Experience Report: Studying and Researching in Costa Rica

In addition to making an appointment to collect the visa, a number of documents must first be submitted. In addition to the passport with copies, passport photos and the Letter of Acceptance, these include proof of sufficient financial means, an international birth certificate and a police clearance certificate. An apostille is also required for the last two documents, which is best requested at the same time as the application. In addition to the visa, you will of course also need to organize your arrival, departure and accommodation. The Universidad de Costa Rica offers accommodation with a host family for which you can apply. If you prefer to live alone or with other students, there are plenty of hostels and rooms and apartments for rent in San José. However, the latter are easier to find locally. When preparing, you should also consider whether some vaccinations might be useful.

Before you start, you should think about how you would like to use your stay in Costa Rica. In addition to the possibility of considering the semester at UCR as a supplement to your studies in Hanover and having courses recognized for your studies, there is also the possibility of carrying out a research project in Costa Rica and having the research stay recognized as a practical module. A preliminary learning agreement is then drawn up in Hanover in consultation with the supervisors and coordinators of the exchange program. The final course selection is made in Costa Rica.

And then it's time to pack your bags ... sunscreen, insect repellent, umbrella, dictionary, ... and off you go! 

Studying in San José

Student life in Costa Rica is exciting, but cannot be compared with that in Germany. At the beginning of the semester there is an orientation day, which all exchange students must attend. This is where everyday life at UCR is introduced and a few organizational matters are discussed. Over the next few days, all documents brought from Germany must be translated and finally submitted to the International Office in order to apply for the final student visa. Experience has shown that very few students actually receive a visa at the end of the semester. However, in order to be regularly enrolled at UCR, you must have all the required documents, which is why you should definitely take all the necessary documents with you to Costa Rica.

The seminars you wish to attend are chosen on site. All courses are offered in Spanish, which is why good language skills are a prerequisite.  It should also be noted that the courses are very time-consuming - 100 pages of reading per course and week are not unusual. In addition, most lecturers require two to three written exams and a presentation per semester as well as a term paper. Experience has shown that anyone planning a research stay should therefore not take more than two courses. As different as the seminars were in terms of subject matter, structure and type of teaching, what they all had in common was that the lecturers were very committed and would help you with questions or problems.

Auch wenn das Studium sich sehr zeitintensiv gestaltet, macht das Studieren am Unicampus „Rodrigo Facio“ in San José großen Spaß. Hier trifft man sich oft mit Freunden und Kommilitonen, mit denen man in den umliegenden Sodas – den kleinen costaricanischen Restaurants- günstig zu Mittag essen kann. Und auch das in der Universität beheimatete Faultier beehrt die Studenten ab und zu mit seiner Anwesenheit. Zur Gestaltung der Freizeit bieten sich die zahlreichen für Studenten kostenlosen Angebote auf und um den Campus herum an -  Konzerte und Vorträge, diverse Filmvorführungen und natürlich Sportkurse, bei denen man auch lateinamerikanische Tänze lernen kann.

¡Pura Vida! in Costa Rica

In addition to the not entirely unstrenuous student life, Costa Rica naturally has a lot more to offer. San José has a wealth of cultural offerings, ranging from the “Enamórate de tu ciudad” (weekly cultural festival), “Feria agrícola” (farmers' markets) to the “Mercado Central” in the city center (market hall), which has existed since 1880. Although Costa Rica is only about the size of Lower Saxony, one semester is hardly enough to get to know the country in all its facets. If you want to relax and soak up the sun, you can reach the Caribbean or Pacific coast in just a short time. Thanks to the small size of the country, you can get to the sea relatively quickly from San José, which is why weekend trips during the semester, for example, are no problem. The small Central American country also has tropical rainforests and volcanoes to offer.

Traveling by bus in Costa Rica is cheap, easy and safe. In contrast to other cities, there are many different bus stations with different routes in San José, which is why you should find out in advance which bus you need to take from where. For one thing, almost every route has its own bus station. And secondly, many of them are located in remote places. In addition, there are no street names in Costa Rica, as we are used to here, but a street assignment according to direction (“50 meters east and 25 meters north of the Roosevelt School”) and only in San José a street order according to even and odd numbers. It is also advisable to buy your bus ticket a day in advance, as the Ticos, as the Costa Ricans call themselves, often travel by bus.

The neighboring countries Panamá and Nicaragua, which are culturally very different from Costa Rica, are also definitely worth a visit. Although they are not far away, you should plan a little more time for them, which is why it is a good idea to visit these countries after the end of the semester.

Whether it's Chifrijo, Chiliguaro or Osos Perezosos - there are various things you won't want to miss after your stay in Costa Rica. The semester abroad in Costa Rica is therefore not only an excellent opportunity to expand your language and subject knowledge, but above all a fantastic opportunity to get to know people and cultures and discover new, beautiful places. The happiest people in the world live in Costa Rica - if you want to find out why, you should definitely not miss out on the ¡Pura Vida! adventure.

Azar Hagshenas, Christina Kochannek