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International Social Services: A Costa Rican Perspective : Reviews (Guacimo)

The following program review responses have been selected for publication by Study Abroad & Global Engagement
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Aaron A. Conrad, Summer 2016 Participant
My favorite part of this program was getting to interact with the social work students and professors with the University of Costa Rica. Learning about their emphasis advocacy, the focus on human rights above all else and the promotion of a culture of peace was very eye opening when compared to what is going on with social work in the United States. It was very informative to learn about that different perspective and then to reflect on how if can be applied to my country. It certainly changed the way I view social work and myself as a social worker. This program had the perfect mix of work and leisure time and it was great that we got to learn about the country as a whole, see many of its places and communities, and experience the culture in a holistic fashion.

 

Summer 2018 Participant
My favorite part of this program was visiting the different social work sites and getting a glimpse of how social work issues are addressed and treated in a different country.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
The State of the Union presentation was insightful and informative.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
My favorite part of this study abroad program was learning in real life with expert professionals in the field. The experiences I had in Costa Rica have greatly impacted me and changed how I see social work. I loved being able to see first hand the work that people are doing and hearing about the challenges and wins that they are facing in the field.

 

Summer 2024 Participant
My favorite part of the program was spending time with other social workers and learning more about their passion for helping their community.

 

Summer 2025 Participant
My favorite part of the experience was visiting with the social workers who so passionately championed efforts to maintain and expand their local aqueduct systems and preserve the area's rivers and other waterways.

 

Summer 2025 Participant
My favorite part of this program was getting to build new relationships. I found that I was building a lot of relationships on this trip that I would not have otherwise been able to make. I made friends with everyone on my trip, some being undergraduate students that I would not have been able to interact with otherwise. I also feel I made great relationships with faculty. Of course Melinda as the course instructor but also the faculty at the University of Costa Rica and even a student from the university. Without these trips I probably would have never been able to meet these people.

 

Summer 2025 Participant
Honestly, I can't just choose one thing that was my favorite from the trip; it was all really a lot of fun, and I would do it again if I could.

 

Summer 2016 Participant
It was all incredibly rewarding. I love the connections I made while on this trip and the glimpse into another culture.

 

Summer 2016 Participant
Interacting with students from the University of Costa Rica was very rewarding. It was great to hear about their passion and stories that lead them to pursue a career in social work.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
The most rewarding was the web activity related to the LGBTQI+ community regarding the roles one plays and how the web can be impacted if we do not play our part.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
There wasn’t a part of the trip that I values least. Not to say that everyday was exciting, adventurous and fun . But, I was able to find value and connection with mostly everything we did.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
I enjoyed immersing with students at University of Costa Rica!

 

Summer 2023 Participant
The most rewarding part of this trip was the experience itself. Even though it was a shorter program and there was a lot of academic time each day, there was also adequate time to see and get to know our host country. It was so rewarding the interact and exchange ideas with other students, my fellow classmates and others along the way.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
The most rewarding experience was meeting the various social workers in Costa Rica. They all work and advocate for various populations in their local communities

 

Summer 2024 Participant
Learning about the TCUs, especially how they helped local farmers, was really rewarding. We saw how other social work students helped change these communities' lives.

 

Summer 2024 Participant
I found adapting to uncertain situations to be very rewarding. Before the program I didn't think I was very good at adapting and being flexible, but through the program I learned to face uncertainty and find learning opportunities wherever I could!

 

Summer 2025 Participant
I found being afforded opportunities to meet and converse with social workers who had maintained their passions for and commitments to such vital causes for so long, in one case 38 years, to be the most inspiring and rewarding.

