Tell me more:
Costa Rica changed my life
API (Academic Programs International): San Joaquin de Flores - Instituto San Joaquin De Flores
Program Information
The Instituto San Joaquín de Flores affords students in both semester and summer programs the ability to take courses taught by Costa Rican faculty from local universities. Semester students also have the option to enroll in some classes with Costa Rican students at the Universidad Interamericana. All coursewo... More
| Provider: | Academic Programs International (API) |
| Location(s): | San Joaquin de Flores, Costa Rica |
| Year Founded: | 1997 |
| Website | Take me there! |
Review By:
ashley a. (psychology, ) on August 19, 2010
Overall Rating
Personal Information
| * Start Date: | 2010-05-16 |
| * End Date: | 2010-07-02 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
teaching methods were easier because they were directed towards foreigners |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
very accessible. helped with all predeparture paperwork. small program size, expectations were met. |
| * Housing: |
safe, close to school, did not need to buy any items, i was treated as a family member. |
| * Food: |
food met my expectations. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
weekend trips with other students made everyone really close. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
two students were mugged by gun point in the early evening. it was necessary to be careful during the night . |
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* Home Institution Advising:
How well did your university prepare and support you for your time abroad? |
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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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Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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| Language acquisition improvement? |
with my host family and professors. yes every day. most people did 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?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same program? | Yes |
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | adventurous, outgoing, outdoorsy. |
| * What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile? | it was worthwhile. i gained the ability of putting my self in an unfamiliar situation with unfamiliar people and having the confidence to live and learn happily. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Introd. de análisis cultural |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Carlos Naranjo Gutiérrez |
| Instruction Language: | spanish |
| Comments: | it was challenging because lectures were in spanish, field trips to museums. teacher was knowledgeable. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | n/a |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Conversación |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Lucía Alvarado |
| Instruction Language: | Spanish |
| Comments: | it was challenging because you had to think on top of your feet in spanish. no field trips. Teacher was knowledgeable. I participated more because there were less students. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | n/a |