If you have the opportunity to study with Sol take it! Past Review
By Mary D (Nursing., Lynchburg College) - abroad from 06/21/2014 to 08/02/2014 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I gained just about everything you could get from a study abroad. My knowledge of spanish grew tremendously, I experienced the culture from a Tico household, my perspective on other cultures is more open-minded, my character developed into someone a bit more adventurous, street-smart, and able to grow with change rather than run from it. It was definitely a worthwhile experience. My advice is just take it all in and learn everything you can - you may never be here or get an opportunity like this again. Take advantage of every opportunity that is given to you!
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | None |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I definitely learned a lot from my classes and they were a safe, constructive place to ask questions and have discussions with my professor and the other students who spoke at the same level as me. The professors make time outside of class to work with you if you feel you need it and incorporate different styles of learning. The one downfall to the classes is that there tends to be a lot of repeat information from one level to the next, but that can be good depending on if you need the review. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The administrators were very helpful! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved my host family! |
| * Food: |
My Mama Tica is a good cook and she always gave us plenty to eat! Even when I went on weekend trips with other Sol students she always packed me snacks because she worried that I would not have enough to eat. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
One of my favorite ways that we were integrated was in my first class that I took, every Thursday we had an intercambio activity, which meant that our class of Americans trying to learn Spanish went to a class of Ticos (Costa Ricans) who were trying to learn English. First we would do in an activity in spanish with them, and then it would switch to an activity in english. Those were enriching experiences, and I wish we would have had even more of those types of things. But I think the main way that a student feels integrated is by having a good relationship with the host family. Because of my host family I got to experience a lot that someone just visiting would never get to do. For example, on my last night in Costa Rica I spent the entire night walking from San Jose to Cartago with my host sister with 2 million other people in an annual religious tradition of walking to the cathedral in Cartago. That was one of my best experiences I never would have been able to take part in that, much less have known about it, without my host family. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues except for at the beginning when I had stomach sickness and a lot of anxiety/homesickness. But my director (Jessenia), the other students in my program, and my host family were all very diligent in looking after me and letting me know that I was supported. |
| * Safety: |
A perk to using Sol is that the program is located in Heredia as opposed to San Jose where many other programs are located. Heredia is a smaller and safer city than San Jose so I felt safe walking and running there on my own. |
| 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) |
4 - How you spend your money is all very up to your own money management. Sol recommended that a student have $100 a week. I was there for 6 weeks and I spent $560 of my own money. With this amount of money I could still travel every free weekend we had (3 free weekends) with friends and buy souvenirs. I kept track of my money and made sure not to spend on little things and saved where I could. It is just crucial that you keep track of your money and manage it well and you will be fine. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | <$100. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Keep track of what you are spending on and do not buy a lot of little stuff that you will probably just throw away later because all of that really adds up. Instead, choose what you want to do or want to buy most and spend a little more on fewer (but better) activities and items. |
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 |
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| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Intermediate |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 201 |
| 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? | Talk with your host family a lot! They are the best way for you to learn. Also, it will be easy to speak english with your peers but make an effort to speak spanish with them instead because you can help each other. |
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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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? | It might be a really difficult adjustment at first, because any type of change, even good change, is stressful and temporarily moving to another country is a huge change! It will be a step out of the comfort zone, but think about it. As another Sol student and I discussed, freeing yourself from your comfort zone is the only way to learn, to grow, and to be a part of something bigger than yourself. |
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 AdventurerThe 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. |
