SGC Costa Rica Study Abroad Program

Rappelling down waterfalls in a lush rainforest. Rafting through Class III or IV rapids. Peering down into the crater of a majestic volcano. Getting college credit. Did you know that South Georgia College offers study abroad opportunities in Costa Rica? It’s true. Our program is in its fifth year and for the 08/09 academic year we have trips planned for December, March, May and June.

While in Costa Rica, SGC students receive 16-20 hours of formal instruction per week at the Turrialba Spanish Center, a private language school located in Turrialba where the class size is generally four students or less. Conditions are optimal for students to improve their Spanish communication skills. You will immerse yourself in the language and culture when you live with a Costa Rican family and take language classes taught by native speakers. Many of our students also enroll in the Medical Spanish program which affords them additional opportunities to receive instruction in medical terminology and practice getting personal data and medical histories from patients.

Outside of class, program participants further hone their language abilities as they interact with host families, tour guides, shopkeepers and other friendly ticos (Costa Ricans). Being immersed in the language and culture provides students with greater incentive and more opportunities to use new vocabulary and practice new skills. They gain confidence in their ability to communicate in Spanish as they succeed at ordering lunch, giving directions to a taxi driver, or changing dollars to colones.

This year we are excited about a number of extracurricular activities which will be arranged by C.A.T.I.E. Whether chopping fresh vegetables for a tasty salsa, perfecting new merengue moves, exploring archeological ruins, or zip-lining through the rainforest canopy, our students make new friends and lasting memories in Costa Rica. Additional activities can also be arranged by the Turrialba Spanish Center staff or SGC’s onsite representative. In the past, interested students have been able to visit and/or do service projects with schools, churches, a children’s home, a rehabilitation center, and a shelter for handicapped persons from an indigenous tribe. Others have gone to soccer games or birthday parties with their host families. Each student’s experience is unique. Not everyone gets up close to a sloth. Not everyone gets to discuss with a native Costa Rican the impact CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) could have on his or her country. But everyone is transformed by their experience in a country that preserves and protects the biological diversity of its ecosystems, has no military, and boasts a literacy rate of 96%, a place where people are less wasteful and enjoy a slower paced life.

SGC’s Costa Rica program is surprisingly affordable. For example, the projected cost for our next scheduled trip (May 23-June 2, 2009) is only $1300-$1400 (plus $100-$300 tuition). Most of the participants will actually pay considerably less since there are a number of sources of financial assistance for SGC study abroad students. Many of our students participate in service learning projects and consequently receive STARS (STudents Abroad with Regents’ Support) funds which are then matched by SGC Foundation funds. In the past Coffee Regional Medical Center has also generously provided scholarship assistance to students enrolled in the Medical Spanish program. The Ruth Doling Scholarship is another SGC study abroad scholarship fund. Fundraising activities, student loans, HOPE, and PELL also help to offset the program cost.

Ready for an adventure? For more information, please direct inquiries to studyabroad@sgc.edu.