CIS Abroad Blog

Balancing Books & Beaches: My Study Abroad Story in Costa Rica

A group of students smiling and standing on a large wooden hand platform over the lush green Costa Rican rainforest

I'm Sophia, a Recreation, Tourism, and Therapeutic Recreation major at Winona State University. I went on the Summer in Costa Rica - Spanish for Health Care Professionals program in 2024. I chose CIS Abroad because of the intriguing courses offered, the location, and the CIS Abroad on-site support staff! Here's a look inside my study abroad experience: 

Academics

CIS Abroad has two different program options for summer in Costa Rica. They have the Spanish for Health Professionals program, along with the regular Summer in Costa Rica program. Both programs combine into one group per term! The only difference is that students take a Spanish for Health Professionals course. During this course students will improve their Spanish grammar and will learn how to do a patient exam in Spanish.

Sophia Young_rescue truckTypically, students will have two classes a day, one Spanish class in the morning, and one elective course in the afternoon. For my elective course I took Costa Rican Health Care System and Tropical Medicine! Throughout the course we learned about the system in CR. Toward the end of the term, an ER doctor in Costa Rica came to our class for a week and lectured about tropical medicine and tropical diseases!

This class was so interesting to me because not only did I learn more about healthcare in Costa Rica, I learned about the healthcare system in the United States also. Almost all classes bring students on field trips at the end of the term. We went to the Costa Rican Red Cross, which is where the emergency dispatchers work. We also went to Volcano Irazú and the historical site of an abandoned tuberculosis sanatorium! Through these field trips we were able to learn even more about Costa Rica and its history.

Support from CIS Abroad 

One of the best things about CIS Abroad programs is the on-site support staff! Prior to departure, there are meetings and ways to get into contact with the other students in your program. After arrival, the on-site staff pick you up from the airport and drop you off at your homestay.

The first few days in Costa Rica are for orientation and meeting the other students in your program. During these days the on-site staff prepared us for what to expect in Costa Rica, gave us recommendations on things to do, and answered any questions that we may have had. Throughout the stay, they plan activities for the group and help in any way that is needed! 

Sophia Young_Volcano

Excursions around Costa Rica

Our first day after arriving we did a San José city tour and the Cafe Britt Coffee tour! Our included excursion was a weekend in Monteverde where we did a guided night hike and optional ziplining. Optional excursions included when we went to Playa Blanca for a day, and Manuel Antonio National Park hike with a weekend on Jaco Beach! In Jaco students had the choice between surf lessons and horseback riding on the beach!

Sophia Young_Monteverde hike

Any time that we would go on an excursion, the on-site staff would stop along the way and show us a piece of history, bring us to a gift shop, or to a restaurant! As for traveling around CR, on our last weekend, a few of us took the bus to Puerto Viejo, which is on the Caribbean Coast! We booked a snorkeling tour and spent the rest of the weekend exploring the quaint beach town, and relaxing by the water! Traveling around Costa Rica is very easy with the public bus system. 

My Homestay

My homestay experience in Costa Rica was amazing! My host mom only speaks Spanish which made me nervous going into the program, but I am so glad that it worked out that way. All the host families in Costa Rica are outgoing and friendly! Ticos love to cook and share their food with others, which brings people together so seamlessly! My host family made me feel so welcome and guided me throughout the program! Host families provide breakfast and dinner which is a great opportunity to spend time with them and practice your Spanish over a yummy meal!

Health and Safety

Sophia Young_Playa Blanca

The on-site staff were very helpful in giving us advice about safe traveling and what to avoid. Overall, I felt extremely safe in Costa Rica! Universidad Veritas has security guards that ride motorcycles around campus and are able to follow you back home from school if you feel unsafe!

Even if you don’t ask them to, they still watch over the surroundings, especially after evening classes. It is very easy to get sick when traveling, whenever this happened during our term, the on-site staff would bring the student to the hospital and help them out throughout the process! 

 

Learn more about CIS Abroad programs in Costa Rica here! 

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BOLDLY COMMITTED to providing the best experiences abroad
While studying in Tokyo for a semester, I aimed to live by the quote: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Because of that, I have gotten to experience incredibly fascinating things and meet amazing people. Tokyo almost feels like a second home to me now. I am immensely thankful for the opportunity to have experienced the beauty of Japan and its rich culture.
Kenae Turner
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Based on personal experience from my home university, Australia does not tend to be a popular destination for study abroad, likely due to its distance. However, I am extremely grateful I made the decision to come here. The geographical diversity, numerous cultural representations, and major cities so close to nature make Australia a truly unique and unforgettable country. Spending three and a half months here will be an experience I treasure for the rest of my life.

