Arcos Learning Abroad

Arcos Learning Abroad Reviews

Brittney
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Oaxaca Medical Mission Trip Janurary 2025

Recently came back from my second trip to Oaxaca, Mexico for a medical mission trip where my graduate school paired up with another university to create a 4-day medical clinic where we offered preventive care, medications, physical therapy, and home health services to a local village of Oaxaca. ARCOS is a phenomenal team of individuals that work together to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences!! Absolutely would work with Ena and Dani Aguilar along with Antonio and Paulina again!! I cannot wait to embark on further adventures with the ARCOS team <3

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Chapulines also known as grasshoppers!!! Oaxacan cuisine is known for them and you can find them in many dishes.
Pros
  • The ARCOS team
  • The location
  • Feeling of safety in the city
What other participants should know
  • NONE
Theresa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Costa Rica - Winter 2025

Loved this trip - it was a real immersion in Costa Rican hospitality and a great introduction to the businesses and business climate there.

Our tour guide was great, and the weather (supposed to be dry season) was funny. We experienced a lot of rain, but luckily, it wasn't cold. We saw a lot, learned a lot, ate a lot, and laughed a lot.

Our tour guide was so knowledgeable about her country - we got a great history lesson, learned a lot about the flora and fauna from her, and got to experience so much of Costa Rica. It was great.

What was your funniest moment?
Tie between zip-lining and horseback riding.
Zip-lining was so much fun, and the guides were excellent.
Horseback riding at the Los Lagos resort was hilarious - some of the group had never ridden a horse before, and we all had a lot of laughs.
Pros
  • tour guide Andrea was awesome (so was our bus driver Marlon) - she shared her love of the nature and the history of her home country, and she was fun, kind and a joy to be around
  • living with the families gave us a real taste for the every day lives of the Costa Rican people
  • the business tours were eye-opening and very informative
What other participants should know
  • didn't love drive from Jacos to Heredia on a Sunday evening between Christmas and New Year's - horrible traffic and long drive when we were so tired from flight the day before
  • didn't love LONG layovers in Mexico city airport - those were brutal
  • least favorite lecture was one totally in Spanish - even with the translator (who was very nice) it was hard to follow
Zachary
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Trip to Oaxaca, Mexico

I had an excellent experience in Oaxaca, Mexico working with this team! Ena, her daughter Dani, and Antonio were particularly great to work with and have on our team. They helped us administer medical care to a local town at one of the schools. Their knowledge of the area, kindness, and translation assistance were particularly helpful. Our medical missions trip truly would not have been possible without them. I hope to be able to work with them again in the future, and I would highly recommend their team to others.

Dominique
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

2025 Students Without Borders (SWOB) Trip to Oaxaca, Mexico

I had an incredible experience with Students Without Borders on their trip to Oaxaca, Mexico! The program was well-organized, educational, and immersive. I experienced the local culture firsthand, from vibrant markets to rich traditions and beautiful landscapes. The team was supportive, making me feel like I was truly contributing while learning so much. It was the perfect balance of learning, serving, adventure, and meaningful travel. Highly recommend this Arcos for anyone looking for an unforgettable experience!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
A Lucha Libre wrestling match at Arena Oaxaca!
Shirley
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Mexico

I had a wonderful time and I would go again if I could. Working with the people of Oaxaca was great. They were all very grateful for us to be there. It was a great experience and I recommend it to anyone else wanting to do a humanitarian trip. Working with my classmates to aid in the help of others was a very rewarding experience and taught me the joys of being able to offer help to people who are less fortunate. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is looking for a way to give back to others.

