IFSA: Universidad Nacional Partnership

When I was searching for a study abroad program, there was never any doubt in my mind that I would pick a full language immersion program. I wanted to be able to connect with people and truly live in the culture, not just be an outside observer. I chose IFSA's Costa Rica program not just because Costa Rica is an absolutely beautiful country, but because I would be able to live with a host family and take classes with locals. I don't think I could have made a better choice. I won't lie, full immersion is challenging. Especially at the beginning, I struggled with speaking Spanish and often felt lost and confused. But my host family was patient with me, and so were my classmates. Slowly but surely the essays got easier, my speech got more fluid, and I began to make friends. I would not have been able to understand the Costa Rican culture in the way that I did without Spanish. Yes, I visited tourist sites, and tried the food, and even got lost on a volcano once. But because I knew Spanish I was able to take a folk dancing class, listen to the stories of my host parents, learn about the profound importance of sustainability in Costa Rican culture. IFSA provided great support throughout my experience and helped connect me to a lot of opportunities to get involved in my community. I formed close bonds with my fellow exchange students and we helped support each other and push each other out of our comfort zones. In just four months I had so many incredible experiences and looking back it was one of the best experiences of my life.

This experience was one of the most incredible of my life. The staff in-country were amazing. They were super supportive, but let me explore on my own. The academics were awesome as well. I absolutely would go back in a heartbeat.

My study abroad experience was everything I had hoped for and more. Although, at times I was very homesick I could not have imagined my life without this opportunity. I was fortunate enough to have the financial support to study abroad as well as to travel throughout my time in Costa Rica. I was able to have day excursions to volcanoes and waterfalls, weekend excursions to neighboring provinces in Costa Rica and I was able to travel outside the country to Peru, Guatemala and Panama. I loved every minute of my experience. I also was able to take classes within my major that taught me a lot as well as gave me the chance to meet a lot of Costa Rican students. It was interesting for me as a Mexican- American woman to interact with other Latinos who thought I was Costa Rican and then when they found out I was not they kind of got confused my nationality and ethnicity. I learned a lot about myself while being abroad and definitely have gained a lot more independence. I would do this experience all over again without a doubt.