Joshua Grossman
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CIS provided a brilliant network of people so I never felt alone, and everyday was a new adventure. I got to explore a place completely different from anything I could have imagined. It was challenging navigating a new culture, a language I didn't know completely, and a new environment, but that was the beauty of it all. No one goes abroad searching for comfort, but you learn that comfort can be found anywhere, if you know how to look.
Alisa Geise
Virginia Commonwealth University
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Studying abroad has allowed me to grow as a person. I have conquered fears, experienced new things, tried new foods, and met wonderful people who helped make my experience unforgettable. I am more confident in myself and the person that I want to be in the future.
Ashlyn Holmes
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Studying abroad in London has been an experience I will never forget. Living in a new country is something I think everyone should experience in their life. I've made so many new life long friendships I never would have unless I came here. I've also grown so much as a person and become more independent. The CIS team has been so supportive during the whole process. From applying to my program to arriving on campus in London. My site directors have been so helpful and supportive answering any questions I have. The social program activities were amazing and helped me see a different side of London than I would have without it. I will never forget this experience; it really has changed me for the better.
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Studying abroad changed my life in all of the best ways and CIS Abroad made it all happen!! Through CIS, I was able to make my first friends and integrate into the culture way easier than I would have on my own.
Amy Zochalski
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My time abroad has been the most eye opening journey and I’m a more independent person because of it. I’m so grateful for all the experiences, friends, and memories I’ve made along the way!
Casey Ferguson
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Unlike many people on this trip who come with the intention of being a tourist, I feel like I had a different goal. I wanted to rediscover my culture and where I belonged. Being a hafu living in America and not fluent in Japanese, I was never really able to get in touch with my Japanese heritage. This trip completely changed that and I now have a goal of one day living in Japan for the rest of my life.
Dean Handler
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The CIS program was truly a one of a kind experience. I was able to meet many students from all across America, attend several events (such as food tours or a trip to Kyoto), and make many friends. I would not trade it for anything. I am thankful I decided to study with CIS Abroad. Before this, I was thinking about just plowing through my degree, getting my master's and PhD, and immediately entering society. However, this experience changed my life. Through meeting many people from many places, and living in a new area for an extended period of time, my view of my own philosophies, culture and place of living, changed. This would not have happened if I stayed in the States. I would say if you are able to go, you should go. There is no time like the present.
Lexington Whalen
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Studying abroad in Japan was lifechanging! Embracing a rich culture, forging international friendships, and gaining valuable insights broadened my perspective, fostering personal growth and unforgettable memories.
Bricen Williams
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I knew I wanted to study abroad, particularly in Japan, because it was on my bucket list. Thanks to CIS, I was able to go to Tokyo! Even now, it is surreal to me that I got to go! I can't put it into words how much fun I had in Tokyo. I enjoyed every second of my time there, from walking around the bustling streets of Shibuya and Shinjuku, to going to class, eating delicious Japanese cuisine, and even going to the convenience store. Even the simplest things were incredibly fun to me. I was initially anxious about being homesick, my Japanese skills and traveling alone, but I'm happy to say that I very quickly made lovely, lifelong friends and was met with nothing but kindness from the locals. I learned not to let my worries get in the way of an opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you, CIS Abroad. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to go to Tokyo.
Sada Chaudhury
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During my time in Costa Rica, I took Intermediate Conversation and Cultural Photography at Veritas University. I really enjoyed how relaxed the classes were and how the teachers taught us not only Spanish, but also culture and day-to-day life. I was also involved in the biology lab here (BIOMOL) and had fun doing some lab work every week. I got to explore multiple places with my program, such as Manuel Antonio, Curubandé, and Jaco. I went surfing for the first time and got to hike some amazing trails. I highly recommend traveling to Costa Rica for study abroad; it is a beautiful country with beautiful people and memories to make!
Lauren Adams
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I took Spanish for Healthcare Professionals and Conflict Resolution & Healthcare at Universidad Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica. I really enjoyed how interactive my elective class was; the students often led the class by doing presentations on various topics. We also had a field trip to the local school. My favorite part of the study abroad experience was all the weekend trips. It was awesome to see so many different places in the country. My favorite trip was to Tamarindo and Curubande where I got to take a surf lesson and hike to waterfalls.
Faith Johnson
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This past month I spent my time studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy with CIS Abroad. The opportunity of being able to study in Italy was a dream come true! From my peers in the program to Frankie and Kayla, everyone has been so open and welcoming. CIS has done any amazing job making sure I felt prepared for my travels and was available to answer my many questions. Without CIS, this opportunity would have seemed like a dream, but they helped me turn it into a reality. I have met some amazing friends and grown into a better person during my time in Sorrento!
Alana Bergin
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I’ve always wanted to study abroad, even though I was initially very nervous since I had never been over seas before. But even my imagination could never have dreamed of the amazing things I got to see and experience while abroad. I didn’t get to just see all these new places but studying abroad allowed me to have the time to fully submerge myself into so many different cultures. I’ll never forget my time over here and I will forever be grateful I was able to experience studying abroad!
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CIS Abroad planned a trip for our group to Orvieto for a weekend. It was one of my favorite things I have done so far. We got to make pasta dough and fully immerse ourselves in Italian family home culture.
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My Drawing on Location class spends most of our class time outside, learning about local history and drawing our environments, rather than staying in a classroom. My marine biology class took us on a field trip to a turtle rescue center, where we learned about their processes in caring for injured turtles. 
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