Sol Education Abroad: Study Abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica

When I found out that for the first time ever the preschool where I am employed had their spring break aligned perfectly with Fullerton's spring break (and the trip to Costa Rica) I knew it was meant to be. I was very nervous to begin the trip since this was one of the first times I was traveling alone, but from the moment our host family brought us into their home, I immediately felt more comfortable. They were so kind and open to our experience, it made everything more exciting. The Sol directors were funny, attentive, and caring, which made every excursion more enjoyable. Also, the hands-on experience we received from visiting La Posada de Belen and La Milpa school was so much fun and so meaningful in my career exploration. I recommend it!

This is a superior study abroad program. I signed up for SOL with little to no knowledge of Spanish and, now, have an appreciation and passion for the language. This program is an excellent option for students with prior knowledge of Spanish as well as those with none. Furthermore, the program includes many fun excursions, employs the best and brighest Spanish teachers, and provides students with opportunities to meet other motivated students from across the US. You will grow as a person while studying abroad in Costa Rica and living with a new family! I now have friends that I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life and a family in Costa Rica who took care of me like I was their own. I highly recommend this program to all college students--do it!

This is my 3rd time studying with Sol Education (Granada, Spain; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Heredia Costa Rica). If I study abroad again it will be with Sol.
While I am a person who likes variety, I value superior performance above all else. From my first experience with Sol in Granada I felt that any other program would not measure up. My experiences in Buenos Aires and now, Costa Rica have only confirmed that belief.
I am a 69 year old retired dentist and a non-traditional student, which is a redundant sentence. I have traveled the world and experienced many locales. The enjoyment I get from spending an extended period of time in a country far outweighs the usual tourist experience. It is fulfilling.
Without Sol Education my time in country would not be so enjoyable.
The advantage of learning with Sol is having someone readily available as a resource. It is like having a personal assistant who is there when you want, who gives you as much personal space as you desire. In Costa Rica that person is Janiva. As a non-traditional student my desires and needs are unique. What I admire most about Janiva and her team (Angie & Leydi) is their ability to attend to my individual desires. For example: My travel itinerary was totally different than the other students, my dietary needs are unique and there are some activities that I prefered not to attend. None were a problem. My airport transportation was seemless, my host mother prepared delicious meals and s I was offered a tour of a coffee plantation rather than going white water rafting.
The education schedule that Sol has arranged with Universidad Latina is great as were my instructors. The time off was filled with activities that were interesting, fun and cultural. The physical layout of the school is great and the classrooms comfortable. The cafeteria offers multiple options and there is a large modern mall just across the street from the Universidad. The gym at the mall is one of the best I have been in. Housing is immaculate and close by.
If I were the parent of a tradition student I would have total confidence if my son or daughter told me they were interested in participating with Sol. In fact I would be envious!

It was really fun and there were many neat things to do. Everyday there was something new and exciting. We tried different food, experienced different markets and interacted with many different people. It was amazing me be introduced to a different culture and way of life compared to what I was used to back at home. It was quite an experience to see that you can find in a market. There were many different things you could purchase, with many of them being made by artisans. The parks were all lively with children playing and people selling ice cream. Our host parents were very kind and shared every single meal with us. There were several different places that we went where we experienced different things from chocolate tours to white water rafting to going to rainforests.

My host home was absolutely amazing. The food was great and I had valuable conversations with my family and it helped to grow my Spanish speaking skills. The classes and material we learned in ‘class’ was very interesting and useful in certain settings, but the highlight of my trip was living with my host family. About 95% of the material/vocab we learned was new to me and it was very applicable in a medical setting. I really really thought the 2 professors were great, caring, and very helpful. Also, Angie is the best. All of the SOL team members were friendly and everything went very smoothly. The structured time vs unstructured(free time) was evenly split and i felt that i was able to do everything I wanted and more. I really enjoyed this trip, and I only wish I could stay here longer

I loved this program! I experienced the perfect blend of experiencing the culture and being a tourist/exploring the beautiful country. I speak very little Spanish but felt supported and learned so much while in Costa Rica. The Spanish instructors did not speak English so it was hard for me to ask questions, but others in the program were kind and helped me out when I was lost. I love Costa Rica and the program did a fabulous job putting together a fun and educational experience :) The food was amazing and we had very authentic meals that I loved, we did many things through the program but were also able to use free time to explore the country further. All the cultural experiences were educational and exciting. I was able to experience things that I could not do anywhere else. I love this program and would 10/10 recommend.

Traveling with Sol was by far the best decision I made when deciding to study abroad! Immediately as I came home, I was looking into the possibility of doing it again. My host family was perfectly suited to me, which Sol made sure of with their host family matchmaking questionnaire. For example, I asked to live in a house with pets. My host family had 8 (sweetheart) dogs. The most surprising thing about this experience for me, was making so many close friends so quickly. I went on the shortest study abroad Sol offers, and still walked away with life-long friends all over the country. I also expected pretty hardcore culture shock coming into Costa Rica, and there is definitely a little when you first enter and you're on the bus to your host family. However, I was completely settled in and comfortable within the first few hours of entering Heredia. Traveling abroad alone was a brand new experience for me, and I was extremely nervous. Ultimately, Sol made me feel completely comfortable, safe and excited for the new experiences waiting to come. The academics, the excursions, and the cultural activities were nothing short of incredible. I was excited to go to class every day, and there wasn't a sing cultural activity or excursion that I didn't absolutely love. In the end, I would travel with Sol again tomorrow.

I had the best time of my life in Costa Rica. Two weeks gave me the opportunity to visit many national parks, local shops/supermercados, and to learn about the culture outside of a touristic view. I definitely am already planning on my return trip back.
Future participants, make sure to bring clothes for every season. If you plan on being adventurous and love to enjoy natural beauty, hiking at one of the many local parques is always possible.
The food is fresh and locally grown, so do not hesitate to try a local tican-meal. My experience was unique in that I had free-time to go to the pacific ocean for the first time in my life. If you love animals, you can get within a few feet of sloths, iguanas, and monkeys!