Costa Rica: Puntarenas - Spanish, Ecology, Latin American Studies

I chose the Puntarenas, Costa Rica program because of the opportunity to learn a new language in such a short amount of time, because of the ability to live with a host family, and because of the amazing nature of the country. I originally signed up for just one semester but after returning home after the semester I quickly realized I wanted to go back for the next semester. USAC was very helpful in arranging this for me even on such short notice. My 8 months in Costa Rica were truly the best of my life.

My college and major had a language requirement which I was able to fulfill in just one semester. It was really fun starting at the lowest level of Spanish classes and barely being able to communicate with my host mom, to ending in the highest level of classes and even taking classes in Spanish and being able to communicate fully with my host mom. There are so many opportunities for practice and ways to challenge yourself daily.

Puntarenas is the perfect location in Costa Rica to be able to travel each weekend to a new place. I was able to visit every place in Costa Rica that I wanted even while spending many weekends doing the surf class in Jaco. Learning to surf in the surf class was the most fun I have ever had.

Costa Rica will always be a special place in my heart that I will continue to visit for the rest of my life. This is all thanks to the amazing USAC staff and community in Puntarenas as well as the kind, happy, and generous Ticos found all of Costa Rica. Cannot recommend this program enough!

I chose USAC Puntarenas, Costa Rica for the Spanish classes, host family housing option, surfing course, and the opportunity to live on a tropical beach. My main study abroad goal was to improve my Spanish so I took 4 intensive Spanish language courses (totally doable) during the semester which vastly improved my Spanish especially since I also lived with a host mom who did not speak any English. It was a great experience living with a local family learning their cultures and eating typical Costa Rican dishes while always practicing my Spanish.
My host mom's house was a few steps from the beach which made for peaceful morning runs and breathtaking sunsets in the evening. At a nearby beach where our 4 surf weekend classes took place, I learned how to surf! I had never surfed before, but I gradually improved over the classes and accepted the difficulty of surfing as an exhilarating experience.
Throughout the semester, I traveled all over Costa Rica and even visited Panama on a tour my program offered! I saw a lot of wildlife like sloths and monkeys, hiked up to too many waterfalls to count, relaxed on a plethora of beautiful beaches, and met many amazing people in and out of my study abroad program. For these reasons, I am grateful for the memories I have made because of USAC Puntarenas, Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

I studied abroad for two semesters, and they were some of the most challenging yet rewarding months of my life. A need for adventure and travel ignited inside of me and has been on fire ever since. Because of study abroad, I am confident in my Spanish, I have an appreciation and interest in different cultures, I push myself out of my comfort zone and I even met the love of my life. I used to be a 10-year plan kind of person, but now I am ok with the unknown, and am eager to take on the next adventure that comes to me. This is an experience unlike any other, and I think everyone should jump on the opportunity to study abroad.

Studying abroad in Puntarenas, Costa Rica was nothing short of a dream. I never expected to fall in love as much as I did with this country. In Puntarenas, we had our own USAC center as opposed to a big university, and this was honestly such a blessing! We had our own private pool, gym, kitchen, and common spaces to hang out. All my class sizes were small (I never had a class with more than 10 people), and it was perfect! I got so close with all my classmates and professors. Puntarenas is also right on the beach, and everyday we would go to hangout, swim, or play soccer with locals! It was so easy to travel around the country, and I was able to explore so much with my friends! Overall, it was an AMAZING experience. I highly recommend checking out this program.

USAC Puntarenas is a great program for students looking to improve their Spanish and have a better understanding of Latin American culture. The city itself is rather small and number of english speaking locals is... limited. The USAC staff (both on-site and back home) go above and beyond to ensure students are happy and safe. The housing at this location is primarily home-stay, which most students prefer. The USAC building has an on-site gym, pool, games, pool/ping pong tables and more. Couldn't be more grateful for the support of my teachers and staff while abroad.

If you have never studied abroad...you need to! This experience changed my life, and my perspective about myself and about the world. My host family was so loving and they cared about me more than just a student. My host mom always called me, "Princesa," in an endearing way! The faculty and staff members at the USAC school I attended were always available and helpful with anything I needed, whether that be finding stores around town, or finding a place to volunteer in throughout my stay. Personally, I had a wonderful experience studying abroad in Puntarenas, Costa Rica through USAC, and highly recommend it to all!

I was in Costa Rica, and it was the best month of my whole life.
I experienced the goodness of people, the beauty of unspoiled nature, new delicious foods but most of all i discover a better way to see the world.
I have made unique experiences living them as a protagonist!!!
I lived that one month as a whole beautiful and full of emotion life.

I love USAC for giving me this amazing gift!
PURA VIDA to everyone!

This program site is absolutely wonderful, especially if you are looking to improve your Spanish. I literally lived right on the beach with some of the friendliest people I've ever met (and they made me great food). Costa Rica is truly one of the happiest places on Earth. If I weren't graduating I would do this program over again. The healthcare system there was phenomenal, I had a few hiccups and the program staff helped me out so much.