Jungle living, field studying, immersive study abroad Past Review
By Esther Daranciang (Westminster College, UT) - abroad from 01/27/2017 to 04/21/2017 with
Round River Conservation Studies: Costa Rica – The Osa Peninsula
So much field experience, between plants, mammals and birds. All skills that my future employers are looking for
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. |
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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? |
We stayed in a variety of places and peoples homes which always kept it interesting! Most nights were in tents which is always great |
| * Food: |
Fruit fruit fruit!! Accommodating for my gluten intolerance was not that difficult. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Health issues were handled seriously |
| * Safety: |
Never felt unsafe |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
Living in such a small group allowed us to go many places and move more effectively |
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) |
Almost everything is covered besides extra desserts/drinks/souvenirs |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | ~$10 |
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 |
Language is not a focus, but plenty of opportunities to use Spanish if you wanted to. We also stayed with four different families who had varying levels of English ability so we had opportunities to work on our communication skills. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Beginner |
| 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? | Spanish IV in college |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | 0 |
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? | Humidity is very very real, tight clothes are not made for the Osa. Spend money on your binoculars because they will be your best friend. Comfortable rain boots are also crucial |
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 Avid AdventurerThe wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal. |
