Past Review
By Kristina M (Journalism., New Mexico State University) for
Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI): Flamingo Beach - CPI Language Center
My study abroad experience was definitely worhtwhile. I enjoyed it a lot. I was very glad I did it the way I did, because I spent two weeks in Heredia where the focus was on learning Spanish fluently and there was no way around speaking Spanish nearly everywhere I went. Then, I went to MonteVerde, where the focus was still on learning Spanish but also on adventure. I finished my 4-week program in Flamingo for one week, where I was able to unwind, relax, and experience the beach for the first time. The people in Costa Rica were wonderful, as were the administrators at each CPI site in Costa Rica. I was very glad I chose this program. I learned a lot and overall enjoyed the experience.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | New Mexico State University |
| The term and year this program took place: | Summer 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academic program here was still very good, but being that it's on the beach, there is a little less focus on academics. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administration at CPI Flamingo was very helpful. When I nearly missed my flight because I thought it was on a different day, the ladies in the office helped me book transportation right away and helped calm me down. The Activites Director was a little less involved than at the other campuses, but overall, the administration was nice and helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family in Flamingo was very nice. They were a little more "Americanized" than my other families had been, so if you really want to experience the culture of Costa Rica, I would recommend staying at the other sites for a longer period of time, because Flamingo is more of a tourist attraction, but the beach is beautiful, and the families are very nice. I felt very safe there overall, and my host family's house was very close to all four beaches as well as the nightlife. |
| * Food: |
The food was very good overall, but it was more "American" than in my other host families as well. I had cereal for breakfast and they ate beef and drank soda, whereas my other host families in Heredia and MonteVerde did not. The food was still very good, but it was less authentic. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Flamingo is definitely the place for socializing. Meeting classmates at the beach after class and going on the boat trip, having a bondfire on the beach, or swimming to one of the little islands were all fun activities. Lady's Night is the most popular and talked about event of each week. It takes place on Wednesdays, so just be prepared for your host family or the CPI staff to mention it a few times, because most of the students go there. Just be careful about walking back late at night, and try to walk in a group. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I felt fairly safe throughout the program. Just be careful about walking on the beach by yourself, especially at night, and be careful when walking along the road, because the people there tend to drive fairly crazily. I recommend bringing basic medicines with you,such as cold medicines and pain killer, because it's easier, and I didn't see anywhere you would buy these types of things while I was in Flamingo. Bring sunscreen, because chances are that you WILL get sunburned while you are there if you are not wearing it, and sunburns in Flamingo seem much worse than in the states, especially because of all the water around. Come prepared with lots of sunscreen. The school has aloe vera and treatments for burns as well. |
| 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) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The ATM in Flamingo is very close to the school and to Flamingo Beach. It feels very good, because of the air conditioning! Be careful wtih your money at Flamingo Beach, because things in Flamingo are a bit more expensive than in other parts of the country because it's more of a tourist town. Activities such as surfing or boating can get very expensive, and it's probably a better idea to try to ask your host family if they have access to such things or if they know anyone in town who offers such activities for a cheaper price. |
Language
| Language acquisition improvement? |
My Spanish-speaking skills did improve as a result of this program, but not as much as at the other campuses, because I didn't take the concerstation course at Flamingo, and more of the locals in Flaningo speak English because it is more of a tourist town. |
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you plant to study abroad in Costa Rica for more than two weeks, I would recommend going to Flamingo at the end of your program, and for only a week. Flamingo is a wonderful place with beautiful beaches that are worth visiting, but if you are going to learn Spanish and to get sulturally enriched, you don't want to spen a whole lot of time at Flamingo, because in Flamingo the focus is more on partying and going to the beach than ons tudying and learning Spanish. |
