Living as a Local and Meeting a Ton of Amazing People!! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes weren't really beneficial to me, and the instruction that was provided was very vague and didn't go into much detail. My professors didn't speak English well, so they couldn't properly answer the students' questions. It was nice that they didn't make the classes too difficult though, because in my opinion it was more beneficial to learn the language through general conversation outside the classroom. I appreciated that not too much homework was assigned so that students could fully enjoy the education abroad experience.

On-site administration of your program

The on-site directors were friendly and helpful, but at times, they could be a little hard to find or lack direction for us. Overall though, they were all sweet people and did their best to make the experience fulfilling!

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was absolutely AMAZING! They did everything possible to make me feel welcomed and like a part of the family, and it was so rewarding to be able to live with them and truly experience their culture and way of life.

My host mom made delicious food and accommodated for my vegetarian diet. She gave my roommate and I whatever portion size we wanted and always cooked delicious food that made me fall in love with Costa Rica cooking.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My host family was the biggest factor that made me feel integrated with the locals. However, since there were so many other students from the US in the program, it was difficult to befriend locals and speak in Spanish rather than hang out with the other Americans, which made it more difficult to integrate with the local culture. That being said, as a pale white girl in a Spanish-speaking country, I am always going to stick out to some extent to the locals no matter what.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, so I can't comment too much about this. However, I didn't need vaccinations or anything prior to the trip.

I felt very safe in Heredia and the areas surrounding it, and I felt the directors and my host family did a great job warning us of potential dangers around the city.

I wouldn't trade the experiences I had or the people I met for anything. Although I wish I had become fluent in Spanish, I feel like I am almost there, and the experiences and people were even more important to me.

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

The first three weeks required minimal spending, but after those first three weeks, expenses added up very quickly. If we wanted to take weekend trips or do something after class, we had to pay for our own transportation, lodging, and food, which got to be very expensive.

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

Since the program was with so many other students from the United States, it was very difficult to talk to other Americans in Spanish. Not everyone was at the same level, and it's easy to try and stay in the comfort zone of English, which makes it even more difficult. We were not very encouraged in class or in general to use Spanish. However, in the home of our host family, we were forced to use the language because they only spoke Spanish, which was hugely beneficial to me.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

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• Americans
• Host Family

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• Local Students
• Americans

• Friends & Host Family
• Excursions & Cultural Activities
• Costa Rican Culture

• Program set-up after the first 3 weeks
• More activities in the sessions after the 3 weeks
• More integration of Spanish