Study abroad programs can change

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.