Freaking awesome! Past Review

By (Elementary Education, Eastern Kentucky University) - abroad from 01/16/2016 to 04/23/2016 with

Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was more than worthwhile. I learned mores than just Spanish. I learned how tiny I am in this big world.

Review Photos

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Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was amazing!

* Food:

I had plenty of food to eat.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Kind of expensive.

* Safety:

I felt safe for the most part. I just got whistled at, honked at, stared at a lot by the men. They also say a lot of things in passing.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Sol was amazing. I learned a lot of Spanish, and we had some awesome field trips together.

Finances

* 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)

Super easy. I walked to class and back. My host family cooked for me three times a day.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I didn't have to spend any at all. Unless we had an excursion that meals weren't provided.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

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

They encouraged us to use only Spanish, all the time.

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? 202
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
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?
  • SOLmates
  • Excursions
  • Host family
* What could be improved?
  • I can't think of anything.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I was going to make awesome, life-long friends that were going to make a beautiful country even harder to leave.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The 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.