Pura Vida Past Review
By Jessica Rodriguez (Trinity University) - abroad from 05/23/2016 to 07/01/2016 with
Centro Linguistico Conversa: Santa Ana - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
I have a totally new outlook on life. I love speaking Spanish now. I learned so much about how to communicate with complete strangers and how to become more independent. I intend to go to Conversa again in a few years when my Spanish gets rusty.
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. |
It's not easy to learn a language any way you slice it, but Conversa administrators will place you in whatever level you're most comfortable. You take a test at the very beginning to determine your existing Spanish level, but this is subject to change depending on how fast you learn. They won't let you struggle, but they also won't let you get board. KEEP THE CONVERSA TEXTBOOK (it's outstanding). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators work with your individual needs. They care about how comfortable you are in your classes AND with your host family/adjustment to Costa Rican life. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I didn't have a strong connection with my host family like some of the other students. |
| * Food: |
Lots of beans and rice. Don't expect Mexican food. Costa Rica has its own food (and its own culture) separate from other South American countries. I liked it, but to each is own. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I feel like if my host family would have taken me out more I would have been more integrated. At the beginning, I spent a lot of time in my host house. Towards the end of my trip, however, I was very comfortable with walking all over Santa Ana and any other Costa Rican city I visited. Travel every weekend. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I was incredibly sick for the first two weeks of my six week program. It was terrible. But the administrators at Conversa treated me like I was their own child. They took me to several clinics to see several doctors, and they almost never left my side. My parents couldn't come down to help me so I don't know what I would have done without Conversa. |
| * Safety: |
I am a white, 19 year old female. I definitely stood out in a crowd no matter where I went, but I never went anywhere alone. It's very common for men on the street to cat-call, or even follow you home. Use common sense. Make sure you always have at least one other person with you, let your host family know when you're getting home, don't look visibly lost, and NEVER get too drunk (it's considered rude and will upset your host family). Use common sense. The night life is just like any large city in the US, except the dominant language is not English. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Conversa knows how to teach a language. They have got it down! |
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) |
If you want to travel every weekend, you're looking at about $150-$200 for travel, hotel, entertainment (zip lining, surfing, etc.) and food. Save up, it's worth it. Also, try the local food. The burgers/american knock off food is really bad. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $10-$50 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Wait to buy your souvenirs until the very end. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3 years of public high school Spanish- couldn't speak a word |
| 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 with your host family. |
Direct Enrollment/Exchange
| * Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? | Exchange |
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 should have switched host families at the beginning when I first knew I wasn't connecting with mine. I would have learned a lot more conversation if I was more comfortable. Conversa could have switched me really easily but I didn't want to be a burden. |
