Author: Mia Casas

Location: Santo Domingo, Costa Rica

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Here is the second piece of everything you need to know about Costa Rica. In this part, I will review some cultural aspects of the Pura Vida country and provide an overview of recreational activities in Costa Rica that are tuanis.

Where am I going exactly? How do I get around?

If you want to scope out in advance what area of Costa Rica you are heading to, the exact location is Santa Rosa de Santo Domingo de Heredia. Santa Rosa is the smaller neighborhood, Santo Domingo is the city, and Heredia is the province (but there is also the city of Heredia). It is a pretty good location because you are about 20 minutes from San Jose, in one direction, and 20 minutes from Heredia, in the other direction. Santa Rosa has a train stop right in the neighborhood, and there are plenty of bus stops nearby, too, that can get you around easily. The routes can be intimidating to navigate at first, but don’t be afraid to learn by trial and error. Worst comes to worst, you can always call an Uber or taxi, (or DiDi! — a new app similar to Uber) to come to your rescue.

What do I do with all my time in Costa Rica?

Aside from classwork and internship, you will have plenty of time to experience the culture of Costa Rica by engaging with your host families, being involved with activities hosted by Casa Adobe, and travelling! I recommend creating a bucket list of all the places you want to see and things you want to do in Costa Rica early on so you can adequately plan for each item. If you start feeling restless, branch out and visit local activities in Santo Domingo’s park, like bailles (P.S. everyone dances in Costa Rica) or conciertos. You can also venture out to San Jose or Heredia. San Jose has a larger nightlife, but the city isn’t really all that pretty, let’s say. Some locals prefer traveling to Heredia, which is more recently developed and has a cleaner look. Keep an eye out for cultural activities going on locally and nationally. The advantage of being so close to San Jose is that you can go to sporting events or concerts for famous Latin American artists (think Marc Anthony)!

During Fall break, my brother visited me and we visited several landmarks in Costa Rica, one of them being the Irazu Volcano, which features a lagoon inside the crater.

Where do you get to visit while you’re in Costa Rica?

There are a ton of websites and blogs online that give recommendations about the top places to visit in Costa Rica. For transportation, this website was very useful for getting around. Truthfully, there’s so much to see but you can really make the most of your time if you plan properly. Here is a comprehensive list of all the places I travelled to for my own leisure:

In San Jose/Heredia Provinces:

1. Barva Volcano

2. Irazu Volcano

3. San Jose Central Market

4. Oxigeno (This is just a mall, but it has a very cool mirador of the Central Valley)

5. Zoológico y Jardín Botánico Nacional Simón Bolívar Park

6. Jade Museum

7. Museums of the Central Bank (Pre-Colombian Gold Museum/The Numismatic Museum/Other Temporary Exhibits)

I found this from the website. “Admission is 2,000 Colones for citizens and residents, and 5,500 Colones for foreigners. Admission is free on Wednesdays. Admission is 2-for-1 on Sundays for citizens and residents with Costa Rican I.D. Admission is free for children under 12, students wearing their uniform or with school I.D. and retired citizens.”

8. Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Cartago

9. National Theater of Costa Rica — Guided Tour and a show (1001 Noches)

10. Estado Nacional // La Sabana Park

Tip: Have the UCR issue you a student ID, and you can get student discounts at certain locations.

In Other Provinces:

1. La Fortuna, Alajuela — Arenal Volcano

2. Manuel Antonio, Puntarenas — Manuel Antonio National Park

3. Jaco, Puntarenas

4. Santa Cruz, Guanacaste

5. Puerto Viejo, Limon

The National Theater is one of the many gems of Costa Rica. In the guided tour you learn that the theater is used for many important, national events, like the President’s inauguration.

It is also ranked as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.

As a cohort, the group goes sightseeing. Here are the places we went in Fall 2019 in Costa Rica:

With Heidi, students also visit untraditional tourists locations like indigenous communities and refugee communities. They may not be glamorous areas, but they are very eye-opening and experiences for personal growth. (Bolded items are my favorite locations.)

At this site, visitors can enjoy walking across hanging bridges in the National Park, bathing in hot thermal pools, or zipline through the jungle.

