Sol Abroad High School Program in Costa Rica

Don’t hold yourself back!

I was so excited to go on this trip; however, I remember being nervous about how I would talk with my host family since my Spanish was not very good. It ultimately didn’t matter though because everyone, whether it was my host family or teachers, helped me stumble through my sentences. My roommate and I laughed at each other because we both struggled with speaking Spanish, but we helped each other piece together words to communicate with those around us.

Don’t be intimidated to try to talk to the local people because they are so kind and understanding— plus speaking out loud is the best way to get more comfortable with the language! Just embrace every moment and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way on your trip!

I participated in the program in Costa Rica, so during the week, my roommate and I would wake up and eat breakfast with our host family before getting dressed and ready for class at the Atesa language school. Then, we would usually coordinate with some of our other friends on the trip to walk to the school together.

Classes began around 8:00 and lasted until noon, with a snack break in between. We ate lunch with our family and hung out with our friends for the afternoon. For dinner, we would eat in town or with our family.

Sometimes, during the week, we would have super fun cultural activities, such as making empanadas or taking dance classes. On weekends, we went on excursions which were always really exciting! We went zip lining one weekend and to Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio another weekend.

My biggest fear was probably not being able to communicate with my host family and locals because, as I said before, my Spanish was not the best!

I was initially worried I would be the worst speaker on the trip, but everyone I was with spoke varying amounts of Spanish, so we all worked with each other to piece together our words. The environment at Atesa and with the other students was so down to earth that I just learned to laugh at myself and not take things too seriously, especially when I had to practically play charades to relay whatever it was I wanted to say!

It may be nice for some people to know that, during the trip, we took taxis to and from the town, simply because walking there took around 20 minutes and wasn’t as convenient. The rides were no more than 5 minutes and we always rode in a group. The program directors taught us how to use the taxis when giving us a tour of Atenas. I never felt unsafe at any point; however, I know some people may feel uncomfortable with this aspect. This being said, walking is still an option, so don’t let this one factor prevent you from participating in this program!

Overall, this program was truly life-changing and really helped me improve my Spanish skills immensely. The excursions I went on, the experiences I had, and the people I met made such an impact on me— I wouldn’t trade my time abroad for anything. The only thing I would have done differently would have been to extend my stay, or find out about this program well before my senior year of high school!

Once I heard of a student who fell in love with his host sister, but he was very young when he was participating in the Program. He returned years later and married her. Now they live in the United States and they plan to come to live in Costa Rica in a not too distant future.

I am also happy to hear from students who are now great professionals not only in the United States but in other countries.

Argentina. I love dancing, reading, theater, and I know that Buenos Aires is a city full of cultural shows, full of small coffee shops in every corner where you can read a book quietly, even though it is a big city. Also, the cuisine of that beautiful country; that is one of the things that I like the most when I travel: try foods that I don't have in my country.

How personable we are. The best thing about Sol Abroad is the quality of service that we offer, as well as having a team that is available 24/7. Our goal is to guarantee a very personalized experience.

It is also a very complete program with the perfect combination of cultural activities, language learning, volunteer work, and fun!

A good team. We have all been working together for many years now - the onsite directors, the HQ team in Austin, the teachers at the language school, the homestays, etc. We are able to quickly work together to solve any problems that arise, and that's when a good team matters most!

We know we can all trust each other to get the job done and ensure a wonderful program for the participants. And keep your parents happy!