Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Conservation and Adventure in the Jungles of Costa Rica Past Review

By (Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of New Hampshire) - abroad from 01/27/2017 to 04/27/2017 with

Round River Conservation Studies: Costa Rica – The Osa Peninsula

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This program gave me valuable experience in fieldwork as well as a deeper understanding of how conservation can be put into practice by combining research, community involvement, and government leadership.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We camped in a few different locations, most of which were fairly nice and included bathrooms and showers but the conditions depended on where we were staying.

* Food:

We bought groceries together and cooked for ourselves most of the time.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I feel like I really got a sense for the culture and some of the politics of the region. We also got to meet and interact with a lot of local people and my Spanish language abilities were greatly increased over the course of the trip

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Instructors were well prepared to handle safety risks associated with the program.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I got a lot of hands-on experience through this program that I don't think I could have gotten anywhere else, and I loved the focus that the program had on being a part of the local conservation community.

Finances

* 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)

I spent very little money during the semester, since food was paid for by Round River most of the time. Most of the money the students spent was on going out to eat and buying souvenirs and ice cream.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about $40

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

We stayed with local people and interacted with the a lot. The instructors spoke Spanish and could translate for us but there were always opportunities to speak Spanish with local people and learn from them, as well as from instructors.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
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? AP Spanish
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? Ask instructors questions and try to hold your own conversations with Spanish speakers as much as possible

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The amazing wildlife we saw every day
  • Interacting with local people
  • My instructors and classmates
* What could be improved?
  • Seeing more of how our research projects will be implemented in future conservation strategies
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish that we had a little more instruction on where to get good rubber boots since we wore them 90% of the time

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 Adventurer
The 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.