Living as a Local and Meeting a Ton of Amazing People!! Past Review

By (University of Kentucky) - abroad from 05/12/2018 to 06/23/2018 with

Study Abroad Programs in Costa Rica

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was definitely worthwhile to me to study abroad. Not only did I expand my knowledge of Spanish, but I also gained super valuable insight on Costa Rican culture, slang, and way of life. The excursions and friends I made were also very important to me and made the trips so much more fulfilling.

Review Photos

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Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes weren't really beneficial to me, and the instruction that was provided was very vague and didn't go into much detail. My professors didn't speak English well, so they couldn't properly answer the students' questions. It was nice that they didn't make the classes too difficult though, because in my opinion it was more beneficial to learn the language through general conversation outside the classroom. I appreciated that not too much homework was assigned so that students could fully enjoy the education abroad experience.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The on-site directors were friendly and helpful, but at times, they could be a little hard to find or lack direction for us. Overall though, they were all sweet people and did their best to make the experience fulfilling!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was absolutely AMAZING! They did everything possible to make me feel welcomed and like a part of the family, and it was so rewarding to be able to live with them and truly experience their culture and way of life.

* Food:

My host mom made delicious food and accommodated for my vegetarian diet. She gave my roommate and I whatever portion size we wanted and always cooked delicious food that made me fall in love with Costa Rica cooking.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My host family was the biggest factor that made me feel integrated with the locals. However, since there were so many other students from the US in the program, it was difficult to befriend locals and speak in Spanish rather than hang out with the other Americans, which made it more difficult to integrate with the local culture. That being said, as a pale white girl in a Spanish-speaking country, I am always going to stick out to some extent to the locals no matter what.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues, so I can't comment too much about this. However, I didn't need vaccinations or anything prior to the trip.

* Safety:

I felt very safe in Heredia and the areas surrounding it, and I felt the directors and my host family did a great job warning us of potential dangers around the city.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

I wouldn't trade the experiences I had or the people I met for anything. Although I wish I had become fluent in Spanish, I feel like I am almost there, and the experiences and people were even more important to me.

Finances

* 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)

The first three weeks required minimal spending, but after those first three weeks, expenses added up very quickly. If we wanted to take weekend trips or do something after class, we had to pay for our own transportation, lodging, and food, which got to be very expensive.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? My biggest piece of advice would be to take advantage of the host family's meals, which are three times a day. These are free and save a huge amount of money on food.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Since the program was with so many other students from the United States, it was very difficult to talk to other Americans in Spanish. Not everyone was at the same level, and it's easy to try and stay in the comfort zone of English, which makes it even more difficult. We were not very encouraged in class or in general to use Spanish. However, in the home of our host family, we were forced to use the language because they only spoke Spanish, which was hugely beneficial to me.

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? Completed 5 semesters of college Spanish
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? My advice would be to travel with as few English-speakers as possible and to make as many local friends as possible. By doing this, you'll be forced to immerse yourself in the language, which is the most effective way to learn Spanish quickly.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
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?
  • Friends & Host Family
  • Excursions & Cultural Activities
  • Costa Rican Culture
* What could be improved?
  • Program set-up after the first 3 weeks
  • More activities in the sessions after the 3 weeks
  • More integration of Spanish
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how many Americans were going to be on the program so that I knew that if I wanted to practice my Spanish and be truly integrated, I would have to make more local friends.