Living with the Ticos and Nicas Past Review
By A student (Spanush, Sociology double, St. Mary's College of Maryland) - abroad from 01/26/2013 to 05/04/2013 with
Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS): San José - Social Justice and Development Internship
I gained an appreciation for and an understanding of an alternative lifestyle. I improved my language skills.
Review Photos
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. |
The class taught in the afternoon on sustainability was very rigorous and introduced us to many topics I had never studied in my time as a Spanish? Soc double major. We had homework nearly every night for the 4 week long class. The class was taught in English and guest lectures were translated as well. The Spanish classes were individually tailored to the student's needs and the 'class' sizes ranged from 1 to 5 people. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
ICADS did a great job of communicating with students before and during their time abroad. There were many people we could talk to that knew the answers and they were easily accessible. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved living with a host family, especially in Costa Rica where I was matched with a host family based on my preferences. However, in Nicaragua I was placed with a family randomly. Both families took really good care of me, however one family treated me more like a member of the family and the other treated me more like a boarder. It is important to remember that these are professional host families and have had many students come through their houses. I had my own room in all locations. Internet was not necessarily provided in the homes but was accessible in the communities. |
| * Food: |
I LOVED IT!!! I only wish they had taught me how to cook. It was alot of fried food, but absolutely delicious. They eat more eggs and beans for protein. There was not alot of meat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt like being culturally integrated has alot to do with how much effort you put into inserting yourself into the culture. Having a host family helps you learn about the customs of the country and the current events. However, I did not get as integrated as I would have liked. 3 months seems like a very long time, but it really isn't. Not in terms of changing your cultural behavior and developing lasting relationships with the natives. However, I do feel that I gained an appreciation and better understanding of their culture AND mine. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I used the private medical system in Nicaragua. It was easy to access and very affordable (20$ for 1 appt). I also had an ultrasound performed. My doctors were very professional, but had different diagnostic standards than in the US. They were quick to diagnose without performing many tests. I had a good experience overall. ICADS helped me find all my appts and my supervisor went with me. I needed some vaccines before I went and brought malaria pills with me. I however did not need to and didn't take the malaria pills in San Jose or Nicaragua. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe in San Jose. As a white girl I went running by myself a few times. The biggest issue in San Jose was the crazy drivers. I felt less comfortable walking and running by myself in Nicaragua due to the Machismo present, but I did walk the more occupied parts of the city myself and was fine. I got 'piropos' or cat calls, but I was never in a dangerous situation. A few people got sick in Nicaragua, but I never had an issue with the food or water situation. Nicaragua was a lot safer than I thought it would be. |
| 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 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
We had to buy lunch for 6 weeks in Costa Rica which was just as pricey if not more so than the United States. I would probably spent 120-200 a week on food in Costa R. Lunch was provided during my 8 week internship and Nicaragua was very cheap. The few things I had to buy were cheaper than the states. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | Costa Rica 120-200$ per week Nicaragua 25$ per week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Have a budget and then convert it into your local currency. It is very easy to spend money and not know how much American money 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 |
I wish the classes had been taught in Spanish because I am an advanced Spanish Student. However, many students wouldn't have kept up. That being said, they encouraged us to Spanish as much as possible espcially in the city and our host families. |
| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Spanish 360 |
| 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? | RELAX!!! You WILL make mistakes. It will be embarrassing, but the people you talk to will appreciate that you are trying to communicate. Embrace the mistake making part of the learning process. Using the language as much as possible and letting people know that they can gently correct you go a long way. Finally, having a friend that is also a non native speaker to practice with can help you practice without the pressure of having to communicate and not make 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? | The experience is what you choose to make it. Go in with an open mind and few expectations. I also wish I had traveled internally a little more. |
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! |
