Life-changing Time in Costa Rica Past Review
By Sarah G (International Leadership Studies, Marietta College) for
ISA Study Abroad in San José, Costa Rica
Yes, yes, yes. It's very difficult to truly explain how amazing your time aboard is and how much it changes you. I'm more confident, flexible, and culturally aware than I was before I went. My study aboard experience was completely worthwhile and so much more than I expected. I would go again in a heartbeat, and recommend studying aboard to everyone.
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. |
Workload: Personally, I thought I had a lot less homework while studying at Universidad Vertias than at my home college. However, the homework that you get from class isn't where most of my learning came from. What I learned came from the time in the classroom and meeting locals. Teaching methods: My professors in Costa Rica where much more informal and laid back than in the States. Class normally started with a 5-10 minute conversation about what we've done since we were last in class, and getting off topic in class wasn't a big deal. The professor would sometimes come in late, or even answer their phone in class. Be warned: Veritas has a fairly strict attendance policy. If you missed more than two classes, you'd definitely be in trouble. If you're going to miss class to travel, talk to your professors in advance and most of them are very understanding and accommodating. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The staff at the ISA Veritas office are absolutely fantastic. They're all native Costa Ricans, and are friendly and helpful. When I went, there were about 30 to 40 people at Veritas with ISA. However, Veritas has about 200 international students from various programs. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| 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 |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
For the first month, I had a Spanish class. I got a lot of practice from my class since there was only 8 students in the class. I also practiced a great deal with my host mother. No matter where you go or with what program, if you want to improve your language skills, do a homestay. Costa Ricans, or Ticos, are very friendly and are happy to hear that you're trying to learn Spanish. Many of them do speak English, but always try to speak to them in Spanish. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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