Summer in Costa Rica

It was my first time ever traveling outside of the country. I was so nervous and unsure, but my home and host universities were so supportive. They walked me through every step of the way. I met amazing people, tried new food, and experienced culture in a way I never could’ve in the United States. The connections I made while there have changed me as a person. I still talk to my host mom, my Mama Tica, to this day. Even with the language barrier between us, we built such a close connection in such a short time. When it came time for me to leave for the airport, we were both crying. This is an experience I would reccomend to anyone, especially those who are scared to take the leap.

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I'll just go in order of the 6 categories of academics, living situation, cultural immersion, program administration, healthy and safety, and community. Academics - I found this study abroad because I was interested in the program for health professionals. As it turns out, you can only choose session 1 or session 2 if you do that specific program, but if you want to do both sessions, apply to the double session program and then just choose health-related classes. There were lots of different course offerings, some in English, some in Spanish. I took 4 classes total, 2 in English, 2 in Spanish. I thought the academics were too easy. For some people, that sounds perfect, for some people, that sounds boring. It just depends on what type of person you are. Living Situation - Genuinely the best part of my trip. I love my Tico family so much. I had a wonderful room and support system, and ate some amazing food. I know that other people in the program didn't have as much of a great experience as I did with my family, but you can also always talk with the program staff if you ever have any concerns/needs. Cultural Immersion - The program had some really amazing experiences for us to do together, and if you participate in both sessions, it will be different experiences for you to try in the 2nd round. Probably my favorite was going to La Fortuna to swim around a waterfall, but we also hiked a dead volcano (Irazú), and tried fresh cacao. In terms of really learning the language and culture, explore the city, and really get to know your host family. Program Administration - The program staff were wonderful. All of our questions were answered, they learned everyone's names, and really wanted to provide us with the best experience possible. There are pre-departure sessions for students and for parents, which I think is a great idea and also helped my parents feel more comfortable with me leaving. Health and Safety - If you follow the recommendations of the program staff, you will be safe and comfortable. Avoid walking around at night at all, but if you have to, do it in a group. It's pretty basic things like that to be aware of, and everything will be good. For medical insurance, you pay for it before you leave, and if you get hurt or sick while there, you pay in-person out-of-pocket but then get fully reimbursed afterwards. Community - I'm not a party person, so when I rate the social scene, I'm not including that. (Although I have friends that had lots of fun going to bars and parties while there.) What I am including is the people on the trip, the local places to go, and the offerings on campus. I absolutely loved the weekly dance classes that are offered at no additional price. For fun local places, I explored book stores, weekend markets, and cafes. I definitely recommend Feria Verde that's open every weekend. You can find good food, gifts/souvenirs, and art.

These are three descriptors I would use to summarize my time in Costa Rica. On this trip, it felt like my 3:00pm class was just a fraction of my overall experience. What was truly exceptional was my time spent white water rafting, going to the beach, taking an afternoon to enjoy live music in the heart of the city, and hiking up one of the many mountains that loom over the capital city. Travelling far away from home does not just bring about a change in the way you learn, but also in the way you live. Surely, you learn plenty about history, cultural norms, environmental conservation initiatives, and much more, but the way in which those lessons impact your outlook on the world influences what beliefs you take back home with you. Regardless, travelling to Costa Rica will be a lot of fun, no matter what. There is something for the thrillseekers, the researchers, the athletes, the extroverts, and anyone else you can think of.

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My experience in Costa Rica truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There wasn’t a day that didn’t go by where I wasn’t mind blown by the scenery I was surrounded by on my walk to school, the adventures and possibilities to be planned, among so many other things. If there is an opportunity for anyone to branch out, experience something new, and step outside of their comfort zone, I would encourage it.

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I studied abroad during the Summer of 2023 in Costa Rica through CIS Abroad and it was an amazing experience that changed my life. The application process for CIS was relatively easy and well-laid out so I was rarely confused and whenever I was it was easy to get in contact with my application advisor to get answers. Once I was accepted, the pre-departure steps and preparation were also easy to follow and I think they prepared me well for my study abroad trip. Once I was in Costa Rica, my on-site directors were super friendly, and helpful, and provided us with so many opportunities to immerse ourselves in the culture. We had two included trips as part of the program and they offered two additional ones we could add for extra payment. They worked with us on prices and what we wanted to do in these places and were great guides throughout all the trips and kept us very safe. I went on both the included trips and one of the optional ones which allowed me to experience various locations around Costa Rica and I wish I stayed for longer so I could see more of the country! Luckily, I had a field trip included in one of my courses as well that was free of charge! CIS and Veritas University offered so many interesting courses to choose from and it was relatively easy to switch classes and get assistance if needed.

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I LOVED my time in Costa Rica. I truly enjoyed every moment. The CISAbroad staff was so helpful and always just a text away whenever I needed them. My host family was kind and provided everything I needed and more. I enjoyed my classes and the student culture at the Univeristy and felt as my education was truly enhanced by my time. I cannot recommend this trip enough to students who are looking to expand their Spanish language abilities as well as immerse themselves in the beautiful Tico culture!!!

