SFS Costa Rica was an amazing learning experience- I can't wait to go back! Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The workload was fairly challenging, but definitely manageable. It was somewhat similar to my courses at Dickinson College in terms of the rigor of the information, but the classes took place over a much shorter time period and therefore moved much more quickly. There was less work assigned for outside of class. The courses were all very hands on and informative. There was significant overlap in the classes in a positive way, making it easy to make connections between each course. The hands on work and extensive field trips were instrumental in helping me apply the knowledge from the classroom.

On-site administration of your program

The program is very structured and there is little opportunity for individual freedom in terms of choosing your daily routine or activities. On the other hand, the program does a fabulous job of planning trips and excursions for the whole group that are lots of fun and also fit in with the classes. The program moves very quickly. The professors and staff are wonderful, welcoming and knowledgeable, and the Atenas community is a lovely place to live and explore. There are multiple opportunities to do short, independent travel trips throughout Costa Rica and the long midterm break is great for traveling as well. My expectations were met and more.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We lived in a dorm in rooms with 4-5 roommates, and slept in bunk beds. We had communal bathrooms and all our meals were taken in a separate dining hall. Our classroom was in the same building as our rooms and common room, and the computer and small library. It was nice to be on a small campus and the area was beautiful, including the pool! Great place to live. Sometimes it was a pain living in such close proximity with all the other 35 students, but it wasn't a problem overall.

Delicious food. Veganism isn't really possible but vegetarianism absolutely is. I loved the food!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Our trip to Nicaragua was one of the highlights of the trip, in which we compared what we studied in Costa Rica to another country in Central America. Our interactions with the local community through our homestays and the dinner we hosted for all the families were fabulous. We also did outreach projects in the community and met with local kids to teach them about the environment. There was plenty to do on weekends and lots of fun things to do with friends. I enjoyed the relaxed social atmosphere, but it was definitely not a program with tons of time for partying (there is a curfew, etc.) That being said, we went out in Atenas fairly frequently and were able to explore the night life of different areas on breaks. It was a great social experience.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Atenas felt very safe to us and SFS was very conscious of safety at all times- never once did I feel unsafe. When I got sick, my program director helped me immediately and was there for me the whole time.

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

All of the courses were done in English, but staff and community members were helpful for practicing Spanish. I would have liked to improve more, but there was a Spanish class that helped a little with that. We also had a weekend-long homestay with a Costa Rican family in Atenas that was very helpful for practicing Spanish.

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• Dorm

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• Americans

• Coursework
• Community living
• Excursions

• Intensity of scheduling and pace of program