Eye-Openning Past Review
By A student (University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 05/08/2012 to 05/22/2012 with
University of Northern Iowa: Traveling - UNI Capstone in Costa Rica
This trip was very worthwhile. From this experience, I grew as an individual. It opened my eyes to different cultures and environments.We were fully emerged into the culture and learned about the people. We got to do many adventurous activities such as snorkeling and repelling.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
This class requires a presentation before departure and a reflection paper after you get back from the trip. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Housing was very rustic but mostly comfortable. We stayed we host families in a rural village for four nights. Even though it was somewhat primitive, they families were very accommodating and made our stay enjoyable |
| * Food: |
Our food was all homemade by host families or by families that owned our lodges. Most food costs were included in the trip price and we did not have to pay during the trip. Most people liked all of the meals. Rice and beans are very common in Costa Rica |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
We were fully immersed into the culture. We lived with host families who could not speak English. We traveled to more secluded areas where there are not many tourists. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
There were not always medical facilities near by. We were often in secluded areas. We were not well informed about dangerous animals/insects, water/food safety, or overall health care in Costa Rica. |
| * Safety: |
I usually felt safe during this trip. We were always with someone from the group. However, we did not have a lot of information about the itinerary or daily event. We had to be very trusting in our guide and the locals. |
| 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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| * Was housing included in your program cost? | Yes |
| * Was food included in your program cost? | Yes |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Exchange dollars into calones as soon as you get into the country |
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? | High School Science |
| 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? | Brush up on your Spanish before you leave. Many people, including the host families, do not speak English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Know more Spanish |
