Costa Rica: A semester in paradise Past Review
By Salina H. (University of Tulsa) - abroad from 02/02/2017 to 06/17/2017 with
IFSA: Heredia - Universidad Nacional
I became fluent in Spanish, gained a lot of independence and maturity, and made memories that I will treasure for my whole life.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The university culture is quite different in Costa Rica than what I am used to. General Ed, Freshman-level courses were super easy but upper level courses were much more difficult. There is a lot of group work, which was at times challenging due to the language barrier and differing ideas of punctuality. The program provides tutors if you request one, which was a huge help to me and something I highly recommend taking advantage of! I ended up enjoying the majority of my classes, but I did have to adjust my expectations. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program administrators were very helpful and attentive to our needs! My only complaint was that there were a few instances where information could have been more effectively communicated. Overall, they were very dedicated to teaching us about Costa Rica and helping us make the most of study abroad. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I absolutely loved my host family! I had my own bedroom and bathroom, both of which were cleaned by the family. My family was incredibly welcoming and kind and truly made me feel at home. |
| * Food: |
The fruit is delicious! There are a lot of rice dishes and carbs in their diet. We didn't eat many vegetables, but salad was often served as a side. The food isn't typically spicy which I didn't know before coming (but I don't like spice so it was perfect!) |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was a little difficult to make friends with the locals at first, in part due to the language barrier but also because students in the same major have had just about every class together so groups are already formed. Later on in the semester as my Spanish improved it became easier to make friends, and some of them actually ended up having a little going away dinner for me! The program did a great job of teaching us about Costa Rican culture including holidays, music and dancing, food, traditional medicine, etc. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The only time I needed to see a doctor was when I slipped and fell in the rain and had a possible concussion. The program directors made me an appointment for the same evening and met me at the doctor's office to make sure everything ran smoothly. I had to pay out of pocket, but the health insurance mailed me a check within a few weeks. |
| * Safety: |
During the daytime I never felt unsafe. After dark, the program directors warned us against walking around alone and recommended that we use taxis or Uber. As far as I know, no one in my program actually had any issues and personal safety shouldn't be a concern as long as you listen to their cautions and have a good head on your shoulders. |
| 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) |
Program covered everything (food, lodging, etc.) I only had to pay for weekend excursions out of pocket. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep track of how much you are spending! |
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? | Advanced |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 3000 level Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Take advantage of every opportunity you have to speak the language! Watch TV in Spanish. I listened in on others' conversations in public to see how much I could pick up and learn some of the local slang. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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 stress too much about classes- the program will do everything in their power to help you get into the classes you need and then help you succeed! |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
