not including any trips or souvenirs. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Make sure you have a budget set in place for weekly allowances. Many students I know ran out of money the last two weeks in Costa Rica. For this program you should double the advised amount. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
The host families and most teachers only spoke Spanish. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 302 advanced spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Talk as much as possible even if you make lots of mistakes. |
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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| 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? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | I wish I would have known how hard it was to live with a host family and how much money a student really pays while abroad. |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
