Going to Costa Rica with Sol was one of the best academic choices I have made in college. The regional directors made the application process very simple and straightforward. The price is great compared to other programs I researched, especially for all of the amazing excursions that are included. The information I was given before I left made the trip a lot less stressful because I had been told exactly what to expect. It was my first time to fly alone, and I had no problems at all.
From the time I reached the airport in San Jose, I felt that the local staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. I never had to worry about anything because I knew they had everything taken care of.
I spent 3 hours each morning (M-F) in class, and for the first 3 weeks of the program, there are free cultural activities (cooking class, dance class, city tours, etc.) most afternoons, and every weekend there is an excursion that is included in the cost also.
The best part of the trip was living with a host family. It is hands down the best way to practice your Spanish while learning about the culture. I learned a lot from my host mom and her grandson during the time i spent with them. You will make a lot of great friends from around the US while you are there, but you will also gain a second family if you make it a priority to form a relationship with your hosts.
Sol Education Abroad
Sol Education Abroad provides University Study Abroad & Spanish Immersion programs in Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico & Spain! Our company mission is very simple: to treat you the same way we wanted to be treated when we studied abroad. Join us!
I had a fantastic time during my abroad experience in Costa Rica. Our program directors were incredible people that gave us the best experience possible. The opportunity to have so much free time and experience the country, the local scene, and practicing Spanish with locals was invaluable. The country was absolutely beautiful and spending our weekends surrounding ourselves with nature is something I will never forget. I could not possibly have enjoyed my time abroad more.
As a parent, sending a child abroad (although they are college students, we still worry!) there tends to be some apprehension. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Sol (director, Janiva was beyond excellent) for its' dedication to the program in Heredia, Costa Rica. Your attention to detail and organization did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Every email, message, conversation, etc. that I had with my daughter during her stay was filled with "wonderful," "awesome," "fantastic," etc. Putting together a group of college students from varied backgrounds, organizing excursions, providing assistance/guidance around the clock and working with Host families & students to help provide an environment conducive to learning not only a language, but a culture is no easy task. To do it at all is difficult----to do it ALL WELL and at the level of service provided is exceptional.
I have had the pleasure of speaking with my daughter's Host mother a few times. Elissa cannot say enough wonderful things about her 'tica mom' (& the entire family.) My daughter believes that she had the "best" Host family, and I do not doubt her. As far as her University classes--Professors have been fantastic, class sizes small but large enough for constructive interaction. Elissa feels that her command of speaking Spanish has vastly improved as has her writing skills. The volunteer project that she worked on was also very fulfilling and I know that she wished to do even more had time allowed.
There were some unforeseen bumps in the road, but the manner, in which these things were promptly handled by Sol, specifically the director and Host mother, was greatly appreciated by all.
It seems to be that the only thing lacking has been time (& money) to spend more time in Costa Rica.
I am looking forward to welcoming my daughter home and hear in greater detail about her time in Costa Rica! As my daughter now says---Pura Vida!
Sincerely,
Sol Parent
I cannot say enough good things about director. She always went above and beyond to make sure we were happy and getting the most out of our time here. She brought us to really neat places and showed us the “real” Costa Rica. I think she did an awesome job with everything (the excursions, cultural activities, planning volunteering, helping with any problems, etc) and that her job is more than just a job, but a true passion. My experience has surpassed any expectations. I studied in Spain for a month with a program from my school, but learned very little Spanish during this time. No one spoke in Spanish during our time there and only wanted to go out and drink every night. My experience with SOL has been just the opposite.I have been so pleased with all aspects of my SOL experience. Before choosing SOL, I did a LOT of research and talked to many different students that studied abroad in the past. From what I learned about other programs and what I heard from other students, I truly feel like SOL is one of the best programs out there. One of my major concerns was the price, and after comparing the prices of numerous programs, I feel like SOL was the lowest costing program that offered the most. One thing I liked was the size of the program. I feel like everyone in the group has become a small family. Another major thing is that everyone in the group came here with the goal of learning Spanish. I know of many friends who have studied abroad and the majority of people in their program had no interest in speaking Spanish and only wanted to go out and party all of the time. My experience with SOL has been very different from this, and for that I am very grateful!
I believe that this experience has given me the confidence I need to just get out there and speak Spanish, and I definitely know that it has opened my eyes to new cultures and how I interact with people from all over. I have had an incredible experience and honestly have no clue how the best could get better! Sol Education Abroad is the perfect balance of work and play, but no matter what one is doing the experience is improving language skills or expanding knowledge of the culture in new and exciting ways!
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