CEA CAPA Education Abroad in San José, Costa Rica

I was feeling rather excited for the experience I knew I was in for, but was unsure how being in a new country speaking a language that I am not great at, and having very little idea of what to expect, getting to Costa Rica was super awesome, but slightly daunting. I decided to run at everything head on, taking opportunities presented to us as foreign students and making the most of my time there. I learned how to be in a new and foreign place, while meeting sweet people and seeing amazing things.

To say I had an amazing time in Costa Rica with CEA CAPA would be an understatement. I learned so much about myself through my time here. I was worried about going due to my minority status, but the staff and my host family truly made me feel at home. The cea capa staff were in constant contact with us at all times, even before we arrived to San Jose. They threw me a celebration on my birthday and made us feel like a part of a family. Whatever I needed, whether it was academic, health, or emotional support, they made me feel comfortable and supported.

I didn’t speak Spanish and I stood out because I was a minority so I was quite nervous upon arriving. When I got there I was welcomed immensely by my host family. She was above and beyond, taking us out to eat, serving lunch meals even when it wasn’t requiring, and quite literally catering to our every need. The people are so friendly and my Spanish improved drastically. They helped me immerse myself into their culture and taught me so many new things and life lessons, it’s an experience I’ll never forget.

If you are thinking about studying abroad I highly suggest Costa Rica! The safest country I have ever been to and the most affordable. As a young black woman, I was nervous about studying abroad but I had no issues here! Make sure to pack a rain coat as it does rain a lot, but it is worth it to be surrounded by beautiful greenery and wonderful people! Costa Rica Pura Vida!

I studied abroad with CEA in Costa Rica in the Spring of 2018. My program was 3-months long and was an incredible experience. I was able to stay with a host family, travel the country, and take relevant classes for my degree and minors. There was a wide variety of course options that were super interesting and were unique to Costa Rica. I took classes such as Tropical Ecology and Ecological Photography. I met people from across the U.S. that I still keep in contact with today. The support I received from CEA while in San Jose was amazing. We had access to the CEA offices there, where we would work on projects, hang out with friends, and cook lunch. My Spanish abilities also improved immensely while I was there and helped me become more comfortable speaking it conversationally. Overall, I wouldn't change my experience at all. Costa Rica is an beautiful country and CEA will help you experience it.

My study abroad experience was one of the most amazing opportunities of my life! I was able to dive right into a different culture. I learned so much about the Costa Rican culture and was able to fully take advantage of my time in this beautiful country. I traveled so much each weekend and enjoyed all of the food and awesome scenery!

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Studying abroad in Costa Rica was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. The country is absolutely beautiful. I not only got to explore all of Costa Rica but also Nicaragua, Panama, and Guatemala. The food in Costa Rica is absolutely delicious. The people are so welcoming, caring, and fun. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who loves being outdoors and doing adventurous activities.

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I always wanted to study abroad and I wanted this experience to be in a Spanish speaking country and I am so happy Costa Rica became that country that I chose. I went through CEA provider and the faculty and administrations are super helpful and amazing. I had so much fun traveling all over the country and even crossing a few borders north and south of Costa Rica into Panama and Nicaragua. God bless you all and make your trip unforgettable.

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I spent an entire semester in San Jose, Costa Rica, and it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I recommend studying abroad to almost anyone who asks, because it is truly a life changing experience - it even inspired me to make a major career change! Living in a home-stay was also a great option in this program. I got to practice my language more, and I had a much more authentic experience, especially with the local lifestyle and food. One of my favorite aspects of the experience was my courses. One of the courses I took was Tropical Marine Biology, and we had the opportunity to actually go to the coast and do field work. We got to explore mangroves, study tidal pools, and even snorkel and scuba dive out at the reefs! It was hands down one of the most amazing and immersive classroom experiences I have ever had. Studying abroad is something every student should do. No matter your major or your budget, there is an option that will work for you! For me, it kicked off what I hope will become a lifetime full of travel, and I'm a different, better person after my time in Costa Rica.

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Sitting in the plane on my way to Costa Rica, I still couldn't believe I was going to study abroad in a foreign country. Ever since my freshmen year of college, I have wanted to study abroad, but there were many factors that discouraged me from doing so, such as the financial component, the inflexibility of the course schedule for my major, and the time commitment of finding the right program. Finally, during my senior year, I decided to look into my options seriously, and was able to pull of studying abroad for the last semester of my undergraduate career. This was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. My study abroad experience in Costa Rica gave me much more than I could ever imagine. I became immersed in the unique culture, language, and nature of this beautiful country. My homestay situation was one of the highlights of my experience. My host family welcomed me into their home with open arms and my Mama Tica was the most kind-hearted woman who took care of me for four months. Every weekend I traveled to a different part of the country and took advantage of everything Costa Rica had to offer, like visiting the beautiful beaches, volcanoes, and rainforests. I even took the opportunity to travel to other countries, such as Panama, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, to explore the various cultures of Central America. I met incredible people during this journey and made new friendships that will last a lifetime. In Costa Rica, "pura vida" is a common saying which translates to "pure life." Pura vida means to enjoy life and to appreciate the simple things. I lived by this phrase while I was abroad and it was life-changing. The four years of being an engineering student in college was a challenging and stressful time in my life. Studying abroad for my last semester ended my undergraduate career on a positive note and broadened my cultural horizons. ¡Gracias por todo CEA!

My study abroad experience with CEA has been incredible! I have been here for three months and have one to go! CEA has provided me with so many opportunities to connect with my host country. This organization also helped to to begin to volunteer in a local children's hospital which has given me a whole new perspective on the medical field! There are so many cultural immersion activities that CEA plans such as cooking classes, so you really get a full-circle experience! I have also gone on two excursions that were included in my program. One was to Arenal where there was a volcano and hot springs and the other to Panama! I have made so many memories that will last a lifetime all thanks to CEA!

