My First Study Abroad Past Review
By Amber Taurman-Miller (California State University - Fullerton) - abroad from 03/30/2019 to 04/07/2019 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I gained a lot of experience working with children, and learning to speak spanish
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. |
The work load was mostly before the trip and during the trip it was more execution. The work load was a nice pace and challenging but not impossible. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our SOL directors were very attentive and helpful during our week abroad. I really enjoyed having them accompany us. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I had my own room, with our roommate across the hall. Our host family kept the house very nice and were more than accommodating. They were welcoming, friendly, and happy to have us. |
| * Food: |
I loved all my meals in Cost Rica, I got a little overwhelmed mid week by the large amount of rice and beans we had, but I knew going in that it was expected. Our host mom was an excellent cook. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wish the cultural excursions were a bit more hands on and in-depth, BUT I had so much fun doing the daily activities. I loved the fruit tasting excursion! |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I did not have any health issues but my roommate had to go to the clinic. I had to accompany her because we were not supposed to walk alone and the clinic was fast and simple but it took walking to 3 different pharmacies in order to get her antibiotics. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe the whole week but I think this was because I followed the regulations and tips that we were told about before the tripe. One major tip I have was for future students to be extra aware of your surroundings when taking a taxi or walking anywhere, it is so easy to get lost, and in Costa Rica they do not have addresses like we do so a lot of directions are given by landmarks. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Once we made it to the country, everything went smoothly. I felt comfortable and safe, which lead to having a lot of fun. |
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) |
It was exciting being in a new country, so going out and paying for food and drinks on top of buying souvenirs was much more expensive than anticipated. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | About $350 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Try to plan out your spending on going out or souvenirs. The cost of taxis add up and going out is not very cheap. So if you budget ahead of time, the extra stuff may not seem as much. |
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? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | I only spoke english |
| 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? | Just try your best to immerse yourself in the language, and do not be embarrassed to practice and ask for help |
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 I knew that there was nothing to be so nervous and stressed out about. Everything was fun and relaxed and I wish I had felt that way before the trip. |
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 Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