Over the summer, I visited San Jose, Costa Rica for 8 weeks. I took 3 classes, lived with a host family and visited all 7 provinces in the country. Costa Rica has to be one of the most beautiful countries I've ever seen, the study abroad experience I had was absolutely amazing from the trips to multiple beaches, living with my host family, the food, and the classes I took at the university. In two of my classes I honed my Spanish skills and I now know so much more Spanish than I did before and in my third class I swam with giant sea turtles and caught sting rays and saw dolphins, it was absolutely amazing. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed a simpler much happier way to live and I am grateful to have had this experience.

CIS Abroad helped me in many ways in choosing the right program for me. I lived with a host family which was an amazing way to learn and be a part of the culture. Also, CIS Abroad is one of the most affordable programs to study abroad.

My study abroad trip to Costa Rica marked this past summer as the best one I've ever had. The immersive cultural experience, amazing friends, and incredible adventures made possible by CISabroad made my study abroad experience in Costa Rica one I will never forget. Thank you CISabroad!! And ¡Pura vida!

When my mom was in college, she studied in Costa Rica and absolutely fell in love. Because I had Spanish experience, and because my mom had gone there, I decided it was where I wanted to have my first study abroad experience--and I have absolutely no regrets. Costa Rica is an amazing country, and very different from the States. Universidad Veritas had a great vibe--they had cool indoor/outdoor spaces inside the university, complete with trees and other plants. My class instructor was excellent, and I found the students at the school very oriented towards foreign exchange students. I got to help model some clothes for a group studying clothing design, which was really cool--if a little nerve-wracking at first! If you're nervous about going abroad--maybe it's your first time leaving home, maybe you don't speak perfect Spanish--CIS is the perfect program to help you get your feet wet. The onsite coordinator in Costa Rica was super knowledgeable, compassionate, and fun-loving. She made our excursions and socials exciting and enjoyable, but was also there for any questions or concerns we had. The CIS staff will help you through every step off the application and acceptance process, and through every day you're in your host country. Studying abroad is one of the best things I've ever done for myself. I grew in self-confidence, learned to let loose a little bit, and fell in love with Costa Rica, its people, and its ecology--just like my mom did.

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Whether it's in Latin America, Europe, etc., I HIGHLY recommend studying or interning abroad to EVERYONE. Studying abroad in Costa Rica has definitely been one of the highlights in my undergraduate career, and if I had the chance to I would go to Europe, preferably Italy, France, Spain, or Czech Republic! While I was abroad, I faced my fear of heights by ziplining across Latin America's highest and longest zipline. It was terrifying, but awesome! I made life-long friends and travel buddies. And I definitely took away great life pointers from this experience. For example, cultural competency, open-mindedness, safety within foreign environments, economic differences across the globe, and many more. Sometimes finances inhibit students from studying abroad. The best advice I can give is to make it happen by any means necessary because you CANNOT miss out this life changing experience. I applied last minute and missed a bunch of scholarship deadlines, so definitely don't do that. However, my program was understanding enough to still provide me with a minor, but very helpful, scholarship. Apply and take a leap of faith! It will change your perspective on life forever. Happy and safe travels!

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This trip was an amazing experience. My host family was amazing, the professors at the university were great, and the people I met are what I consider lifelong friends! The cultural immersion forces you to learn Spanish, and it is honestly the best way to do so! I highly recommend this program to all!

My experience in Costa Rica was incredible. Everyone that I had the opportunity to meet and talk with was incredibly friendly and fun to have a conversation with. The professors and staff at the university were some of the greatest people I've ever met and they stopped at nothing to make sure that I enjoyed my time in a foreign country. I loved taking trips every weekend and I even went to a soccer game while I was there. Overall, I had a great experience and would recommend this program and this trip to anyone who was looking to go.

thjs program was great, they help you through everything and are always there for you. I do wish the program was more organized when it came to excursions. There were a few times we were told we would have extra time for additional activities on the excursions, but it changed once we were there. Other than that the people are great!

I loved coming to Costa Rica. The language spoken here was easier than I though it would be. The living situation worked well, communication between my host family was easy and convenient. I give it a 10. I wish more people would have stayed for 8 weeks, but I understand their situations. I plan on advising others to come to Veritas and Costa Rica because of the quality of education I received.

I will never forget this study abroad experience. My academic experience was the best, the program coordinator Lisa made me feel very comfortable and helped me access everything I needed in Costa Rica. Before leaving to Costa Rica CIS prepared me well to go abroad and gave me information that I needed to take with me.

Costa Rica was an incredible time and is a very special country. It is considered the happiest country in the world, has everything from perfect weather, beautiful sights, and some of the nicest people I have ever met. It is a very special and unique country to Latin America. Although it is a small country it has a huge amount of things to offer. After being there for over 9 weeks, there were still countless things I wanted to do. I went in with a positive attitude and knew I would get a lot out of the experience, but after going there I got the most amazing experience that I never imagined I would get.

I loved Costa Rica. Everything about it made me a better, more well-rounded person. I would go back in a second! Everyone was very welcoming and treated us like we were at home. The locals were interesting, kind people and my homestay was great.

Everything about my experience was fantastic. From Brian in the States helping me organize everything I needed to Lisa in Costa Rica and her extremely helpful hand. The school was awesome and my host mother was amazing. All of my excursions, planned with CIS or not, we're a blast. I would relive this experience a thousand times over.

Loved the entire experience. CIS did a great job. Plan on doing another trip with them in Spain.