Studying Abroad in Costa Rica

By Joel Winters Travel Tips

1. DO NOT PACK LIGHT a. Bring a lot of comfortable clothes 2. Purchase a ﬂight ticket back to the US within a 90 day period and cancel upon your arrival (some airlines will claim you need a VISA but you don’t and this will help with that) 3. DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSPORT a. Make copies of your passport and license 4. Pack toiletries, sunscreen, and any of your favorite snacks in a CHECKED BAG a. Sunscreen costs about 15$ USD for a bottle in Costa Rica 5. Exchange USD for colones, have a debit card, and an emergency credit card Arrival Guide

You will arrive at Juan Santamaria International airport (SJO), then you will have to go through customs. Show the customs oﬃcer your passport, destination, and answer any questions they ask. It is better not to talk unless they ask you a question. It only took me 10 minutes to get through customs but it can take more than an hour at some times. Next you will collect your bags and head out to ﬁnd your host family (they will have a sign with your name on it). It is helpful to know basic Spanish because the host family will most likely not speak English. If they are talking too fast for you to understand it is okay to ask them to speak slower. I knew many people in the study abroad program that did not know any Spanish at all so knowing the language is not necessary to study abroad but it will make your adjustment easier. The University

Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica is located in the city of Heredia, Costa Rica. It is a large campus that has about 12,000 students. It is known by the students as either UNA or “La U”If you choose to study abroad here you will only be in classes with study abroad students. You will have the opportunity to interact with the University students through social activities such as playing sports (Soccer & Volleyball) and meeting at the Cafeteria. Bring your best tennis shoes because you will be walking a lot. Study abroad students have to commute to the University from their home stay (and may have to take a bus). The longest it took for me to walk from my home stay to a classroom was about 20 minutes.

Click the link below to see the university’s website:

https://www.una.ac.cr/

My Courses ● Advanced Spanish I ○ This is an intense Spanish class that focuses heavily on grammar and speaking. If you are not very good at Spanish do not worry, there are a lot easier Spanish classes available! ● Latin American Cultures (in Spanish) ○ This is a history class, but in Spanish. I really enjoyed this class and it is interesting to see history taught from a Costa Rican perspective. (This class is in English as well as Spanish) ● Conservative Biology ○ This is a very interesting Science course to take since Costa Rica is striving to reach self sustainability. Also, this is a great class to take if you are not a Science major because it fulﬁlls the Science requirement for W&J. ● Business Spanish ○ In this class you will learn about the diﬀerent culture of the Central American business world. If you are any type of business/language major this class is a must! ● Latin American Dances ○ This is a dance class and a great way to get some exercise and relieve some stress! I was timid about taking this class but it ended up being one of my favorites. Home Stay

Homestays are typically less than a 20 minute walk from campus (some students had to take the bus). I was in a small neighborhood that had a soccer ﬁeld beside it. I stayed with a Mother, father, and their son who was about 26. I had my own room that was the typical size of a dorm room and a shared bathroom. There was no AC so i bought myself a fan but most nights it was cool enough that I did not need it. Your host family will give you three meals a day at the time of your choice (just communicate what time works with you). The mother would always serve me fruit, bread, and coﬀee for breakfast. Make sure to always inform your host family about your plans (whether you’re going to travel with friends and will be gone for the weekend or going to hangout for an hour with a friend). The host families most likely will not speak English so a basic understanding of Spanish is necessary. You will learn a lot of conversational Spanish with your host family. The City (Heredia)

Heredia has a population of about 110,000 people. There are a lot of stores, restaurants, parks, religious buildings, and even a professional soccer team located in the city. The city is safe for the most part but it is better to always be in groups. I have walked through the city at night from a restaurant to my homestay and I felt safe. I would only recommend walking alone through the city once you know your way around (after about 3 weeks or so). Good restaurants are La Parrillita de Pepe (get the arepa hamburguesa), Bulevar (Sports Bar), and Tico Burguesas, the Burger King has good wiﬁ (passcode: A La Parrilla), a good Cafe is CoﬀeeHolic, and the best ice cream is at Pops or Heladeria El Crucero.

San Jose

San Jose is the largest city in costa rica and is the capital. There are a ton of things to do in San Jose. There are several large museums, large marketplaces, shops, vendors, restaurants, and even a great chocolate shop. I recommend making a day trip to San Jose a couple of times throughout your stay. I would not recommend staying throughout the night in San Jose because it can be more dangerous for tourists that stand out in a group.

Jaco

Jaco is the closest beach to Heredia and is a great place to surf! There are many hostels to stay at or an Airbnb. Jaco is about 3.5 to 4 hours away from Heredia. It is easy to get here by bus and even costs less than $10 for a bus ride.

Quepos & Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio

I do not recommend staying in the city of Quepos (it is rather dangerous and known as Sin city). I would stay closer to the national park!

Puerto Viejo

Puerto Viejo is a small port town that has a few great hostels (playa 506), shops, and restaurants. There is not a ton to do in this town; however, the beach is always nice! Sarapiqui

Sarapiqui is located in the rainforest of Costa Rica so expect to get a little wet and cold. It is best to pack a rain jacket and hoodie along with a change of clothes. There are several activities to do here such as hiking, ziplining, and taking a boat tour. Irazu Volcano

The volcano is located about 1.5 hours away from Heredia and is a great sight to see if you have never seen a volcano before! Make sure to take a rain jacket because it can be almost 40 degrees at the top of the volcano and raining.

Food

Plan on eating a lot of rice and beans in Costa Rica. At my homestay it was served for every meal except for breakfast. I thought I would get tired of eating rice and beans but I did not because it provides a lot of extra carbs. You’ll be walking a ton and will need the extra calories. Other than rice and beans there is typically a meat with lunch and dinner. I had pork, sausage, ﬁsh, chicken, and steak so it just depends on your homestay. If you have any food allergies make sure to communicate that with your homestay and they will accommodate you. Also, plan on eating a lot of fresh fruits such as pineapple, mangos, bananas, and granadillas.

Animal Life

In Costa Rica there are sloths, iguanas, bats, parrots, monkeys, toucans, and much more. Questions

For an questions please reach out to me at [email protected]ﬀ.edu I will try to answer any questions that you have as soon as possible!