Guest Post: Steven Mikel's Study Abroad Experience in Costa Rica

Share My Experience:

UW Spanish Language in Costa Rica

Winter Intersession 2015-16

Steven Mikel

What is quicker?  The blistering rate at which your host family speaks to you in Spanish? Or the acceleration of a raging bull within the Fiestas de Zapote arena?

What is hotter? The salsa that is spread on top of homemade gallo pinto? Or the sun’s rays reflecting off of pristine, white-sand beaches at Manuel Antonio National Park?

What is more invigorating? The rush you feel as you fly by zip-line through the canopy of the rainforest? Or the smell of freshly roasted Arabica coffee beans grown in volcanic mountain soils? 

I discovered the answers to these and other questions by studying abroad in Costa Rica. Through the rest of this post, I hope to first share with you my study abroad experience and then guide you through the study abroad process.  Hopefully in doing so I can address your concerns and inspire you to embark on your own study abroad journey, allowing you to discover the answers to your very own set of questions.

MY EXPERIENCE IN COSTA RICA

Host Family

Living with a host family is one of the most rewarding and influential aspects of any study abroad experience.  If you are wondering where you should live while studying abroad, I would highly recommend staying with a host family that has experience hosting students.

Staying with a host family forces you to immerse yourself in a new culture and a new language. My host family did not speak any English, and so communicating even the most basic information forced me to practice Spanish.  But beyond basic greetings or other information, living with a host family creates many opportunities to interact in more complex and meaningful ways. I remember talking for hours with my host mom about all sorts of things–answering her questions about the United States and sharing with each other information about our families, our values, and our understandings of the world.

Living with a host family puts you out of your comfort zone, and into an environment with new rules.  But that discomfort is motivating.  The new environment presents an opportunity to build new relationships, interact with locals, and understand new cultural norms and values.

Delicious Breakfast

Hopefully, as part of your host family stay, you will find yourself in a home with an excellent cook!  I know I did!  Over dinner I would speak with my family while enjoying delicious, Costa Rican food. I got to try a traditional stew called olla de carne, as well as lengua, or beef tongue–all part of the immersive experience that I really enjoyed.




I felt my host family was very welcoming and inclusive. They effectively adopted me for the three weeks of my stay, and went out of their way to bring me to local festivals and share with me in their celebrations and traditions.  Surrounded by strangers, I sang karaoke at a New Year's celebration.  I attended mass.  I witnessed traditional bullfighting at a city-wide festival.  I went shopping for groceries at large urban markets.  I did the dishes.  I was a part of the family.

Máximo Nivel in San Pedro, Costa Rica

Academics

What puts the "study" into study abroad is your academic experience. Through UW Spanish Language in Costa Rica I was able to take a Spanish course, Advanced Conversation, at Maximo Nivel, a language school that instructs students from all over the world. My class consisted of only six students, all from UW-Madison, and was taught by a local, native Spanish-speaking professor. We met every day for four hours in the afternoon.  I enjoyed the class because it consisted almost entirely of fun, small group conversation.  Having been forced to speak Spanish for extended periods of time each day, and with the help of a small-group instructor to correct my mistakes, I felt like I rapidly improved my speaking skills.

Outside of classes, our program included other activities as well as trips around San Jose. We took a tour of the city, participated in salsa and cooking classes, saw Poas Volcano, and visited the Britt Coffee plantation and roasting facility.

Conveniently located outside of San Jose, the school served as a safe, home base for study abroad students.  It featured a few computer labs and wireless internet access throughout, as well as a concession stand. Next door a travel agency was conveniently located, and many students, myself included, used its services to arrange for weekend excursions to other destinations in Costa Rica. I very much enjoyed the academic experience and environment.  The schooling was the centerpiece of the trip and I felt I learned a lot while making good friends.

Toucan at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Adventure

Not wanting to be trapped in a classroom for the entire trip, I, along with other students, took advantage of opportunities to explore greater Costa Rica.  The following are some of the amazing sites and attractions I was able to visit through the program and by my own arrangements.

Ziplining in the Rainforest

Parque de Aventura San Luis: As part of the program, we were able to visit a ziplining park featuring a dozen lines, a Tarzan swing, a Superman cable, and a delicious restaurant. It was incredibly neat to view the rainforest from above and fly through the canopy by zipline. 