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I studied abroad in Costa Rica during my Fall 2016 semester of college. I was the person not really interested in studying abroad but ended up letting my mom talk me into doing it. I knew I wanted to go to Costa Rica and lucky for me CEA had a partnership with my home university and Costa Rica was one of the locations they offered. Throughout the application process and the preparation process CEA was there with me every step of the way. Any questions or concerns I had, my advisor answered them all in a timely manner. Once I got to Costa Rica and began living as a 'Tica', we had the support of our on-site directors Leo and Maggie! They were fabulous and truly love what they do. I was able to participate in so many local events because our directors would let us know about anything that was going on. I was able to meet so many friends, both Costa Rican and other Americans, and my Tica Familia (host family) was incredible as well! I miss it everyday and can not wait to go back soon! If you have the opportunity to study abroad, DO IT! I promise there is no way you could regret it. And if you are looking for the perfect program to study abroad with, check out CEA and all the great things they offer!

I came to Costa Rica with ambition to not only learn but have fun doing it and after a few days I felt right at home. My program was a Spanish intensive 5 week program where I studied in the CEA offices near Veritas University in barrio cordoba. My homestay family was great and always enjoyable. One time I had a button break off of a nice shirt and the mother fixed it for me in 10 minutes which was really nice. I was there during the world cup of all things, which was the best considering how passionate the world is about soccer. If it wasn't for me being there I would have never become the year round soccer fan that I am today. CEA was very helpful in suggesting places to visit or things to do. Maggie and Leo were awesome and even got are entire group free tickets to a local professional soccer game when I inquired about going to a game. Despite being fluent in Spanish my entire life my grammar was never particularly good like it would be with any native speaker. The only negative thing I would have to say about the trip is that my group was not vetted well and did not make much of an effort when it came to learning spanish or cultural immersion. Most of my friends while I was there were study abroad students in other programs. When it comes to going out go there are many touristy bars like hoxton(ladies drink free until midnight Tuesdays) but other bars like la concha (funny name if you know spanish) that have more of a dive bar feel that give you a unique social experience. If there's three things you must do while your there they would be surfing, attend a soccer game, and learn any kind of latin dance(salsa, bachata, latin swing..etc)

I studied abroad with CEA in San Jose, Costa Rica from Jan-April 2013. Not only did I have an amazing time with my fellow international students, I also felt very supported in my endeavors to travel solo, which was very important to me. My classes were extremely interesting and more relevant to my interests than most of the classes I take at my home university. I absolutely loved my host family and so did everyone I spoke to in the CEA program. Besides all the regular factors of daily living being very well-executed, I was extremely impressed with CEA's offers for career development. There were workshops, writing opportunities (I worked as a mobile journalist while abroad), and the relationships I've formed with my professors and program directors are still mutually beneficial, two years later. I am a unique case, having a profound interest in pursuing international education as a career, but even if a student just wants to have some fun and take some classes in a beautiful location, they could do no better than CEA San Jose.

Overall the program was great. It's hard sometimes to really use your Spanish because so many spoke English, but living with a host family was the best practice ever. Costa Rica was a beautiful experience!

I am so glad that I went with CEA. The staff was super nice and helpful, and the onsite office was a really great place to go for a nice and comfortable place to hang out or study. I LOVED my home stay family and I met a lot of great people, both locals and internationals. Veritas was a wonderful university and my professor was one of my favorite teachers of all time. I only wish I had stayed longer!

I have been researching and trying to figure out how to plan my Costa Rica trip since I was a Freshman in College. I just graduated and May and went abroad in July. I have had a lot of time to research and a lot of time to find the perfect study abroad program; and I found that in CEA. Academics at Veritas University (Costa Rica) is the same across the board, therefore as long as a program uses this institution you will get a great experience. What really makes the study abroad experience is the program that guides your way. CEA encouraged us to make safe, smart decisions and encouraged us to be autonomous in our journey. I appreciate the support and willingness of the CEA staff to help me during my journey and I would recommend anyone studying abroad to study abroad with CEA in Costa Rica!

Studying abroad in San Jose, Costa Rica was a dream come true. I absolutely loved the program- CEA is so organized and had incredible guides- Leo and Maggie- who were so helpful and friendly! I attended Veritas University and took Medical Spanish and absolutely fell in love with the professor and the environment. I lived in a homestay and was so in love with everyone in the family. They all were so welcoming and I still talk to all of them on a pretty frequent basis. Costa Rica is beautiful and I would go back in a heartbeat! If you are trying to decide, DEFINITELY choose this program!

Everything about this program exceeded my expectations. I loved the people I met and the places we saw together. We had the freedom to choose what we wanted to do the last few weekends, which was amazing. We all came together like we had known each other for years and travelled together. I still can't believe I got to go zip-lining, do the tarzan swing, go to Caribbean beaches, stay in Panama, visit hot springs, climb volcanoes, and bungee jump! That's not even mentioning the amazing food and culture that was experienced. I would take this trip again if I had the option...5 weeks was not long enough.

I really enjoyed my host family. My host mother was an awesome cook, my host parents were hilarious and I really felt like one of their own children. My on-site directors were young natives who I felt really cared about us and peopel I could relate to. I loved the diversity of the excursions offered in my program that were included in my tuition. We went to the most beautiful places like beaches, volcanos, waterfall, and I felt like it was a dream! I met some the most awesome people and really got to experience life in a different culture.