Learning that felt like a vaccation Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes at Universidad Latina are not hard, but you learn a lot because you get to practice the language in small group settings. I took 2 Spanish courses, and in both, the professors were very lenient about grading. This made it so that you didn't have to worry about your grades, and could focus on actually learning the language. The work load was really light, and my professors always told us what was going to be on the exams before we took them. The class sizes were small (my classes had 6-8 people in them), so there are plenty of chances to ask questions and practice speaking. However, the most valuable educational experience was the host family program. I learned the most just by speaking with my host family every day, and I attribute most of the Spanish language skills that I gained in Costa Rica to them.

On-site administration of your program

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

You live with a host family in Heredia, and for me, this was the most educational part of the program. They not only practiced Spanish with me every day, but also taught me a lot about Costa Rican culture just by talking about their lives, family, and friends. For the most part, the host families for the other students in the program were so warm and welcoming, and were always there to help and support us during our stay. The degree of participation that host families have in the students' lives varied by the family, but the positive feedback that I heard from the other students in the program far outweighed any complaints we might have had about our tica families.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Some host families took SOL students on outings to show them more of the local scene. I spent a good deal of time with other SOL students, but there are opportunities to meet ticos. Spending time with my host family taught me a lot about tico life.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

During the day, Heredia is very safe, but SOL students are advised not to walk around at night alone. Taking a taxi, or a bus if the stops are close to your location and destination, are your best bets at night. I always felt safe because I was with groups of people, and I didn't walk long distances alone at night.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Most of my money was spent on souvenirs when I traveled and food when I ate out or traveled. However, your host family provides all your food if you eat with them, so it is possible to spend less money on food. Traveling around the country is actually quite cheap. You can get from Heredia to a lot of fun places (Jaco, Monte Verde, etc.) for about $5, and the youth hostels that I stayed at were cheap as well.

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

The program directors frequently encouraged us to speak in Spanish, and would sometimes enforce Spanish conversation on our outings. While I spoke mostly English to the other people in the program, we often practiced Spanish conversation amongst ourselves. The classes were conducted almost completely in Spanish.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• The learning atmosphere was relaxed, but I was constantly immersed in Spanish, which dramatically improved my speaking skills
• The other students in the program were driven to learn Spanish and about Costa Rica, which motivated me to practice Spanish and travel around the country
• There were many opportunites to travel on the weekends

• There were some organized language exchanges with Costa Rican students at the university, but I wish that we had more. It would have been good to have more opportunities to meet ticos and practice Spanish/learn about Costa Rican culture.

The Avid Adventurer