Poás Volcano

Poás Volcano: Also as part of the program our study abroad group toured the beautiful Poás Volcano. The volcano is an easily accessible and active stratovolcano near San Jose.  I will never forget the deep blue lagoon in the center of the crater nor the putrid sulfurous smell.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens: An incredible attraction, the La Paz Waterfall Gardens feature amazing waterfalls, a rescued wildlife preserve, and an outstanding buffet-style restaurant.  I  was impressed by the waterfall views and especially enjoyed looking at the rainforest frogs.

Britt Coffee Plantation: Although I'm not much of a coffee drinker, our program visit to the Britt Coffee plantation and roasting facility was quite a treat. After learning some history and facts about the coffee roasting process, we enjoyed a delicious meal and loaded up on coffee and souvenirs from the gift shop.

Las Fiestas de Zapote

Las Fiestas de Zapote: My host family brought me to las Fiestas de Zapote on two occasions.  Las Fiestas are an annual traditional festival that take place in the neighborhood of Zapote, southeast of San Jose.  While similar to a state or county fair in that it features carnival rides and eats, what makes Zapote truly special is the bull-fighting and bull-riding. Hundreds of toreros participate in various games, all of which involve dodging a raging bull as the crowd roars.


Manuel Antonio National Park - Perhaps the most beautiful of my visits, I took a day trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica's most popular national park located on the country's central Pacific coast.  The park is known for its diverse wildlife and beautiful rainforest scenery. I saw several species of monkeys, a variety of birds, as well as a sloth, lizards, and raccoons. The park also features gorgeous beaches on either side of a unique peninsula.

Playa Puerto Escondido at Manuel Antonio National Park

Reflection

I think apart from the friends I made and the memories I'll keep, studying abroad really opened my eyes to diversity.  It granted me a new perspective on just how vast the world is.  But beyond introducing me to different people, it made me recognize similarities across cultures, races, and nations. I witnessed poverty, globalization, history, and nature. I met people struggling to make ends meet, debating the values and issues important to their communities, and I gained competence in learning and communicating in new environments.

When I made it back to the United States, I remember looking out the window of the airplane and seeing at night the expansive lights of Atlanta. I was impressed by the civilization–the lights and electricity, and it made me realize how fortunate I am to live in a place such as the United States. I wanted to share with my host family the culture and privileges we enjoy in the United States, but I also want to share with my fellow Americans the lifestyle, commitment to sustainability, and sense of community expressed by Costa Ricans.

In that regard, I believe my study abroad experience was a success. I learned a lot about Costa Rica but perhaps more about myself. I will take with me this experience and new perspectives in all of my future endeavors.

A STUDY ABROAD WALKTHROUGH

Deciding to Study Abroad:

So you want to study abroad… Great!  Studying abroad is an excellent way to expand cultural competencies, gain new perspectives, and learn in new environments–all while having great fun, meeting new friends, and exploring new places!

Yet, the decision to study abroad does not always come easy.

First, you have to research the opportunities available to you. Where do you want to study? What programs interest you? When and for how long is each program?  How much will it cost? How will you pay for it?

I recommend you start your study abroad search on the International Academic Programs (IAP) Study Abroad website: Study Abroad.  There you will find a wealth of information concerning the study abroad opportunities that are available to UW students, as well as links to other resources.

After you’ve gathered a short list of potential opportunities, revisit each program and think again about its costs and benefits. Does the program help you achieve a certain goal? Can you use the program as a means to build new skills, develop new cultural understandings, or gain experience toward a certain career?

The costs of pursuing a study abroad program will not only include money and time, but also other sacrifices. You will spend time away from your family and friends, and miss out on work, school, or other events.  You must consider these costs against what you perceive to be the benefits of studying abroad.

I decided to study abroad because I felt that an immersive experience would help me gain new cultural perspectives and improve my Spanish language skills.  Not wanting to otherwise disrupt my educational plans, I selected a short program that would take place during the winter intersession 2015-16.  Additionally, I was pursuing a Spanish certificate at UW-Madison, and I hoped that while studying abroad I could earn credit to fulfill a certificate requirement.  Luckily for me, the IAP program, UW Spanish Language in Costa Rica checked all of these boxes.  The warm, tropical escape from Wisconsin winter was only an added benefit!

For more information on UW Spanish Language in Costa Rica, visit its page on the IAP website: UW Spanish Language in Costa Rica

Preparation

After selecting a program, you’ll have to apply and gain acceptance.  Then, the real work begins. As part of your preparation you’ll have to gather all sorts of information, arrange your travel, pack your bags, and finance your adventure.

