SFS Costa Rica: Amazing nature and great research opportunities Past Review
By Radost S (Environmental Science., Barnard College) for
The School for Field Studies / SFS: Costa Rica – Ecological Resilience Studies
I gained field work experience.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was manageable although the first 2 months were packed with classes and activities and we had little time to ourselves. The grading was fair and the tests were very hard. The teaching was very hands on, which i found very valuable. There was a lot more time spend in class and less homework as opposed to american institutions where there is little time spend in lecture and a lot doing homework (at least that's my experience). |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
We were treated like children almost and every minute of the program was planned. We had limited personal freedom but the sacrifice was worth because we traveled and saw most of Costa Rica and because we were more or less taken care of. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
We were well fed! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We had some community outreach programs and also a language exchange program with students out age who were learning English. This enabled us to meet locals and later hang out on our own with the Costa Ricans who were our age. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Atenas is very very safe and the program is almost too cautious when they don't need to be. You need typhoid and flu vaccines. There is malaria in the country but the risk is very low as far as I know. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Costa Rica is definitely cheaper than NYC. No surprises there. Bring enough money for spring break and weekends away when you will need to pay for your own food. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Advanced |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I didn't get to practice my Spanish much. We had a Spanish class but otherwise we were in an American bubble with limited interactions with the locals. Of course, it was what you make out of it. A lot of people spoke English and everyone was very helpful so you can get around with limited Spanish. I did not use Spanish in every day interactions. I had just a weekend home stay. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | People, who know that they want to study environmental science and who are looking for professional guidance (future ideas for a career in the field) should definitely consider this program. If you like to travel and hike and don't mind that you want be immersed in Costa Rican culture should consider this. |