Grayson
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Grayson Heilman

I absolutely loved my time in Spain! My host family was amazing and I had so much fun there! I wish I could have spent more time there taking more classes! I loved my teacher, he was so fun and really patient with me! My host mom was so nice to me and made literally the best food I have ever had. She was so helpful with everything I asked for. Her food was so good, and carefully thought out. I learned so much and I really had a big fear of my Dyslexia making it not a good idea to study abroad. However, The teachers were so helpful and kind to me! This is why I had such a good experience.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
When I first meet my host mom, and she did not speak ANY English. I knew that I could either have a good attitude, and learn a bunch, or I could have a bad attitude and not learn as much. I tried to learn as much as I could as a Dyslexic and had the time of my life doing it! 10 out of 10, the program is great!
Pros
  • teachers are willing to teach
  • they have a really good attitude about everything and are really helpful!
  • Host family's are so nice
What other participants should know
  • A new experience is always scary.
  • Fear of language barrier
  • My Dyslexia, and the teachers not understanding.
Fely
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Oaxaca

Oaxaca was magical from the people to the food everything was full of color and gret energy. It was a super educational and exciting experience. Arcos provided us with two of their best guides Eva and Paulina, they made everything extra special we felt safe at all times and Paulina went above and beyond to make sure we were doing well at all times. Our students who stayed with host families had nothing but great things to report of the host parents for sure it was a great trip. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in experience the richness Oaxaca has to offer.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Grasshopper
Pros
  • Safety
  • Friendliness
  • Educational
What other participants should know
  • Heat
  • Walking distances
  • Rain
Monica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Arcos summer 2024

I loved this program the directors weren’t afraid to show their personality while also being professional. It really made me and the group more comfortable during our stay. The excursions were very fun, we were always with at least one directors during the excursions and they made sure we were safe and having fun. The homestays gave amazing care. They all cared very much about the well-being of the students. I would say the only thing I didn’t like was the timing of the activities, it felt that there was barely any time to rest.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Ate crickets!
Pros
  • Beautiful walkable city
  • Friendly staff
  • Fun activities
What other participants should know
  • Packed schedule
  • Not many people in classes
  • Mosquitoes
Jade
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Living and Learning in Buenos Aires: A Journey I’ll Never Forget

The program I attended in Buenos Aires, Argentina was a dream come true! I had always wanted to travel to South America and being able to receive credits needed for my degree while visiting a bucket list destination could not have been more perfect! Having homestays made the program even more memorable. My host mother was absolutely wonderful and I still talk to her to this day! Over the course of the program I improved my Spanish, grew in my understanding and appreciation of Argentine culture, and made friends for life. I truly could not recommend a program through Arcos enough.

What was your funniest moment?
One day during the program we had a Tango class and after class for some reason decided to get Chinese food. We found a tiny little place that had maybe 8 tables total. We walked in and were given a table, it took 40 mins for the waiter to come take our order, the restaurant was frigid and then it took and hour and 20 mins for me and one of my friends to get our soup and another 45 mins for our other friend to get his chicken. He then bite into said chicken and immediately spat it out saying “that’s just bone” his girlfriend tried a piece and chomped straight into a bone, it was literally a plate of fried bones. It was genuinely so funny. While this could have been a bad experience it was so insane that it has become something our friend group still laughs about. This was just one of many memorable moments shared on the program!
Pros
  • Amazing culture and activities
  • Fabulous homestays
  • Constant support and feeling of safety upheld by program leaders
Molly
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Costa Rica Spring 2024

The program was great and offers a good base for exploring the country. However, you must challenge yourself to interact with locals and form connections there. This will be a great trip if you explore on your own in addition to what the program offers. Overall, it was fun and rewarding trip. I had an incredible host family, especially host sister who welcomed me with open arms. I was so lucky that she showed me many parts of Costa Rica that I would have never seen without a close connection to her. Costa Rica felt incredibly safe and was a great place to learn Spanish.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Planning my own trip using public transport on busses for the first time was scary, but so worth it! Try taking the bus and go new places, just don’t go alone if you’re nervous. I went all over, with my furthest bus ride taking 7 hours!
Pros
  • Location
  • Biodiversity (volcanoes, rainforest, beach, waterfall)
  • Host family
What other participants should know
  • Hard to befriend locals unless through your host family
  • Not challenging courseload
  • We were not allowed to visit the Caribbean coast