Unforgettable Past Review

By (Teacher Education, Specific Levels and Methods to MERGE 2, University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 06/02/2014 to 06/27/2014 with

University of Northern Iowa: San José - Semester in San José, Costa Rica (Veritas)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
More vocabulary and how to construct sentences better.

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.

It was a great experience living with a host family and attending school in a different country.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration at Veritas was very nice and cooperative.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was happy with my host family and they taught me so much while I was there.

* Food:

My host mom made extremely good food. I was never hungry when I was there, because the food came in such big portions.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt comfortable with the local culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any health issues while I was in Costa Rica.

* Safety:

I never felt unsafe while I was there. I would walk to school alone and was never worried about being in danger.

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

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)

I didn't really budget, I just spend what I wanted.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Each week I think I spent around $75
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get money out in big portions and put some in a safe at home because it cost extra money to get it out of the ATM.

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

We couldn't speak any language in our class or at home.

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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Intermediate 1
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? Take notes and ask many questions.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • 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?
  • Host family
  • Teacher
  • A new culture
* What could be improved?
  • Preparation
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? More vocabulary

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 Urbanite
A 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.