Costa Rica is a beautiful and deeply fascinating country. Past Review
By Alex S (Biology, University of Alabama - Birmingham) for
ISA Study Abroad in San José, Costa Rica
I learned independence and improved my language ability.
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. |
I was much more "on my own" in the foreign university but it was very exciting and challenging. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They offered additional grammar lessons for those of us still struggling with the more complex intricacies of the language, which was very helpful. I would have liked if there were fewer people in the program, it felt like we were a LOT of people when we would go on trips, for instance. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I felt unsafe at times when I was walking alone, especially at night. But I loved our neighborhood and especially my host family. I wish there were more things to do in walking distance. |
| * Food: |
The food was delicious, plenty of restaurants right around the university! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Arenal was breathtaking! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I feel they could have improved the escort system to and from your home, especially at night. |
| 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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
Everyone encouraged Spanish instead of English. We spoke mostly Spanish, because not too many people knew English, except for the more Tourist areas. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | If you are seeking a challenge, study abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Medical Spanish II |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | It was extremely challenging; we did go on trips to local market for ex. to talk about homeopathy which was very interesting. The teacher was very nice but she expected a LOT from us, so much so that some of us got pretty upset at how hard she was being on us. I participated far more in this class than any others, due mostly to class size but also because it was expected of us to practice. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No. |