At this site, visitors can enjoy walking across hanging bridges in the National Park, bathing in hot thermal pools, or zipline through the jungle.

Random pieces of advice for those planning on going abroad?

While I would like to say that everything about studying abroad in Costa Rica was perfect, the reality is that you experience some growing pains while here. The best way to maneuver any uncomfortable situation is to ask for help and open up to someone you trust, whether it be Heidi, a fellow peer, someone in your host family, etc. Some lessons are bigger than others, but here’s some tidbits that may be useful.

Weather

In the Central Valley, it gets chilly at night. If you are traveling to Costa Rica in the fall semester, make sure to bring some sweaters or light jackets. Even during the day, you won’t want to wear summer clothes, like flip flops or shorts because it is not beach weather in San Jose. The fall semester coincides with the rainy season, so ALWAYS have an umbrella with you, that’s the number one rule before leaving your house in the rainy season. You may also want to bring other attire that is water-resistant.

Shoes

You will do a lot of walking throughout the semester, so bring walking shoes that are supportive, and it may be smart to leave behind any shoes you don’t want to get dirty or ruin. The sidewalks and streets are not that great here, so the most important element is functionality. Also, if you wear sandals on a cold, rainy day, you will stick out as a foreigner. Most people wear closed-toed shoes here, which is also good to keep in mind when you go to your internship.

Host Families

One major culture shock may be living with a host family. Not only is it a family that is not your own, the “parenting” of parents in Costa Rica is very different than US parenting. Some people love the experience, whereas others may find it difficult. In some ways, it is like being in highschool again, where you have to be conscious of how frequently you go in and out of the house, what time you come home at night, eating all the food on your plate, etc. The best way to prevent any uncomfortability in a homestay is to, first, be clear in your application what your hobbies are, what kind of food do you like and don’t like, what kind of environment do you prefer, all the details that will help Heidi pair you with the right family. Second, open communication is best, especially with Heidi. She will always help you navigate any situation relating to cultural cues, to arranging a doctors visit, to handling difficult conversations… with anything you need help with.

Costs of Living

In relation to other neighboring Central American countries, Costa Rica is very expensive. I love going to the malls but I never buy anything because everything is overpriced. Be smart and save money where you can. Opt to make lunch at home, don’t buy things in touristy spots where things are overpriced, use the bus versus Uber; this will help you save money to spend on experiences like going out with friends or travelling. Beware that some tourist activities are pricey and foreigners often get upcharged a ton versus residents.

Manuel Antonio is known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the country.

he National Park is extensive and has many breathtaking views.

Author: Mia Casas

Location: Santo Domingo, Costa Rica

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

If you are thinking about studying abroad at Valparaiso’s Study Center in Costa Rica, here’s a detailed guide that outlines everything from class structures, internship options, housing accommodations, and other notes that may help you in your decision to study abroad in Costa Rica. Originally, I wanted to answer these questions all in one document, but I realized there’s just so much that it would be better to split up the topic into two parts — academics and recreation.

What is a study center?

A Valpo study center provides more resources to students during their time abroad. A defining characteristic is a local, on-sight Valpo director who works one-on-one with students to provide classroom instruction, group excursions, local directions, etc. If there is anything else you may need help with, you will always have someone easily accessible to ask. Included with the cost of the study center fee are housing arrangements, whether it be in a homestay or residence hall. For Costa Rica, students do live with a host family, and typically there are other students from Valpo that will form your entire cohort. More information about the different study abroad programs available at Valpo can be found here.

What classes do you take in Costa Rica?

Everyone is automatically enrolled in three classes:

• Spanish Grammar class
• Spanish Conversation class
• Ethnology and History of Costa Rica

Before you enroll for your Spanish classes you will complete a placement exam to determine your level of Spanish. The levels are assessed as A, B, or C; A being the beginner level and C being the most advanced level. From there, each section is split into section 1 and section 2, the latter being the more advanced course. Truthfully, your performance on the placement exam does matter, but the number of students available for each class session plays an important role for the university. I say this because, for our group, we were all placed either in B1 or B2 and no C level classes were offered, initially. This also means that you may be in a course where each students’ Spanish-speaking capabilities vary, but regardless we were all placed in the same class for the sake of class availability. Once you start classes you will realize that the class size is very small, approximately 10 students or less, so it is a good environment to ask a lot of questions.

