Sol Education in Costa Rica - Pura Vida Past Review
By Tristan Lockwood (Carnegie Mellon University) - abroad from 01/15/2016 to 04/23/2016 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I learned to really step outside of my personal comfort zone, especially when it came to traveling and interacting with new people. I gained invaluable friendships with people who have great life stories that taught me a a lot about the world. Everything about my time abroad was 100% 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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
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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? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
This program was amazing, and I really enjoyed the parts of the program in which we got to learn about sustainable living and eco-friendliness because that is something special about the Costa Rican culture. The directors are amazing and passionate people that will set the program up so that you can enjoy the experience as much as possible. You will go on unique trips and will have experiences that will expose you to a level of the local culture that you could never tap into with normal tourism. The relatively low price of the program combined with the rich experiences that you will have makes this program, without a doubt, the best one that I could have chosen in my mind. This experience has taught how much I love being outdoors in nature and being adventurous and traveling. It has helped my sense of adventure and made me ok with the unknown, and the adventures that i have learned to have here will become part of my every day life. Accept adventure, take on risks, and don't be afraid of the unknown and experiences that will stretch your boundaries. |
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) |
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| 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? | Find cheap hostels when traveling and bring your own food when you travel |
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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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? | I wish that I had a better sense of the places that were good to travel to on the weekends. It took me a few weeks to figure out which locations were accessible, touristy, quiet, etc. |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
