Sutainable Research in Costa Rica: Life Changing, Inspiring, Eye-Opening, and Amazing Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The program was wonderful. The professors were dedicated and very knowledgeable, the field work we did is very applicable, and the staff were easily accessible and enthusiastic. The grading system was very straightforward, and everything we learned can be applied to how we live our lives sustainably back home. I

On-site administration of your program

The services and staff at our program site were extremely accessible and if any students ever had concerns or difficulty with a task, we were able to get lots of support. The campus was open for exploration and there were so many great areas to study. In those four weeks, we got so much done in one single day, and it was really really rewarding for us to see that the field research we did was applied to protecting the rain forests in Costa Rica. We had 19 students in our program, and all the students were truly engaged in what we were learning and excited to spread environmental awareness and protect the natural world. In class, we were able to have educated discussions. Outside of class, students went out of their way to learn and share what they'd learned with one another. My expectations were 100% met, and I honestly recommend this program to anyone who is passionate about learning, excited to study in another country and be immersed in its culture, and eager to meet people who want to protect the environment.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The neighborhood was fairly safe and everyone was really friendly. I was able to practice my Spanish best when I went in to town, and most days students were able to go in to town, only about a 20 minute walk or 5 minute shuttle. Our program had shuttles in to town running at least once a day, and frequently our classes would go out either very locally or hours away to very safe environments. We did not need to buy items to settle in once we arrived, since the program provided us with a very thorough packing list about a month before our program started. One concern some students had with safety was that sometimes people's ipods, cell phones, and money went missing, but SFS provided everyone with a locker and lock and it was the students' responsibility to keep their belongings safe.

There were always vegetarian and vegan options, and the food was very very good quality. Almost all of it was local, and every day we got to eat fruit or drink juice from fruit grown on campus! We were welcome to go pick starfruit, mangos, oranges, etc., from anywhere on campus and make juice on our own. Students were welcome to leave campus to go dine in town every night, and there was always a shuttle running at 7pm for students who wanted to go eat or work or explore in town.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We were able to interact with locals every single day. There were several service experiences available for those who were interested, such as teaching local children about how to use a microscope and identify different species, sorting of public recycling, working on local coffee or banana plantations, meeting and playing games with local elderly people in retirement homes, and overall just cleaning up parks and local areas. Our program arranged for students to have several dance classes and soccer games with local college students. Beyond that, there were plenty of opportunities to meet locals and practice Spanish. Our program allowed us to use our free time any way we wanted to, which could include staying home, studying any one of the various hammocks around campus, going to a local or not-very-local market, taking a bus to a national park anywhere in Costa Rica, going on hikes or runs, eating, or taking art or dance classes in town. There is so much to do in Atenas, and if students wanted to go to San Jose or any other city in Costa Rica, we were granted full Sundays once a week to do whatever we pleased.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have any issues with health care or medical care, but any student who was sick or required medicine was quickly and carefully treated and everyone was taken care of by the campus nurse.

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

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• Dorm

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• Americans
• International Students
• Local Students

• Traveling to national parks across the country with my classes and learning about the biodiversity and native species
• The campus, location, food, culture, opportunities given to us by the program
• The dedication shown by professors and students

• Food sometimes got a little repetitious
• Offer more sources that students can use for research and resources (books, websites, libraries, etc.)
• Difficulty communicating with locals if a student hadn't already learned some Spanish--maybe have an Intro to Spanish class?