Program Description | Host Family & Community | Host School | Travel | Orientations & Activities | Eligibility
Program Description
Costa Rica is one of the most popular destinations for AFS students, with good reason. One of the most politically stable and prosperous countries of Latin America, the country is home to proud, friendly, and peaceful citizens. The natural landscape boasts world-famous beaches as well as rainforests and active volcanoes.
As an AFSer in Costa Rica, you’ll learn Spanish, live with a host family, and attend a local high school. Nearly all AFSers are placed in public schools, which are divided into trimesters. High school in Costa Rica is a great place to meet up with friends and get involved with sports or music. Get ready to wear a school uniform, as all students are required to wear them to school.
Your local chapter may organize get-togethers for AFS students or excursions to other cities or regions in Costa Rica. Also, over the course of the program, AFS staff and volunteers will hold orientations to help you evaluate your progress, help with your cultural adjustment, and make sure things are running smoothly.
Language
Spanish is the primary language spoken in Costa Rica.
The ability to speak Spanish is not a prerequisite for the program but we strongly suggest that you learn as much as possible prior to departure.
Host Family & Community
You can be placed anywhere in Costa Rica, though about 95% of hosted students will live with families in suburban or urban areas.
Host families in Costa Rica, like all AFS host families worldwide, are volunteers and are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.
Costa Ricans
The country is home to proud, friendly, and peaceful citizens known as ticos (men) and ticas (women). They are usually conservative but they enjoy sharing their life and social activities with new people. Most Costa Ricans have a European heritage with some indigenous mixture, and there is a small indigenous minority. Ticos have a strong self-image, they are very nationalistic and proud of their country, but not in an aggressive way. They expect people to act humble and value, as they do, democracy, peace and political freedom.
Families in Costa Rica are close. The responsibility of managing the house and supervising the children typically belongs to the mother, even if she has an outside job, while the husband is usually engaged in work outside the home. Costa Rican teenagers help around the house when their studies permit, but the chores are not considered their responsibility.
Sharing is a given within the family. The sense of strictly personal belongings is not as strong as in some other countries. Siblings often use each other’s clothes and personal items without asking permission first. Private life is shared within the family, but generally not outside it.
Teens
Costa Rican teens go out together in groups; they enjoy movies, dancing, parties at friends’ homes and sports. Soccer is the most popular sport, although it is played almost exclusively by men. Many people enjoy basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis or fitness training. Local carnivals and festivals are popular.
Costa Rican families are typically very protective of their kids, so expect a curfew!
Meals
Families in Costa Rica stick to a diet mainly of rice, beans, corn, fruit, and vegetables. Meat and fish are a healthy and integral part of their diet, so it may be difficult to find a placement for you if you are a vegetarian.
Especially during weekends, it is customary for the whole family to eat the same foods at meals together. It is a time to be enjoyed together and spent as a family. On working days, this is often more difficult, especially for families where both parents work.
Host School
Most students are placed in public schools. 11th grade is the year students graduate in most Costa Rican secondary schools. AFS students are usually placed in 10th grade: if you are a junior or senior in the U.S., you will likely be placed in a grade level with younger students.
School generally starts around 7:00 am, with a couple of short breaks and a longer recess around noon. This break is used to buy and eat some snack inside the school grounds. Depending on the school, the end of the day may be anywhere between 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Uniforms are required and you will be responsible for this cost (about $200).
Check out the Host School FAQ (.pdf).
Travel
You will receive a Travel Notification email about 6 weeks prior to international departure with your international itinerary and detailed instructions for how and when to arrange your domestic travel. At that point, you may book your domestic travel to Miami where you will join other AFS-USA participants for a Gateway Orientation before you travel together to San Jose.
International airfare is included as part of the tuition, but it is your responsibility to arrange your travel from your hometown to the Gateway Orientation city.
Your Arrival
After the Gateway Orientation in Miami, you and your fellow AFSers will travel together to San Jose, the capital city, where AFS staff and volunteers will be waiting for you at the airport. After a 2 day Arrival Orientation, you will be met by your host family or, if you are placed far from San Jose, you and the other students placed in your region will travel together by bus to your host community where you will be met by your host family.
Your Return
You will fly with the other AFS-USA participants from San Jose back to Miami.
Orientations & Activities
In addition to the orientations that you will participate in domestically (the locally held Pre-Departure Orientation, the Culture Trek online orientation, and the national Gateway Orientation), you and your fellow AFSers will have several orientations while abroad.
These required orientations are intended to help you maximize your AFS experience, prevent culture shock and to gain knowledge, skills and a global understanding.
Arrival Orientation
This first orientation will take place upon your arrival in San Jose. This will be a 2 day orientation that is intended to prepare you for your first weeks abroad. This will be an international orientation and your opportunity to meet participants from around the world. In addition to covering the rules and safety tips, there will be an emphasis on approaching your experience from an intercultural learning perspective.
Mid-Stay Orientation
One or two months in to your stay, you will have another orientation which is organized at the national level and held outside of San Jose. This will last for 2 days and will focus on cultural and school adjustment. You will also meet with AFS staff and volunteers to evaluate your first few weeks and be offered guidance to make the transition as smooth as possible.
End-of-Stay Orientation
Finally, there will be an evaluation camp in the weeks prior to departure. This is your chance to reflect on your experience and to share with other AFSers. You will also prepare for the cultural readjustment that is a part of returning home.
Optional Activities
In addition to the orientations, many local chapters organize activities for students and host families throughout the year. These will vary from chapter to chapter but may include parties or excursions to other cities or regions in Costa Rica. Unlike the orientations, these activities are optional and are at the student’s expense.
Eligibility
To participate in this program, you must:
- Be within the age range upon departure (located in the ‘read more’ drop-down)
- Have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Be mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy in accordance with AFS Medical Evaluation Policies
- Have a U.S. passport at the time of application. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the program end date
- Have an open mind, willingness to be flexible, and the ability to adapt to new a culture, school, and environment
Participation Notes
Due to the high level of meat consumption in Costa Rica, applicants who require a vegetarian diet will be difficult to place and may not be accepted.
Younger high school graduates who meet the eligibility requirements may be considered.
Although there is no language requirement in order to be considered for the program, it would be very useful to have a basic Spanish language background before your departure.
