Costa Rica: A great place to learn Latin American culture Past Review
By Noell C (biology, University of Kentucky) - abroad from 07/12/2014 to 08/02/2014 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I improved my spanish and knowledge of Latin American culture. Definitely worthwhile.
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. |
I knew in advance that I was studying abroad therefore while abroad I would be expected to dedicated as much time to my academics as I would at home. That being said, my instructor was very friendly and flexible if the class expressed that we felt rushed or stressed. He did a great job of adjusting the course to suit our needs so that while we were in another country, we could experience the culture as well as take classes. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The program directors in Costa Rica were always available if we needed assistance, and they did an amazing job of exposing us to new things and helping us adjust to the Costa Rican culture. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was a little strange, but I think that the majority of my classmates were very satisfied with their living arrangements. My host family was just a bit intrusive and had not yet recovered from a tragedy in their family and had a hard time keeping that separate from the students they were housing. |
| * Food: |
Costa Rican food is a lot of beans and rice, but it is delicious beans and rice. This program provided a cooking class which was AWESOME so now I know how to cook said delicious beans and rice. My host family didn't prepare a lot of typical Costa Rican food and that made me sad. While my classmates were complaining that they ate beans and rice again, I was hoping that was what I would get to eat that night at dinner. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The Ticos (Costa Rican people) are so welcoming. I never felt like an outsider. From learning the dances, the food, the slang, to just a general knowledge of the region I was in, I feel like I gained a lot and I feel I assimilated well. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have an experience with healthcare so I can't review this properly. |
| * Safety: |
Heredia was safe and I never felt threatened. Typical safety advice is use common sense. Don't go out every night and drink until you can't stand up and you shouldn't encounter a problem. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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) |
Costa Rica is an expensive country due to the amount of ecotourism. Be prepared to spend more than you intended to. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $165/week |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | You can haggle with almost anyone selling things in the markets so those are the cheapest places for souvenirs. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
My directors spoke in spanish most of the time, which wasn't a problem for me because I know a lot of the language but for my friends who didn't know much spanish, it was very helpful because they were forced to pick it up. They improved so much over 3 weeks. |
| 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? | Advanced |
| 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? | Use the language even when it isn't necessary. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| 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? |
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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? | Always carry an umbrella/rain jacket in Costa Rica. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
