Studying abroad with SOL in Costa Rica was everything I needed and more! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Overall, the academics at Universidad Latina are fantastic! Most of the professors for the SOL summer program do not speak English, which forces the students to utilize the Spanish we do know. Even though the professors do not speak English, it was very easy to communicate with them, and they truly care about your academic success while in Costa Rica. The program also provides you will all resources you will need for your course. They give you your textbook, and there are other resources on campus available to you. The classes are challenging, yet easy to handle. I was able to succeed academically and travel while abroad. Professors understand that it is also important for you to get the cultural experience of their country. In my two culture classes, I was able to learn a lot about the culture and language of Costa Rica.

On-site administration of your program

The SOL administration in Costa Rica is truly phenomenal. The head program director in charge of all the behind the scenes administrative work is nothing short of amazing. The program ran very smoothly, and there was always an answer for everything. She cared about each student and their experience in Costa Rica. If there was a problem, she would do everything in her power to fix it. During my 6 weeks in Costa Rica, the directors became my friends while teaching me about their country. Most of the directors are born and raised in Costa Rica, so they have a lot of insight and knowledge to share with the program participants. It is very evident that they are eager to share their love of their country with you. The SOL directors in Costa Rica are half the reason my trip was so amazing!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

During my 6 weeks in Costa Rica, I stayed with two different host families. One of the program directors saw that my first host family was not working out as well as hoped, so she asked me if I wanted to move families. The fact that I didn't have to request to move houses, and the director reached out to me speaks enormously about the way the program is ran. After the directos helped me get situated in a new home, I felt a lot more comfortable. While my first host family didn't work out for a few different reasons, my second host family was incredible! I felt at home, and knew I could ask my host mom for anything. I was able to fully feel a part of their family. I had my own room, and shared a bathroom with the two other exchange students living there. It was very nice to have my own space to relax in when I returned home. My favorite part of living with my host family was family dinner every night. Each night, we would share dinner together while conversing about our days. It was the perfect time to get to know my host family while learning more Spanish. Since my host family did not know any English, it forced me to use my knowledge of Spanish. While living with my host family, I was able to feel more comfortable with my conversational Spanish. Even if I did not know the correct vocabulary, I would struggle through it, and end up learning a few new words! Living with a host family was one of my favorite parts of the program.

I will go ahead and say that I am a picky eater, but I had no problem eating in Costa Rica. I was very open to trying new foods, and loved almost everything I tried. My host mom always made breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us, and I felt like I was right at home eating the dinner my mom had cooked. The big difference between food in the states and food in Costa Rica is you eat rice and beans everyday! I was pretty nervous about eating rice and beans all the time, but I actually loved it! Even though I ate rice and beans as a part of almost every meal, I did not get tired of it! While you do eat rice and beans a lot, it is not common for it to be the main course. Most of the time you have it as a side. I was able to really expand my pallet, and eat a lot of new foods I was not used to before. While that may be a stretch for some people, I really appreciated it! Now that I am back in the states, I eat a lot more variety of food, eat healthier, and find myself missing rice and beans. Overall, I LOVED the food in Costa Rica, and miss it every day!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Even though I was only there for 6 weeks, I felt very connected to the culture of Costa Rica. While my time there was short, I put myself out there, and tried to integrate myself as much as I could. Every Monday after class, we had conversation club where we would sit and talk with local Costa Rican students. I was able to learn a lot of colloquial language at conversation club, and it became one of my favorite parts of the week! I was also able to learn a lot of the local culture from my host family, and tico (Costa Rican) friends. Every weekend when I traveled, I did my best to talk to locals, and learn more about their country. When I felt most integrated was the weekend of August 2nd when I attended a local Catholic festival. It happens once a year in Costa Rica, and it is a huge deal! It is a day to celebrate their local patron saint, La Negrita. I am Catholic, so I was very excited for this day! People from all over the country gather in Cartago to share in their same beliefs. That day, i was able to meet so many new people, and I truly felt a part of their culture. I think if I would have stayed longer, I would have felt completely integrated and at home in the Costa Rican culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not get sick during my six weeks in Costa Rica, so I did not directly have to experience any healthcare, but my sister did. When my sister was feeling under the weather, one of our directors took her to the doctor. While the doctor visit was very different than one at home, the SOL director was able to make things go very smoothly. My sister was able to get some medicine, and got to feeling better very soon. The SOL directors in Costa Rica care about your health, and will do anything they can to help you feel your best. Also, if my host mom noticed we had a little cold, she would tell us what medicine we could go buy at the pharmacy at the convenient store. Health issues were a number one priority among our SOL directors, and were handled very well!

Safety can be a concern while walking the streets in Costa Rica, but it is only a main concern at night. During the day, I felt completely safe walking around the city. I lived in the city of Heredia, and had no problem with walking places. I did not encounter any unsafe situations, but I advise to always take a taxi at night. Just like any other city, it becomes a little more dangerous at night time. I would always take a taxi at night to ensure my safety. As long as you are smart and are aware of your surroundings, then there is not a great concern for safety. The SOL directors do a great job of explaining safety precautions to the students.

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

Living on a student's budget was fairly easy to do while abroad in Costa Rica. All meals were provided by my host family, so I did not have to spend money on food during the week, unless I wanted to. I spent about $100 a week, plus a little. Most of that money, however, went towards my weekend excursions where I had to pay for transportation, hostels, food, and fun. I also spent a little extra money on souvenirs, but that can easily be cut back for someone on a tighter budget.

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

5 - Our program directors encouraged us to speak the language everyday. Sometimes it was difficult to speak Spanish among my friends because we all share the same first langauge, english, but when we forced ourselves to speak Spanish to each other, we were able to learn so much more. Without the constant encouragement from our directors, it would have been more difficult to get in the habit of speaking Spanish. After about the first week, our directors would only speak Spanish to us, reminding us that it is important to try to speak the language every day.

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