I had the greatest learning experience of my life by studying abroad in Costa Rica . There is so much to learn not just from a language aspect but from a cultural aspect. Being immersed in a foreign culture is life changing. I learned so much from the obvious like cooking different foods to being as open minded as one can be.
Megan King, St. Louis , MO
The trip really opened my eyes about the rest of the world. I saw so many things and did so many things that I would have never done; I do not regret a thing. I made so many friends and regularly keep in touch with them. My Spanish has improved dramatically and I plan on improving it even more. Costa Rica has changed my entire life and will keep doing so solely because of its impact on my life.
Tanvi Potdukhe, Woodridge
Costa Rica was incredible! I did a lot of things that I never thought I would or could. I went on many memorable and crazy adventures, made many new and cherished friends from all over the world, and, of course, learned a lot of Spanish which will help me with my career goals. Most importantly, however,being completely out of my cultural context gave me the opportunity to step outside of myself and look at who I really am. The greatest lessons I learned while abroad were about myself. I came back with much more confidence in my personal identity, and that is something I will forever be grateful for.
Jenna Slack, Carol Stream
It is an incredible feeling now to look at a map, see Costa Rica located so far away from the U.S. , and know that I have family and friends there with whom I will keep in touch for years to come. Though my home is in Naperville , because of the people I grew so close to I now feel as though I have a home in Costa Rica as well.
Also, the trip was invaluable in terms of improving my ability to speak Spanish. There is such a difference between taking Spanish classes here in the U.S. , where we study grammar, vocabulary, and literature, and actually getting out into the Spanish-speaking world and learning to speak more like a native. I feel far more confident now in my ability to communicate in Spanish in any situation and know that this skill will serve me well both personally as I keep up my relationships with my Costa Rican friends and also career-wise as I look for a job.
Katie Braun, Naperville
Looking back at the first few weeks of our study abroad experience in Costa Rica , I can recall the feelings of excitement, astonishment, independence, but also of fear, loneliness, and adjustment. We had just arrived in a beautiful and exotic country and were about to experience a new culture, perfect our knowledge of the Spanish language, and visit breathless beaches, jungles, and volcanoes, but were intensely missing our families and loved ones, living with people we did not know, and adjusting to the fact that we would be there for 15 weeks. As I look back at that wonderful point in time, I can see how much each one of us grew as individuals and how much more we valued our families, friends, and home. It was such a blessing that we were studying abroad as a group, not only because there were 17 other people who were experiencing the same things, but also because we often leaned on eachother for support and advice.
I can speak for myself and for the whole group when I say that the level of our Spanish language skills reached enormous heights. Not only did we learn the language in our classes taught by professionals, but we also learned as we spoke with our homestay families, our newly made friends, and our co-workers in our internships. It was an experience that will truly be treasured in my life and that has helped me become more of the individual I am today.
Evita Predki, Lemont
===========================================================
Study abroad programs can change lives
January 29, 2010 Beacon News
Pura Vida! My daughter had an amazing fall term. Jessica was one of 17 North Central College students and a teacher who went on a study trip to Costa Rica from late August through mid-December. "Pura Vida" is a phrase commonly used by Costa Ricans that is both a greeting and a way of life.
As a parent, it is a bit of a leap of faith, combined with a lot of preparation, to send your student off to another country for several weeks or months. Study abroad can be part of a student's major or just a valuable part of his or her college experience.
NCC offers group programs to China, Japan, and Costa Rica and also has 12 exchange programs and nine direct enrollment programs available, in addition to December term options for two to three weeks. NCC professor Jeff Anstine of Aurora, who accompanied my daughter's group, says this type of trip is a wonderful opportunity for students to experience another culture and language, gain a more global view of the world and open their thinking.
On my daughter's Costa Rica trip, students lived with host families in Quepos and attended COSI, a learning center on a mountain with stunning views of the ocean and jungle below. There they had Spanish classes and Ecotourism classes, the latter taught by Anstine. They also had cooking and dancing classes.
While in Quepos the students had plenty of free time and enjoyed visiting the beach and local hangouts, and many weekends they took trips to other parts of the country.
They also had the experience of moving to the capital city of San Jose in November. There they participated in internships or more schooling for the final six weeks. How scary it must be to be so far from home and move in with a family you have never met before, and to do so twice in a matter of weeks.
Things in San Jose are very different than in Quepos. The weather is cooler and the city surroundings offer restaurants, movie theaters and shopping malls like any large city anywhere.
While in Costa Rica, the students experienced an earthquake, visiting volcanoes and national parks, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, snorkeling, boat rides, whale and dolphin watching, nature exploration, riding on a moped, playing in a waterfall, living near a beach, living in a big city, and all kinds of things that are very different from being at home. Most of them also learned to survive without cell phones and Internet access.
They found that they actually enjoyed the more relaxed lifestyle.
Visit my blog at statar.blogspot.com for comments from several NCC students who went on the trip. For more information about NCC's program, visit northcentralcollege.edu/x2920.xml.
Aurora University has also offered May term study abroad programs since 2005.
The programs designed by AU faculty go to the following countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, England and Ireland, France, Greece, Luxembourg and Belgium, Spain, Turkey, China, Hungary, Italy, South Africa and Italy. More than 200 students have participated since the program began, and the average is about 40 students per year.
For more information about AU's program, visit:
• www.aurora.edu/doc uments/academics/may- term-course-bulletin.pdf
• www.aurora.edu/documents/parents/08-fall.pdf.
Contact Sherry Tatar at SherryTatar@ameritech.net.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)