 

Summer 2025 Participant
The most rewarding elements of the program were the opportunities to engage directly with local organizations and community leaders who are creating real change on the ground. Visiting places like MUSADE, where we learned about gender-based violence prevention and women's empowerment, and PRIDENA, where we explored children's rights and development, helped me move beyond textbook knowledge and see how social work principles are applied in diverse cultural contexts. Another deeply rewarding aspect was the sense of connection and solidarity built through these encounters. We weren’t just observing; we were learning with and from the people who live these realities every day. That reciprocal learning experience made the work feel personal and impactful. Finally, being immersed in Costa Rica’s ethic of “pura vida” reminded me of the importance of balance, presence, and community care in social work practice. It helped me think more holistically about well-being, not just in terms of services or interventions, but in how we show up for one another as human beings.

 

Summer 2016 Participant
Be prepared for lots of learning in a short amount of time. It can be exhausting, but do as much as you possibly can! It will be worth it in the end!

 

Summer 2016 Participant
The U.S. carries an enormous amount of weight in the world. As a nation we need to be aware that our policies and decisions not only affect us, but other nations as well. The world truly is flat and we are intertwined.
As Americans we have tight schedules which dictate our lives, this is not the case in other nations. In Costa Rica you have to be flexible and patient. Things change often and at the last minute.

 

Nikolaus Michael Schuetz, Summer 2016 Participant
This program is a great introduction to a culture that is more collectivistic than the United States. The trip illuminates the important parts of how interconnected humans are with their social contexts as well as the natural environment around them.

 

Summer 2016 Participant
Just go with the flow. People in other cultures are not as obsessed with following a schedule and being exactly on time (a.k.a early) to everything. Just going with the flow of the country really releases some anxiety.

 

Katherine M Romero, Summer 2018 Participant
I learned that it is important to share this experience with other students in your program and to challenge your way of thinking to get the full study abroad experience. The most helpful was reflecting back with my colleagues and to challenge myself by always thinking critically.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
Even though we had an interpreter, it would have been helpful to have known more Spanish. I feel I could have learned more if I had taken the time to learn more about Costa Rica's journey, culture, and future career interests.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
With any experience it is up to you , the participant to make connection to what you are experiencing. It is also up to you to find value in the experience as well. My overall reflection that I’m still mulling over is what is my role as an American as I travel and interact in the world. How do I get myself out of the American bubble and work to be positively impactful to other countries.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
This experience is a very hands on learning experience, and creates more self awareness for an individual!

 

Summer 2023 Participant
Learning from a different cultural view is so valuable! It not only helps you see yourself and your place in the world differently, but also expands your worldview and perspective. It's so interesting to observe the similarities and differences between how two nations respond to the same social issues, and there is so much value in learning in this way.

 

Summer 2023 Participant
What I learned on this program that would be the most helpful is how look at things from a different lens. Studying abroad taught me how impactful the social work field is and can be utilized across the world. It also showed me how much work still needs to be done.

 

Summer 2024 Participant
I would encourage future students to bring a good pair of closed-toed hiking shoes because the terrain can be very slippery and there are lots of ants and other insects.

 

Summer 2024 Participant
As much as you learn from the program, learn from the other people in your group as well. I found the collaborative nature of the program to really expand and develop my learning more than if I had not worked with them at all.

 

Summer 2025 Participant
1) Bring appropriate footwear, like hiking boots. 2) Commit to getting enough sleep. Some of the days are quite long. 3) Understand that, while you are in a beautiful place, it's not just a vacation. Be ready to learn and contribute.

 

Summer 2025 Participant
One thing that I learned is to have an open mind about the trip. Also, what I learned on this program is the importance of approaching international experiences with cultural humility, not just cultural curiosity. It’s easy to arrive with assumptions, but what I found more valuable was listening closely to community voices especially from organizations like MUSADE and PRIDENA, and being open to the ways Costa Rican communities define social justice, family systems, and healing differently than in the U.S. Future students should know that real learning happens not just in the lectures, but in the spaces between, in conversations with local leaders, in noticing how communities organize around shared resources like water through ASADAs, and in seeing how children’s welfare is supported by agencies like PANI. These encounters helped me reflect more deeply on the strengths and challenges of our own systems back home.