ISA Study Abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica

In the three short months I was in this program, I had the time of my life and benefitted in different ways. One of my favorite memories was falling asleep in a rocking hammock, listening to the waves crash on the beach. It is the combination of all my memories that cause me not to want to change my experience for the world, but there is always some advice to be given! Be prepared to spend a little bit of money on taxis each week (bus routes are difficult to figure out at times and you cannot walk in the dark). Also eating out for lunch every day can get expensive, so I would buy cheap groceries for 1-2 weeks and make my own. You really won't wear shorts as often as you might think. At least my group wanted to fit in with the ticos/ticas as much as possible, and often times that meant wearing pants. Really integrate yourself with your family, local students, and ticos in the community--it will make the experience much richer! I made huge advancements in my Spanish-speaking skills because I took advantage of the immersion and necessity to use the language in daily life. I also gained new perspectives on life being in a completely different culture than I was used to, which made me more open-minded and has helped shaped who I am as a person today. Your experience truly is what you make it; seize every opportunity you can because time flies and you may never get the chance again!

I studied in San Jose, Costa Rica Fall 2013. I took intensive Spanish classes in the morning and electives in English in the afternoon. The university I attended was very small, which I liked, because it was easy to get around campus and I was able to meet people. On the weekends I was able to travel to the beach and other places like Monteverde. The ISA onsite staff is a great resource for ISA students. I had to go to the hospital while I was there and a staff member accompanied me to the hospital and made sure I was okay. There were also excursions that are included in the price of the programs that are really fun because you get to see the beautiful sites of the country as well as get to know the other students in your program.
As well as taking classes, I did an internship at a local children's hospital. It was an amazing opportunity because I was able to learn about the healthcare system and interact with the community. I am a Health Promotion and Education major so it was hard for me to find classes that transferred back to my major abroad. ALL of my classes went to my major requirements or general education credits. Overall, it was all that I wanted in a study abroad. I got to meet so many great people, learn about the culture and the Spanish language, and get credit for the experience!

I enjoyed every second of my experience in Costa Rica, and I think program and the staff had every bit to do with it. The family that ISA chose to put me with was fantastic, I still skype with them today. They wanted to be involved in my life and I even took dance classes with my mama, and she taught me how to cook traditional food.
The food was full of carbs, and I gained lots of weight, but it was delicious. Gallo Pinto, Platanos, Casados, everything that I was served or ordered out was always very traditional. It was so different to what I would eat at home, but never once was I homesick for American food; however, now I'm homesick for Costa Rican food! Their food uses a lot of meat, but also a lot of dishes that were chopped vegetables, and it would definitely be easy to be a vegetarian if that was desired.
The staff at ISA was wonderful, from when they picked us up at the airport to our very last goodbye. The director did not only want to be our director, but also wanted to be our friend. She held meetings with us to make sure everything was going okay, and any problem was immediately addressed. When we were in the office they would help us plan trips, with our homework, tell us the best places to go, or just hang out with us. The classes I took were challenging because they were all in Spanish, but not only were they challenging, I felt like I learned way more in these classes than I ever did in any Spanish class in America. Also, the school was very welcoming, everyone wanted to get to know the Americans. There was even a club made just for us, the "culture club" where students from the university got together to show us traditional things that Costa Rican's would do.
I was always worried before leaving to go abroad; going to a foreign country, with a foreign language, with no one that I knew. However, once I arrived there, I immediately bonded with people in the program, and realized that these would be great friends. Now looking back I know that every single person I went on this study abroad with will be my friend for life. The experiences we had together are to great to put into words. I wish that someone would have told me to relax before I leave, be less uptight, because I didn't have anything to worry about.
Bottom line, I would recommend this program over and over again to a friend. I got to live in a city and experience a life completely different to my normal one. I think this program made me a better person, and I take so much less for granted now. Also, I had the opportunity to travel to beaches that people go to for their honeymoons. Some of the sites that I saw were incredible! As soon as it was time to leave I wished that I had signed up for a year abroad. Even now I find myself wishing I was still there living the Pura Vida life.

My time in Costa Rica was amazing!! I worked hard (their school system can be kinda intense) but 3 1/2 day weekends on the Caribbean are amazing!!! It was harder re-adjusting to America when I got back than it was getting used to Costa Rica. Pura Vida is a way of life.

Packing: (SEP-DEC) Clothing – San Jose is damp, Caribbean is humid. Generally pack for AZ winter (sweater in the am, tank top after noon). jeans are good most nights, but cargos/breathable fabrics are better. Bring comfy shoes for walking!!!! Umbrella and waterproof purse/backpack are the best investments EVER. Sun screen and Bug Spray only needed outside of San Jose. Bring Peanut butter. It’s super expensive there, so bring some. You’ll miss it. Trust me.

Safety: Petty theft is a problem in Latin America, but nothing much worse than that. You probably don’t look Tico/Tica… so just be AWARE and be smart… Taxis are expensive BUT DO IT!! People I knew got robbed after dark! Get friends together and split it. Be cautious – roads are ridiculous and J-Walking is common law.
Food: Try the food!!!! Seriously!!! Pan integral with guyabana jelly. And ceviche – with enough hot sauce and mayo to turn it pink. So. Good. Gallo Pinto and Arroz con Pollo are obvious traditional favorites.

The Homestay Experience: It's fantastic. My "Mama Tica" was a wonderful woman (and an even better chef!), I really felt like a part of the family while I was there. She went out of her way to help me, and always had suggestions for things to do out on the town. I've studied Spanish for a long time, so I didn't struggle with that too much, but she worked with the other student who stayed with us(who had less Spanish) really well too.

Travel Advice: You’ll have enough time on busses to do homework (So don’t worry about it! ¡Pura Vida, Mae! :P) In addition to the ISA trips, be sure to hit the following: (1) Puerto Viejo, Limon on the Caribbean side for surfing and snorkeling – chill little surfer town (2) Playa Hermosa for shorter trips. It’s the closest NICE beach to San José. Just south of Jacó, which is really popular for some reason I don’t understand – it has painful rock beaches and dangerous surfing… (3) Montezuma for absolutely beautiful nature!! Waterfalls, forest – it’s surreal. (4) Chirrpó for a really cool & challenging hike – it’s one of the highest (if not THE highest) mountain in CR… (5) Also, try to hit one of the community-based ecotourism groups while you’re there. Ecotourism is HUGE in Costa Rica and this is the purest form! (I did field research on efficacy of ecotourism groups while I was there.)

General Advice: Yes, you’ll miss people back home, but don’t let it get in the way. Skype is FANTASTIC, but you shouldn’t be hooked up 24/7. That being said - live it up! Learn as much as you can, try as many things as you can, make as many friends as you can… Don’t pass up an opportunity; you might not get to go back.