As far as I know, passports are required for most forms of international travel. If you do not have a passport and are contemplating studying abroad, get one now.  Applying for and receiving a passport is a time-consuming process that can take longer than a month–IF all goes smoothly. For more information about getting a passport, see the U.S. Department of State website: Passports - Department of State

Applying to Study Abroad

On the IAP website, applying to study abroad is a straightforward process. From the study abroad home page, you will select Applications/Forms, login with your UW net ID, and follow the directions on the page.

The site will take you through the steps of selecting your program, writing and submitting any required essays, and supplying any other information.  It will also point you toward scholarship applications, another important study abroad aspect.

Scholarships

The cost of study abroad is a serious deterrent. I was fortunate to receive a Study Abroad Scholar scholarship that made my trip more affordable. I recommend everyone research the scholarship opportunities available to them through UW-Madison, and then outside sources. See the IAP Scholarships page for more information: Study Abroad Scholarships. 

Airfare

It is possible that while airfare is included in what IAP provides as the estimated cost of your study abroad program, it is likely that you will be responsible for scheduling and purchasing your own plane tickets.  Like any other purchase, be sure to shop around for price and convenience, and buy early enough that you are not panicking at the last moment.

Packing

After securing your tickets, you might begin packing. Packing wisely for your study abroad trip is important, and might be a lot of work, but it can also be fun. You’ll have to do research on what attire will be appropriate for your destination. Consider the local climate, what particular activities are planned, and also cultural factors.  Of course, what you pack goes hand in hand with what you plan to do, so the activity may inspire you to do further research on exciting points of interest near your destination.

Knowing I would be headed to Costa Rica, I was sure to pack warm outfits.  Also wanting to explore natural parks and the beach, I packed a swimsuit and outdoor gear.  As part of my information gathering process, I found that Costa Rican people, or ticos, tend to dress conservatively.  Men tend to wear pants, despite high average temperatures. For that reason, I packed some jeans and khaki pants in addition to my shorts.  Although I would be an obvious tourist, I wanted to demonstrate respect by making an effort to understand and fit in with local norms. 

Money

Unless the country to which you are traveling deals in dollars, you will need to exchange some USD for the local currency.  In many cases, it is also a good idea to do a small bit of currency exchange before entering the country so that you can get by at the airport and up until you get to a foreign bank.

In Costa Rica the local currency is the colon.  Before leaving the U.S. I traded about $50 USD for colones.  It is likely that you will get a better exchange rate in your destination country than in the United States.  I believe the easiest way to conduct currency exchange is by withdrawing cash (likely from your checking account) using an ATM in the foreign country.  Avoid exchanging cash at airports or other currency exchange shops, as the exchange rates are very poor and you’ll likely pay added fees.

Electricity

At your destination the standard electricity voltages and outlet shape may differ from that of the United States. To deal with any differences, you will need adaptors to both plug in your electronic devices as well as properly convert the voltage.  Luckily for me, Costa Rica uses very similar standards to that of the United States, and adaptors were not necessary.  Be sure to look up this information so that you can secure any needed adaptors prior to or quickly upon arrival. 

Miscellaneous

Other than clothing, feel free to bring what you will need for classes, as well as books, music players, or other forms of entertainment.  As far as phones go, you should evaluate whether you will need cell service while abroad.  Most carriers have international plans (albeit expensive ones).  If you do need a phone, I’d recommend getting a prepaid “burner” phone, once in the country.  For shorter trips, you may be able to get by without cell service, relying on the internet to stay connected.  Of course, that leaves you at whim to the quality and availability of wireless internet.  

In Costa Rica I was able to get buy without purchasing any form of cell service, opting to rely on the internet instead.  If I were to go back, I would instead choose to purchase some sort of cell service, as my access to the internet was not always reliable.

Of course, what you pack is limited to the size of your suitcase(s)!  Be sure to consider the cost of luggage and what’s included in your airline tickets. Also, remember to save some space for the souvenirs you’ll bring home!

Conclusion

I hope this blog post answered some of your questions and inspired you to pursue your study abroad ambitions. If you have any other questions, feel free to find my contact information in the right panel and reach out to me or seek the help available to you through UW International Academic Programs or other resources. 

 - Steven

¡Pura Vida!