The Basics of Studying Abroad in Costa Rica

If you've never seen Costa Rica's beautiful beaches, its world-famous National Parks or its exquisite cuisine, then you need to study abroad in Costa Rica to view these things in person!

Not only are the parks home to rare species of birds and other exotic animals, but they also have mountains, wildlife refugees and swimming holes located beneath raging waterfalls. The food ranges from traditional rice and beans to seasoned chicken and beef, and there are always places to go at night.

Whether you spend a semester or a summer in Costa Rica, you'll always have plenty of things to do!

Study Spanish in Costa Rica to Expand Your Communication Skills

The best way to learn a country's language and culture is to immerse yourself in its education system.

One of the best school's to study Spanish in is the University of Costa Rica, also known as the Universidad de Costa Rica, which is located in San Jose. Known as the most prestigious school in all of Costa Rica, the school offers campuses throughout all of Costa Rica and has a wide variety of academic majors to choose from, including Animal Science, Architecture, Dentistry, Law and Media Sciences.

The Academia de Espanol Intercultura Costa Rica is another great institution to learn the Spanish language. The school not only offers small interactive classes so that you can get to know your professors and classmates better, but it also offers recreational classes such as dance, cooking and film night on the weekends! There is even a campus located on the beach in Sámara, where you can sit by the water to do work and then go snorkeling once you are done!

Costa Rican Modes of Transportation

One of the best things about the Costa Rican culture is its available transportation services. There are many safe and reliable ways to get around the city, and most of them are very affordable.

The most widely-used form of transportation is the bus, which people use daily to travel to and from work. The system is very efficient and takes you across all of Costa Rica. The buses are so popular that many companies have created modernized buses with air conditioning, extra storage space and comfortable seating.

You can get bus tickets by visiting CostaRicaBusTickets.com.

Costa Rica also offers modes of transportation such as taxis and rental cars. Taxis all come in the color red, and they are also equipped with meters. But because people have been scammed by fake taxis, always make sure that the taxi you choose has a meter and a set fare price.

You can read about Costa Rican taxis and find fare values at CostaRicaTaxi.com.

You can also find rental cars at the airport and throughout the city. You need to be aware that most of these are four-wheel drives and you must be 21 years old to rent one on your own.

You can read about Costa Rican rental car rates at ServiceCarRental.com.

Costa Rican Currency

Costa Rica is known to have the most expensive currency in all of Central America. Costa Rica uses the colon, which equals 100 centimos.

Here's how the currency works:

* Centimos come in denominations of 0.5, 0.25, 0.50, 1 and 2.
* The colones come in denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500.

Some other terms you should know are:

* Tejas = 100 colones
* Rojo = 1,000 colones
* Tucan = 5,000 colones

Enjoy the Scenery in Costa Rica While You Study

It's important to get as much out of your school program as possible, but it's also necessary to explore Costa Rica in your free time. You can even take your schoolwork along with you as you visit all of the magnificent places Costa Rica has to offer.

One place you can visit is Corcovado National Park, one of the ecologically-diverse and picturesque parks in the country. The park is known for its preservation of the largest tropical rainforest in the Pacific, which is also a huge tourist destination for visitors.

If you're interested in deep-cave exploration, then you can explore any of the 42 caves located at the Barra Honda Caverns. For art-lovers there is the Banco de Costa Rica Gallery, known for its pre-Colombian gold collection.

You can even take a tour of the Arenal Volcano, which is an active volcano in Costa Rica that spews red lava almost every day!

Finally, take a boat trip through the Cano Nino Wildlife Refuge, where you can view literally thousands of plants, reptiles, birds and other native wildlife.

Important Information for Your Study Abroad Costa Rica Experience

When you study abroad in Costa Rica you should always have important numbers handy in case of an emergency. These numbers will provide you valuable information for getting around the country:

* United States Embassy (Costa Rica) Telephone: 011-506-519-2000
* Costa Rica.com: Complete guide of up-to-date information about Costa Rica
* Costa Rica Map and Travel: Travel and vacation guide for visitors