Pura Vida is a Lifestyle Choice! Past Review
By Lauren Malagon (University of Houston) - abroad from 06/02/2018 to 06/23/2018 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I learned many new recipes, but mostly I learned about the culture. Costa Rica is the greenest country I have ever been in.
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. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The directors are amazing! Ask them anything and they will provide an answer. Most of them are tour guides and have a rich knowledge of history and culture. They really made the trip fun! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
My host family was very accommodating of my needs, though I had very few! My host mother cooked the most amazing meals, and taught me a few recipes! |
| * Food: |
Costa Rican food is delicious! Try as many things as possible! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Let's just say I will go home saying "pura vida!" to everyone! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Beware of the men in general. It seems you cannot even trust security guards. Also, be careful crossing the street, cars don't usually stop. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
SOL offered everything I needed in the most affordable package I could find! |
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 keep unnecessary items to a minimum, it is very doable. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | My host family cooked every single meal except 3, those were payed by students before or after excursions. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Bring items you need like shaving cream, makeup, soap, shampoo, those items are really expensive in Costa Rica. |
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? | 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? | Spanish Phonetics |
| 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? | Listen to music you like in Spanish, singing is literally practice. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | 0 |
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? | Tattoos are really expensive in Costa Rica. If you plan to get one, be prepared for the cost! |
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! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Latin American Civilization and Culture |
| Course Department: | Spanish |
| Instructor: | Liviette Obando Arce |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | The teacher set up a special field trip to the Museum of Popular Culture on our second to last day. She gave us multiple group projects instead of exams. Learning was fun! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
