Take a deep breath, Pura Vida! Past Review
By Amanda D (Worcester State College) - abroad from 01/12/2013 to 04/27/2013 with
Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica
I gained personal growth and learned that life is worth living, not worrying so much about the time but appreciating what you have now and be present , be in the moment, because life will pass you by, therefore just go for it and live.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I really enjoyed the courses abroad,and the challenged that came along. If i had any trouble resources were always available to me. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
I loved Sol abroad and the director we had, she was fun and always there for us whenever needed. She was a great teacher too whenever we went on excursions. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was very satistisfied with my living arrangements. My host family was great and treated me like on of their own, i never felt out of place, my host mom became my best friend she was always there with good advice and open to conversation. We had some good laughs. |
| * Food: |
Food was awesome! Couldnt get enough of it! I love trying new things. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I am Latina, therefore i didnt feel so much out of place, i would sort of blend in, however when it came to conversation that was when i would be spotted out. The local culture was pretty different, many similarities but the campus life was so much different. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Always listen to your advisors, if they restrictyou from a certain location it is for a reason not because they want to ruin your fun. And never walk alone especially in the dark. |
| 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) |
It was quite difficult being on a budget, i would definetely save as much as you can before going abroad. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $100-200 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Save as much as you can, dont go crazy spending so much money the first month you are there because you still have a lot more time and a lot moreplaces to see and things to buy. Budget! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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? | Save money and budget! |
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 Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
