The Most Amazing Experience of My Life Past Review
By Julia (Independent) - abroad from 07/30/2016 to 11/25/2016 with
Adelante: San Jose - Semester, Summer and Intern in San Jose
I gained so much more knowledge about different ways to think about life. Pura Vida is a real thing and it is a way of thinking that I will 100% bring back to the US with me. I feel so much more cultured.
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. |
I only took 2 months of Spanish classes to improve my Spanish here. My grades did not really matter though because I had already graduated before coming here. Classes were very easy for my level though, I was placed in a lower leve class and was not challenged at all. Teachers were amazing though! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Amazing, my on-site administration was at the University and everyone was super nice and helpful and challenged us to speak Spanish to them all the time. Luckily I never had any problems but I knew that if I did I could go to them with no problem. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Extremely statisfied with my housing, great food, culture and location, I lived with my friend whom I traveled with which is what we were looking for when signing up for a program in the beginning. Host mom was there when we needed her and we also had the freedom to do what we wanted. |
| * Food: |
The mama ticas are amazing cooks and the sodas are really yummy and cheap! |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
My friend and I met a lot of ticos because we traveled in small groups. I know a lot of other international students here that did not meet as many because they traveled in big groups. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I got bit by a stray cat while I was here but just went to the pharmacy for antibiotic cream because I was not really sure how to go to the clinic and did not want to pay the money because it is pretty expensive here. |
| * Safety: |
I felt very safe here because I treated it like any other big city. You have to always walk around aware and you will get cat called on the street but if you ignore it you will get used to it. I never had any safety issues and I probably pushed the limits a couple times but as long as you are aware of your surroundings you will be okay. It is okay to go out with your friends and drink but I would highly recommend not getting completely wasted because that is when you start to become unaware of your surroundings. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
It was cheaper than everyone else I talked to, I loved their connection with the school that I worked for and took classes with, and they kept in great contact with me throughout my stay. |
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) |
It is pretty expensive here. I would say similar to prices in the US. You come here thinking that you already have breakfast and dinner everyday so you wont spend that much money but when you get here you want to experience everything that Costa Rica has to offer which means spending money. Especially on the weekends, you go to the beaches and you have to pay for hostels and bus rides (which are very cheap) but then food and drinks. Weekend trips definitely add up. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $150 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save up a lot before you come here so that you do not feel as bad about spending money here. It took me a while to realize that I am only here once and that I need to be able to experience as much as I can while here which means spending money. |
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? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Minor in Spanish |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 10+ |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | When you come in a group it is really easy to speak english to them and everyone says dont do it but it is really hard so I am not going to say dont speak english to your friends. Instead my advice is to talk to your host family as much as possible, make friends with locals who only speak spanish, make converstation with your professors, strick up converstations with locals on the bus or at the store. It is really easy to practice your spanish here you just have to try. |
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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| 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? | I wish I would have done more research on the weather. BRING PANTS. When I thought about Costa Rica I thought it was going to be so hot all the time. I was here for their winter and all though it does not even compare to a winter in Ohio, I still wish I would have brought more than just 2 pairs of pants. Everyone wears them here and you stick out even more than you already do in shorts. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Outright UrbaniteA social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country. |
