Pure Life

Pura Vida! It means pure life and is what Costa Rica is all about! A very laid back culture where education and personal relationships are valued; Heredia, Costa Rica creates a fun and memorable environment. From day to day experiences with your host family such as eating meals, traveling to beautiful local parks and volcanos, and just talking about your different cultures, Heredia provides an opportunity for students to not only learn in the classroom but in all aspects of the 4 month experience.

Many students travel on the weekends as beautiful beaches and towns are all a fairly short bus ride away. An average weekday will probably consist of eating meals with your family, heading to the public university in the city center to take a few classes and spending time with locals (Ticos) as well as making American friends in your program. There are always opportunities to speak Spanish with your host family as many families have very limited knowledge and exposure to English. And since almost all the classes are taught in Spanish, you will leave Costa Rica much more confident in your Spanish language skills.

Classes are taken with other American students who are in your program but all of the classes are taught by local professors who challenge you to only speak Spanish and to work hard to improve all aspects of the language. If you are looking to make memories, improve your Spanish, and spend a considerable amount of time enjoying another culture, then Heredia, Costa Rica with USAC is the place to go!