I can't wait to go back! Past Review

By A student (MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS., Stephen F. Austin State University) - abroad from 08/04/2014 to 08/17/2014 with

Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA): Traveling - Cross-Cultural Learning, Costa Rica

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

It was completely worth it a hundred times over. I learned so much about how I am capable of adapting to new places, learning quickly and enjoying every minute of every experience. It was all about living in the moment, and that was something I was able to bring home with me; "Pura Vida!"

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

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?
* Food:	Just eat the casado, it will be good everytime! Venturing from that is a gamble.
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?	I felt very integrated and excited to be in such a new environment and learning so much everyday.
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:	I felt safe the whole time because I listened to my professor's advice about safety everywhere we went. Do that and you won't have problems. Although I felt safe, I had to be alert as instructed to be about certain areas that were known for being dangerous.
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes

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 had a lot of help from my parents and I did not have any income other than my financial aid.
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week?	$600 per week includes food, hotels, transportation, souvenirs, National Park fees, and other adventures.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants?	Create an easy budget for the whole trip. To do so, since you will be carrying several hundred dollars in cash at a time, split up your cash in envelopes that are labeled for their purpose (i.e. food, transportation, etc.) and keep those in your money belt. If you tend to stress over money, doing this will relieve all of your worry about overspending and will guarantee that you will have what you need when you need it.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Hotel Hostel
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Everything the language immersion the people of all different cultures
* What could be improved?	I think it would have been good to stress the importance of our evening class time a little more before the trip. Sometimes it felt a little unproductive.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	I wish I had thought to separate my money into labeled envelopes in order to keep my budget so that I didn't have to stress about money at all. I didn't think of it until we were on our way home.

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 Linguist You 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!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Cross Cultural Learning-Study Abroad Program (Summer II)
Course Department:	Secondary Education
Instructor:	Neill Armstrong
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	There is one Final Exam and a Video/Photography Project to document the trip along with your own daily Journal of activities, impressions, and experiences.
Credit Transfer Issues:	I did not have any trouble receiving credit for the course. I also received a scholarship for part of the cost of the trip which was very helpful and was transferred directly into my student account.