I miss Costa Rica! Past Review
By moore1sadie . (University of Houston) - abroad from 12/26/2014 to 01/31/2015 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I have the urge to travel even more. It definitely opened my eyes.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
Do not expect a blow off class. They expect for participation and the actual use of the language. Basically, they want you to practice the use of Spanish. Furthermore, I learned so much in my Latin American Civilization & Culture class. I'm happy that I took it. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
They were courteous and available for any concerns or questions. They really cared for our well-being in Costa Rica. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Having a host family is the best part of studying abroad. Their house becomes your home in a short few weeks. I promise you will miss them. |
| * Food: |
Although my host mom was an amazing cook, I got tired of Costa Rican food. Get used to rice and beans. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I didn't have any health issues during this trip. |
| * Safety: |
Heredia is very safe. I didn't feel threatened at all nor did I have any problems with locals. |
| 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) |
If you spend $100 a week, you will be fine. It's possible to spend even less, however, you may want to eat out or go out at night with your Sol mates. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Buy souvenirs during the last week of your trip, unless the souvenir you want is unique and hard to find. The center of Heredia has certain goods way cheaper than San Jose. Look around first. |
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 |
They want you to use it in class, on excursions and with locals. My host mother didn't know English so Spanish was a necessity. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I finished Speech in Spanish. |
| 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? | Practice and don't be afraid to make mistakes. |
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? | Bring Lotion! |
