everything fell so perfectly into place for me! Past Review
By bridget V (Hometown, Truman State University) - abroad from 07/06/2015 to 08/14/2015 with
College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS): San Jose - Universidad Veritas
I gained lifelong friends, a love for spanish language, a tico family and a love for travel.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were pretty helpful. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I LOVED my host family, I am so lucky to have been placed with them! We still keep in touch! |
| * Food: |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
This is kinda up to you and what you make of your time there. You can be involved if you look and put the effort in! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I didn't feel unsafe at all in Costa Rica, I was smart about going out though. Before I left for the summer I had googled San Jose and was a little nervous before I left but don't freak yourself out! Just be smart about things! |
| 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? | I'm not sure? |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try not to eat out all the time and I wasn't big on buying a ton of Souvenirs, Pictures were worth so much more to me! |
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? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I had taken spanish for 2 years in highschool but I was never that good and lost it all. |
| 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? | Just talk to locals! Seriously, where ever I went I always struck up a conversation with someone in spanish even if it was just asking them for their advice on the best thing on the menu or talking about their family. Be confident and take initiative! |
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? | Don't be afraid to talk to locals at the university. It might be akward at first but it is so worth it! |
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. |
