Program Reviews

Sol staff was so knowledgeable and helpful during the entire program abroad, phenomenal experience that I would definitely do again if I had the opportunity. Our professors were so sweet and ensured that we had meaningful discussions about events happening in the world (e.g. climate change strikes) as well as events that were pertinent to specifically CR.

All of the places that we visited during our excursions were spectacular and unique in their own way and I really loved being able to know that we were visiting smaller, locally owned and operated Costa Rican businesses!

I greatly enjoyed my time in Costa Rica traveling with Sol Education Abroad. Our program itinerary included the perfect combination of service, tourism, and cultural immersion. I loved staying with a host family as it was an experience that gave me a glimpse into the every day lives of the locals, as well as an opportunity to use and improve my spanish! Our tour guide, Leydi, was absolutely phenomenal! She was very knowledgable and experienced, and her presence made the trip even more enjoyable! I can't wait to return to the beautiful country of Costa Rica!

I really enjoyed my time abroad in Costa Rica! SOL Education provided me with all the necessary resources prior to traveling. My host family was very welcoming and always made sure that we were taken care of. I am typically a picky eater, but stepped out of my comfort zone to try some new foods and I was not disappointed! The excursions were a lot of fun as well! Kidtopia camp is a great program and really allowed to me engage with the students and learn more about Costa Rican culture. The directors were phenomenal and made the experience fun and welcoming!!

Our University guided study abroad trip to look us to Here, Costa Rica for the second winter in a row. I have such success in the initial trip that 4 of my students returned for a second visit. We ran a day camp in Heredia as part of our service to the community. Students really enjoyed the homestay portion of this experience and the location could not be better, affording students the opportunity to explore their neighborhoods independently. A great trip!After camp each day, students engaged in various cultural activities around the country, allowing them to get a richer experience of the culture and landscape.

This was truly an amazing experience. From working with the people at SOL, to working with kids and taking tours. I feel like even in a short amount of time you get to learn so much about the culture of Costa Rica while also doing good with the service learning aspect. The staff really helps you feel welcome and safe and they take care of you. Living in home stays with host families truly makes the experience one I’ll never forget. My mamatica took great care of me and even with the language barrier we communicated well!

My experience abroad was unique because we stayed with host families and were fully immersed into their culture. Whether you spoke Spanish or not, you were forced to try and communicate to everyone. Although we were not there for academic credits, we learned something new everyday whether it was something about their culture or how to say something in their language. I think future participants need to go with an open mind and be ready for any activity that comes your way. My favorite part about this trip was being able to build relationships with not only other people from Costa Rica but also classmates that I never would've met if it wasn't for this trip.

Sol Education was attentive and helpful from when I first applied to after my program ended. Their local staff are helpful and encouraging in whatever goals you have for yourself in your program. We had weekly activities that kept me busy, and excursions every few weeks. All the activities had cultural components, as well as in the classes, so you get a very thorough education. Additionally, all of the host families are so sweet and helpful for their students! You absolutely feel a part of their family for the semester. It was absolutely the right decision for me.

Loved my time spent abroad with sol. Learned so much Spanish while also making new friends and participating in amazing weekend trips and day plans. My moma tica loved me like her own child, asking me questions, preparing me food that I liked, and always helping me improve my Spanish. My favorite weekend trip we got to go white water rafting. The rapids were amazing, and made for an exciting ride. We also got to go zip lining over the canopy, swimming in Manuel Antonio beach, and hike a waterfall. While they were all amazing, I loved seeing the wildlife. One day we took a trip to the Toucan Rescue Ranch and they showed us all the amazing animals they take care of and hope to release back into the wild. We got to see sloths, monkey, otters, and even some cool looking owls. Overall the trip was amazing

My trip to Heredia, Costa Rica was abosolutely amazing. I went through SOL Education Abroad. While I was there in Costa Rica for three weeks, I was able to stay with a host family to connect with their ways of life and learn the language with other people from the United States. During our trip, we were able to talk with our host families, take classes in Spanish at the local university, visit historical sites, go to the beach, zip lining, and much more. SOL Education Abroad was so organized in helping me get through the early stages process, during the program, and after the program as well. Everyone from the program sets up many activities to keep you busy. Another thing I really liked is that everyone in the program was really nice and friendly. They weren't afraid to help you with anything you may be confused on. I highly reccomend SOL to anyone interested in learning more Spanish or if they would like to learn more about Hispanic and Latino culture.

My overall educational experience with Sol Education Abroad was great! The institution that I attended abroad was very welcoming and provided me with all of the resources that I needed. I learned a lot in my classes and the instructors were very helpful and patient. The on-site administrators for Sol Education Abroad were great! They were very helpful and accommodating and were always there if I needed anything or had any questions. The program schedule was organized well and the administrators made sure that everything went smoothly. I really enjoyed my living arrangements while studying abroad with Sol Education Abroad. Sol arranged for me to live with a host family and my host family was very welcoming and accommodating and I felt very comfortable throughout my stay. The host family that Sol Education Abroad arranged for me to stay with provided me with meals and always made sure that I was not hungry and that I was enjoying the food that they made for me. My host family arrangement as well as the on-site program administrators for Sol Education Abroad definitely helped me to feel more integrated with the local culture. They gave us a comprehensive guide to understanding the local culture, getting around the city, and important things to know when in public.