Greenheart Reviews

A Life-Changing Experience: My Costa Rica Program Review

My experience studying abroad in Costa Rica was truly unforgettable, and I am so grateful for the support and opportunities provided by my program. From the very beginning, the agency made sure I felt safe, supported, and prepared. They genuinely cared about my experience and my individual needs. Anytime I had a question or needed assistance, they were quick to respond and took action right away. Knowing I always had someone to reach out to gave both me and my family peace of mind throughout my time abroad.

Throughout my time abroad, I had countless opportunities to explore Costa Rica, both within the city where I lived and in other parts of the country. The program organized many cultural activities that allowed me to better understand Costa Rican traditions, meet new people, and practice my Spanish in real-life situations. Whether we were visiting beautiful beaches, exploring national parks, hiking to waterfalls, or learning about local customs, every experience helped me appreciate the country’s rich culture and natural beauty.

One of my favorite parts of living in Costa Rica was how comfortable and safe I felt in my city. I loved being able to walk to school, visit local cafés, browse shops, and simply enjoy everyday life. Walking through the city gave me the chance to observe the culture, interact with local people, and become more confident navigating a new environment. Over time, the city that once felt unfamiliar became a place that truly felt like home.

My host family was another incredible part of my journey. They were kind, welcoming, and made me feel like a member of their family from the very beginning. They included me in everyday activities like grocery shopping, family game nights, holiday celebrations, and spending time together at home. These simple moments became some of my favorite memories because they allowed me to experience authentic Costa Rican life beyond what any tourist could see.

Another highlight of my experience was the friendships I made. I met students from all over the world, each with different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Learning about their lives while sharing my own taught me just as much as living in Costa Rica itself. Many of these friendships became lifelong connections, and I am grateful for the global community I gained through this experience.

Perhaps the greatest gift this program gave me was personal growth. Living in another country challenged me to become more independent, adaptable, and confident. My Spanish improved every day because I was constantly surrounded by the language, and I learned to step outside of my comfort zone in ways I never imagined.

This program gave me unforgettable memories, lifelong friendships, and lessons that I will carry with me forever. I cannot thank the agency enough for creating such a supportive environment and making sure every student felt cared for throughout the experience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this program to anyone looking for a meaningful, immersive, and life-changing study abroad adventure.

Going to Saint Malo was one of the most memorable experience of my life. Everyday was packed with events and joy. Although it was just three weeks, I left Saint-Malo with incredible gifts in my heart - more confidence in speaking French, friends and a new family.

I was very lucky to have had such a supportive host family. She was very thoughtful and entertaining, and she was the one who supported me linguistically and mentally throughout the stay. She even introduced to me a game that I fell in love with called, “rummikub” which I bought for myself as soon as I get back home.
I met so many new friends from around the world, who I still stay in touch and FaceTime.
I cannot speak fluent French, which lead to so many miscommunications, but still as I spoke more, it naturally started to stick to my brain.

I had so many challenges, but looking back now, that all became a part of the amazing memories I have. I would highly recommend this program to any high schoolers who is eager to push themselves out of their comfort level to learn a language while having fun!

Before coming to Argentina, I was excited but also nervous. I knew that spending almost a year away from my family, friends, and everything familiar would be a huge challenge. However, this experience became one of the best and most important years of my life. Living in Argentina allowed me to improve my Spanish, experience a completely different culture, make lifelong friendships, and become much more independent. My host family and the people I met made me feel welcomed and gave me memories that I will never forget. There were difficult moments, especially being far away from home, but those challenges helped me grow as a person. I became more confident, adaptable, and appreciative of the people and opportunities in my life. I’m incredibly thankful to Greenheart Travel for helping make this experience possible and supporting me throughout my exchange. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to step outside their comfort zone, experience another culture, and have an adventure that can truly change their life.

My high school exchange year in Italy with Greenheart Travel was truly one of the best experiences of my life. From the very beginning, their team provided excellent guidance and support, making the application process and transition abroad much less stressful. Living with a host family, attending an Italian high school, and fully immersing myself in the culture helped me grow in confidence, independence, and adaptability. I built lifelong friendships, improved my Italian language skills, and created memories I will cherish forever. Whenever I had questions or needed assistance, Greenheart Travel was there to help. I highly recommend Greenheart Travel to anyone looking for an authentic, rewarding, and life-changing exchange experience abroad.

My academic year spent in Italy was full of different social scenes, new people and experiences, school, and culture. Learning the language at first seemed daunting, but once I got the hang of it, it was one of my favorite parts of day to day life. My host family was the perfect family to be placed with, and my city was the perfect mix of a larger community and smaller suburb. The support of Greenheart staff was great, they were kind and responded expertly, however my local area representative from BEC seemed not very patient and at times a bit patronizing. Overall, my experience was shaped majorly by the people I was surrounded by, and while there were difficult periods I was able to get through them with my host family, friends, and my family from home.

This summer, I was a participant in Greenheart's summer language camp in Alicante, Spain. The sign up process was very straightforward and I was provided with all of the necessary information to feel prepared for my trip. Additionally, the employees typically responded promptly to their emails which was helpful.The structure of the program was perfect for a student. We had 3 hours of Spanish language classes in the morning, one activity each day, and the rest of the time was ours to spend at the beach, with our host families, or hanging out with new friends. Overall, the experience was amazing and the city of Alicante was gorgeous and very walkable. As a student who has never solo traveled abroad before, the streamlined process and flexible schedule was perfect for me.

The program was amazing. I had many great experiences that helped me get fully immersed into the true spirit and culture of Spain. I loved the medieval history, Tabarca Island, and many other experiences I got to do. I made many friends and the program was absolutely amazing and worth it. My host mom was great and very sweet. She worked hard to make many meals and create a comfortable place for me to stay. My place was perfect for me and all my needs.

This is the first time I have ventured out by myself and left the country, which was a little scary at first but also thrilling and exciting. Leaving my home country, I knew culture was going to be different in Spain and it was, but I loved every second of it. Every culture difference I saw in Spain was awesome and interesting.

This trip has fundamentally changed me as a persona in every way possible, It has given me a amazing mindset, great physical and mental health, and a community to rely on across the world. With this experience you do things that you never thought were possible and you take that with you. You went across the world by yourself at such a young age, what else can you do? You learn to appreciate the little things, overcome obstacles and defy challenges greater than you ever thought imaginable. This is something I would recommend to everyone on all walks of like because it will benefit and re route your whole life.

This program was everything that I had hoped it would be and more. The food was delicious, the culture and history of Spain was magnificent, and my host family was super kind and accommodating. Madrid itself was also very clean, full of friendly people, and the safest city I have ever lived in. You don't receive much guidance from the program in regards to teaching, navigating the city, or making friends, but I was able to overcome most of these challenges myself or with the help of my host family after sometime. Would highly recommend this program if you are looking for a change of pace.

I had a fabulous summer studying abroad in Quebec City. I spent most of my days learning French with the most amazing teachers and classmates. I also greatly enjoyed my afternoon activity of horseback riding. Over the course of five weeks I made major progress in my French speaking, listening and comprehension. It was a phenomenal experience to push me to become more independent; learning to take the bus everyday, especially in French was a difficult but more than rewarding experience. Overall I am so grateful to have gotten this opportunity to study abroad and I would recommend it to anyone!