Study Abroad in Costa Rica! Past Review
By Adele W (Spanish Language and Literature., Oklahoma State University - Stillwater) for
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
Studying abroad allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation for my education. I was given the opportunity to firsthand see the usefulness of knowing a second language. I would love to study abroad again and would not go through any other program.
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. |
All of the academics were very easy and laid back, with the exception of one professor, who we as a class requested because we were not learning anything from one of our professors. Like with most classes, you get out of it what you put in. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved everything about the program. The only downfall was one of the professor's that we had. Whenever our class expressed the issues we had with her, SOL and the university quickly found a replacement. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I never felt threatened while in my neighborhood. I lived about a ten minute walk from the university. My host family was great and provided everything that I needed. |
| * Food: |
You eat rice and beans everyday, along with eggs, different kinds of meat, vegetables, and fruit. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
All of the traveling we did was great. Through the program we went to Manuel Antonio, Poas Volcano, Nicaragua, Rafting, and La Fortuna waterfall and hotsprings. We also went to cooking classes that were a lot of fun, as well as tours of heredia and San Jose. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I only once felt threatened, and it was on a bus at night on my way to a dinner in San Jose. Some guy would not stop talking to me, and when I didn't reciprocate, he became angry and attempted to curse at me in English. We just stayed on the bus until he got off, then went to the next stop and took a cab the rest of the way. |
| 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? |
Everyday I spoke Spanish with my host family and in my Spanish class. As a group of exchange students, we would sometimes speak Spanish and sometimes English. Our director always spoke Spanish to us, then would translate if someone didn't understand. |
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? | I would definitely recommend this program to anyone. The academics are a good balance between not being overly strenuous, while still improving your Spanish. This program is structured in areas where it needs to be, while at the same time giving you the freedom to make the experience what you want it to be. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Civilization and Culture |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Nuria Padilla |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | This course was great, primarily because of the professor. Everyday we had class discussions that were thought provoking and involved everyone. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Karate |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | This was a class with locals. Overall, it was a good experience. It gave me a chance to meet and interact with Ticos from the school I was attending. The class itself was fairly easy, but did require work and on certain days a good amount of physical activity. Other days were primarily just lecture. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
History of Latin America |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | This course was also with locals. I didn't always understand what was being said in class but was still able to make an A. As long as you do your work you will make a good grade. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Avanced Spanish 2 |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | After being in this course for a few weeks, we requested a new professor. Our new professor was Nuria Padilla again, and she was great. Definitely one of the best Spanish teachers I've ever had. When the first professor was still teaching, I hated the class because she was boring and we didn't learn anything. So I would rate the first half of the class 1 star and the second half 5 stars. The new professor made all the difference. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Advanced Spanish 1 |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Luis Diego Marin |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | This was a very easy going course, but I learned a lot too. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
