41 reviews
4.22 / 5 based on 41 reviews
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Kristian H
Languages
Language of instruction: Spanish
Was learning Spanish a key decision factor?
Yes, I wanted to improve my Spanish
How much did you improve your Spanish?
My level before: Basic phrases
My level after: At ease in most situations
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Since I didn't now too much spanish before I came, I had, in the beginning, problems to comunicate with people. I worked a lot with especially the vocabulary and tried to speak spanish all the time. The native people are very helpfull and they really like if you try to express yourself in their language. Allthough a lot of native people also like to practice their English. In my univeristy people were also very helpfull. Some of the teachers had private grammar classes with me when needed, and they also helped me understanding my classes.
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Kristian H
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Government assistance
Other sources of funding:
Family<br>
Personal savings
Work opportunities:
I didn't explore any work options
Personal spending habits
Because mostly of the things you are doing and buying are less expensive in Costa Rica.
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Travel:
was more expensive than at home.
Telephone, Nightlife, Food, Overall, Housing:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
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Kristian H
Academic
Course recommendations
All the classes are small (max 30 persons). This makes a good atmosphere and a good dialog with the theachers and among students.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Everything depends on what subjects I took. I specially liked how my programming course (C++) was organized. A good class:
-has a good theacher
-has essays and projects in groups and individually a few times each semester
-is theached with creativity: It means disussions of different cases, quizes, TV, ineractive media shows etc
UCR could be better in some of this aspects!!
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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Kristian H
Overall
I wish I had known...
I have been traveling a lot since I was born, so I was in general prepared on what was waiting.
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In my opinion:
Most people loved it.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
I think this university should keep up the good work!!
They could be more modernised. But compared to most other government-driven universities in Middle-America I suppose they are well ahead.
If the ecomical situation in the country gets better I guess they also will spend more money on the educational part.
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Costa Rica is a country in the middle of middle-America. You have a lot of nice spots to see in their own country: White beaches on the caribean side (Limon, Puero Viejo), black beaches on the atlantic side (Puntarenas, Jaco, Quepos etc), vulcanos (Arenal) etc.
While you're in CR you should also take a trip to the neighbour-countries. I recomand especially a Island in Hoduras on the caribean side called Roatan. The best diving spot I've ever visited!!
Helpful advices: Keep your belongings very close you... There are a lot of thieves in these areas..
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Kristian H
Student life
Describe host city:
Students equally interact with the local and student community
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Nightlife, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Activities: Takes place both within and outside of the university/student environment
Personal social experience
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Kristian H
Housing
Type of housing: With a family
Arranged by: Host university
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
You are more independent
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Personal comments
My family was very friendly, but they thought to much of earning money on me leaving there. I had my own big room, shower and it was always cleen.
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