Te extraño, Centroamérica Past Review
By A student (Psychology, St. Mary's College of Maryland) - abroad from 08/29/2015 to 12/05/2015 with
Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS): San José - Social Justice and Development Internship
I learned so much about Latin America, specifically Costa Rica and Nicaragua, and the way that I as a U.S. citizen affect people living here. I was able to make connections with material from previous courses in Spanish, sociology, political science, religious studies, psychology, biology, environmental science, and much more. The internship allowed me to combine my knowledge and opinions about social justice in Latin America with my academic and career interests. My Spanish ability increased a lot and my goal now is to keep immersing myself in the language until I am fluent. Traveling was challenging and study abroad involved many sacrifices,, but it was so worthwhile and eye-opening. Part of the internship program involves thinking a lot about your reasons for working/volunteering in another country (which can be helpful or harmful), so I will have that in mind during my next travel adventures.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I was very impressed with the academics at ICADS. I was challenged but not overwhelmed by the work, and the material was very interdisciplinary and relevant to our homestays, internships, field studies, etc. The Spanish teachers are all amazing and really helpful. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
ICADS does a really good job communicating before and during the semester abroad so that you know what is going on. Orientation taught us a lot of important travel, safety, and etiquette rules. I always knew who to go to with questions or concerns about my host family, internship selection process, health problems, financial issues, or anything else. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I loved doing a homestay - it was such a great way to learn the language and be immersed in the culture. During the first block, it was great living in the same neighborhood as other ICADS students and having friends to walk to class with in the mornings or go out with on the weekends. My host family during the second block was not quite as amazing and perfect as my first one, but I was able to communicate some of the concerns I had with ICADS and it worked out in the end. |
| * Food: |
I was able to stick to a vegetarian diet. My second host family looked out for me a lot in terms of food safety, which can be tricky for tourists in the area where I was living. I loved the fresh fruit and juices and actually never got tired of rice and beans. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I have been on other study abroad programs, and ICADS did by far the best job at helping me integrate myself with the local culture, to the point that I experienced a lot of reverse culture shock coming home. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
The staff are very caring and helpful when students are sick are injured. They were very organized in communicating with us before we left about medications and need for health care, including therapy/counseling. |
| * Safety: |
San Jose is not known for being the safest city, but I felt very secure with the advice given to me by the program and by my host family. The only thing that made me feel unsafe once in a while was the street harrassment, which gets pretty bad. ICADS does a great job giving students independence without putting them in daner. |
| 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) |
San Jose was pretty expensive, and the weekend trips that many students took during Block I used up a lot of spending money. Food and transportation in Nicaragua and at most internship sites is a lot cheaper. I spent about $500, but I only went on one weekend trip and budgeted very carefully with food, and I also don't drink. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $35 |
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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | ILCS 202 |
| 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? | Watch Netflix in Spanish with captions if you need them, listen to music in Spanish, speak Spanish with your friends (especially native speakers), use apps like Duolingo |
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 had known more about the Spanish department at school, because I would have signed up for more classes during course registration and turned my minor into a major! |
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 Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