The structure of the classes is designed to be an intensive course. You will take both Spanish classes at the same time, starting at 8 am and finishing just before 1pm, for four weeks. Between classes you have a 30-minute break. This may not sound too bad, but you may find yourself waking up as early as 5:30 am so you can catch the 6:40 am bus to UCR. But, after just four weeks you will have earned 6 credits of Spanish! Another unique thing is that this Spanish class is exclusive to foreign students, so you have the chance to meet people from different parts of the world and even form friendships.

For the other course, you study with Heidi Michelsen at Casa Adobe, Valparaiso’s Study Center (also known as the Praxis Center). You begin this course as soon as you arrive to Costa Rica, and it lasts for 9 weeks. The first four weeks are intense because you meet almost everyday for almost the whole day. The good thing is that the topics of the course are interesting, Heidi frequently invites guest speakers, and group excursions are built into the curriculum. Then, on the fifth week the cohort does a study tour. This year we went to Panama, in previous years students travelled to Nicaragua, but, since last year, it has been too dangerous to travel there. Heidi intentionally designs the program so that students are exposed to various walks of life — from urban life, to rural life, to indigenous life. So, just as you will do in Costa Rica, you will experience different lifestyles in Panama. Once you return to Santa Rosa, you will start your Spanish classes. At this time, you will meet less frequently for Heidi’s class, typically just once a week. After the first 9 weeks, students typically begin an internship, but there are other options available, as well.

Interested in other miscellaneous class work? Heidi does her best to arrange whatever classes you may need to take abroad, and each member of my cohort has taken various elective courses. Two of my classmates enrolled in a Theology course about ethics at La Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana, which is a theology course purely in Spanish. The course lasts 15 weeks, spanning the entire length of our program, and ends in December. They meet for a few hours in the evening only once a week. My other classmate decided to forfeit doing an internship and continue taking classes at UCR. He was initially placed in B1 and has progressed into the C1 course. He is also taking another class with Heidi about the Sociology of Healthcare in the evenings once a week. As for me, after classes at UCR I began a 3-week course on Central American literature with Latin American Studies Program, a study abroad program for various Christian colleges in the US. I am also completing an independent study course on Liberation Theology with Heidi, and an independent study for my International Economics and Cultural Affairs Senior Seminar with my professor at VU. Don’t worry about buying any textbooks for any of these classes. As far as I could tell, all the materials are provided for students.

What are the internships like?

After the first 9 weeks, students typically begin working with an internship of their choice. Most are business related or medical related. I’ve included a link to the list of internships available as of August 2019. If you have a clear idea of where you would like to work, talk to Heidi so she can help you. We always joke around that Heidi has connections everywhere, and it’s true.

Veronica Campell has worked in the neighborhood of La Carpio, a marginalized community of predominantly Nicaraguan refugees and migrants, translating locals’ stories into a book that recounts monumental moments of community members.

In general, I would say your internship is what you make out of it. The work culture is very different here, so it probably won’t match your expectations of a typical internship, based on US standards. For one, ticos (Costa Ricans) have a different concept of an internship than we do, that is to say, they don’t often employ interns. So when you arrive, you will have more personal responsibility and liberty to outline what projects you choose to participate in at your internship. While there, you may also realize that the work environment is more relaxed, and it may feel like you have a lot of down time. Use this time to talk with your peers and/or supervisors and learn more about the company culture and Costa Rican culture, in general.

Veronica works alongside The Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation, which offers a variety of community enrichment programs.

A lot of this information will be explained by the Study Abroad Office and/or Heidi Michelsen, the Costa Rica program director. However, I hope it helps having the details provided here for you to read thoroughly. I based these questions on some things I had wondered before going to Costa Rica, so hopefully this clears up any doubts! If you ever have a question in the future, I’d be happy to answer any of your questions via email at mia.casas@valpo.edu

The international Spanish students took a field trip with their UCR Spanish professors to breakfast and the Jade Museum.

Veronica and I befriended students from the Netherlands and Norway, and have enjoyed going out for dinner, going to the theater, and getting to know Costa Rica together.