Sol Education Abroad: personal and catered to fit you Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was very do-able. You were in a class of only Sol Study Abroad students so classes were small and consisted of anywhere from 1-6 people. This gave us very direct information and lots of one-on-one with our teachers. They provide you with a bound spiral of notes especially created for your class that you are able to take back with you and I still use. For one of my courses we did very hands on things like use a recipe and make a salad in class to learn vocabulary. The teachers were very informative and also fun and approachable.

On-site administration of your program

This program was phenomenal. My first session there were 18, second was maybe around 30. Sol has an office in the University and they are very easily accessed there. You could also email at any time of the day and recieve a ready response. Before I left my mom had concerns and she was able to talk with an advisor for my program that day without going through headquarters, etc. The small feel in the program provides for so much flexibility and they really cater it to you. If the group showed more interest in a soccer game than seeing a show, they changed the reservation. They also made sure we knew around the city, how to use the buses, how to exchange money, etc. so that we could take full advantage of the country. Very well thought out and so personable.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The host families were INCREDIBLE. I still facebook with my family, snail mail, etc. Every student fell in love with their family and there was such a good relationship there. My house was a 5 minutes walk from the University, 10 from the mall and other stores. It was a wonderful addition to my stay and I wouldn't do it any other way.

They will accommodate with any dietary needs necessary. I ate like a king the whole time I was there while your tica moms cook for you all the time. The food was wonderful.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Our first week there they took us into town and to a market place. They gave us a sheet of paper with a name of a fruit on it and some colones (local money) they told us to go find the fruit, buy as much as we could and bring it back. Afterwards we all met up and tried all the local fruits. It was the little things like this that makes Sol so special. There were large excursions we did as well that were great.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

You need to take a taxi at night to be safe but they are very very cheap and run by the country so they are safe. I never felt unsafe.

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

This was great! I practiced language with other students, teachers, my host family and Sol Education advisors. The advisors encourage you to speak in Spanish the whole time and only go to English if it is an important matter that needs clarification.

Select all that apply

• Host Family

Select all that apply

• Host Family

• the personality/flexibility of the program
• the safety/organization
• the volunteering opportunities

• If you only stay for 1 session (3 weeks) you don't have any free weekends