Arcos Learning Abroad - Study Abroad in Costa Rica

I have never experienced such a warm welcome from a program. The minute I got into my designated country, I felt safe. My first interaction with Arcos was a hug from one of the program directors, and it set the feeling for the entire month I was there. My host family was the nicest, and even when I got sick, the program directors were there to support me and help me get back on my feet. I learned far more during my time abroad than several of my college terms combined. Every trip to another area was deeply educational and very fun. Even if I never get the chance to travel again, I'll be happy to know I spent a month with probably the best learning abroad program available.

I studied abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica in June/July 2026. I took two Spanish courses at Universidad Politécnica Internacional, as well as having the opportunity to go on different excursions and cultural activities. This was genuinely the best month of my life, and I fell so deeply in love with this country. My host family, the Arcos directors, and my professors were all such lovely people who helped me to have the best experience possible. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity, and I'm already planning on visiting Costa Rica again whenever I have the chance.

The staff was supportive and friendly, and I definitely felt safe and heard by them.

As a fourth-year student at the University of Illinois Chicago, I have prioritized discovering what interests me as I broaden my intellect through the opportunities I participate in and learn from. My resume showcases my drive to be in communities and engage in them to foster positive change. I have been a mentor in my college’s Peer Mentoring Program, participated in acclaimed programs like APA Future Leaders in Psychiatry, was selected as a student to represent my college in a panel with the governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, and have experience as an intern in organizations like W. Clement & Jessie Stone Foundation. Such roles have helped me learn how to work with others, be a leader, cultivate solutions to problems that may arise, and work with a diverse range of people.

Arcos is an amazing organization with wonderful directors! The directors, Angelica and Sergio in Costa Rica were so helpful and kind. They both were with us every day during our two week study abroad in Heredia. They helped us in any way possible and were so generous! I truly appreciate all the activities that were planned for our group and I. They both were so excited and proud to teach us about the culture, language, and foods of Costa Rica. This entire experience was 10/10! I hope everyone gets to experience this at least once.

I wanted to explore, and since I already knew Spanish, learning a new dialect while also learning medical terminology was a lot of fun. The clinical visits were amazing. I am grateful that I got a chance to learn a variety of material regarding physical therapy and healthcare in Spanish in general. This program made me want to go back and possibly get a degree or even live there, since I had such a wonderful time. The people were probably the nicest, and I do not know why, but some of the best people I have ever met. You could be a stranger, and they would treat you like family, which is amazing.

I stayed with a couple whose children had already moved out and one other girl from my university. It was amazing, I got to meet the family, stay in a regular home, and was able to walk right over to the local university. The host family was super kind, understanding, and accepting and loved to chat and teach, especially since my spanish could use some work at times, but they were always patient and helped me through a difficult moment. some parts were a little awkward or embarrassing but nothing that wrecked anything, just language, culture, and a change in environment make things funky sometimes. The classes were fun and mostly covering culture, food, history, and the environment. I loved seeing all of the cool museums, markets, and cities, it felt cool to immerse myself in a new environment but in a more controlled way so it didnt feel frightening or confusing. the fun activities were amazing, ziplining, cooking, dancing, tours, and so much nature. my personal favorite things were La Fortuna, a coffee tour, and a cooking class. The staff was also amazing and so fun and supportive, they were with us all the time ready to chat, teach, Crack jokes, and help if needed. I will treasure the memories forever and it was truly an amazing experience.

My experience with this program was absolutely amazing. I felt confident about my trip despite never traveling abroad. The people I traveled with and those I met along the way were such kind people and really made my trip unique. Costa Rica is an amazing place and I will forever be grateful I had the opportunity to explore this country. I highly recommend this program for beginners or people interested in biology or ecology. If I had any advice, it would be to take it all in and live in the moment! Such an educational and fun opportunity!

This has been my second time doing any study abroad with our program at California State University Fullerton. Through my experience with our clothes, I have the pleasure of having the opportunity of experiencing the whole culture of Costa Rica and was able to even participate in culture traditions. If it wasn’t for our program, I wouldn’t have been able to firsthand experience, a new culture and be a part of it. I was also able to learn firsthand experience when working at the school with children. The program gave me more hands-on experience and eight different output on other cultures and culture experiences.