Sol Education Abroad - Faculty Led Programs

I greatly enjoyed my time in Costa Rica traveling with Sol Education Abroad. Our program itinerary included the perfect combination of service, tourism, and cultural immersion. I loved staying with a host family as it was an experience that gave me a glimpse into the every day lives of the locals, as well as an opportunity to use and improve my spanish! Our tour guide, Leydi, was absolutely phenomenal! She was very knowledgable and experienced, and her presence made the trip even more enjoyable! I can't wait to return to the beautiful country of Costa Rica!

I really enjoyed my time abroad in Costa Rica! SOL Education provided me with all the necessary resources prior to traveling. My host family was very welcoming and always made sure that we were taken care of. I am typically a picky eater, but stepped out of my comfort zone to try some new foods and I was not disappointed! The excursions were a lot of fun as well! Kidtopia camp is a great program and really allowed to me engage with the students and learn more about Costa Rican culture. The directors were phenomenal and made the experience fun and welcoming!!

Our University guided study abroad trip to look us to Here, Costa Rica for the second winter in a row. I have such success in the initial trip that 4 of my students returned for a second visit. We ran a day camp in Heredia as part of our service to the community. Students really enjoyed the homestay portion of this experience and the location could not be better, affording students the opportunity to explore their neighborhoods independently. A great trip!After camp each day, students engaged in various cultural activities around the country, allowing them to get a richer experience of the culture and landscape.

This was truly an amazing experience. From working with the people at SOL, to working with kids and taking tours. I feel like even in a short amount of time you get to learn so much about the culture of Costa Rica while also doing good with the service learning aspect. The staff really helps you feel welcome and safe and they take care of you. Living in home stays with host families truly makes the experience one I’ll never forget. My mamatica took great care of me and even with the language barrier we communicated well!

My experience abroad was unique because we stayed with host families and were fully immersed into their culture. Whether you spoke Spanish or not, you were forced to try and communicate to everyone. Although we were not there for academic credits, we learned something new everyday whether it was something about their culture or how to say something in their language. I think future participants need to go with an open mind and be ready for any activity that comes your way. My favorite part about this trip was being able to build relationships with not only other people from Costa Rica but also classmates that I never would've met if it wasn't for this trip.

I've led a total of 4 study abroad programs. This was the first with Sol Education Abroad, and it has been --hands down-- the best experience I've had. From the moment we exited the terminal area at Barajas airport in Spain to walking us to the security check point at the airport on our way home, the SOL staff was attentive, friendly, accessible round the clock, and couldn't have done more to make sure we had a great experience. They were knowledgeable and relatable to our students, warm and with a sense of humor, both Rocío and Marcell outdid themselves as they went out of their way to enhance our experience. We were sad to say goodbye to them, and I genuinely feel that they felt the same way when we parted ways. I would recommend, without reservations, working with Sol to anyone looking for a caring and attentive study abroad program provider.

The program was excellent. Classes, excursions and activities were well organized. Yeyo is a wonderful host. He is very cooperative and knowledgeable guide. He is very professional and very dedicated to the group. In the future I'd like a program at least two weeks to have more time to interact with locals. Our program was only a week and it was a little overwhelming and exhausting. Historic places and sites visited gave a complimentary understanding of cultures, peoples and customs of indigenous ethnics groups living in the area. A wonderful place to do educational programs. Families are well selected and students had a great experience learning from residents. Oaxaca has an outstanding food, and entertainment.I recommend to go to this program.

I had a wonderful time in Costa Rica! I believe it had everything to do with the people involved. My host mother, Janiva, and Leydi were welcoming and made sure that we were comfortable. They were kind, flexible, considerate, and patient. They worked very hard to make sure we would have an enjoyable time.

Before coming to Costa Rica, I was worried about what to eat because I have to eat gluten free. While in Costa Rica Janiva, Leydi, and my host mother made sure that my food was gluten free.

My Spanish knowledge was very limited, but everyone I interacted with was patient with me. By the end of the trip I was able to learn a lot! I was very grateful to have a host mother that knew English because I barely knew Spanish coming into the trip. My host mother was able to communicate with me while helping me learn Spanish. She also was loving which made it so I did not feel homesick at any point! I had a wonderful experience and I am grateful to the people that made it possible!