After planning my study abroad trip for more than three years (thanks to what I’ve nicknamed “pandemic patience”), my four months in Costa Rica passed in a flash. I’ve been back in the United States for a little over a month now, and my time abroad already feels like a… read more
Falling in Love with Language Learning
Spanish Frustrations Between my mediocre high school Spanish program and the intense 6-hour courses at UT, I had taken 7 years of Spanish classes in the United States before arriving in Costa Rica. Despite my good grades, I had little to show for it in the conversation department. As someone… read more
Host Family Life
First Impressions Within an hour of my arrival in San José, I had been dropped off at a papaya-colored house 75 meters east of the Palí supermarket, which I soon learned was as close to an official address as you can get in Costa Rica. As my host mom, or… read more
Overcoming Barriers to Study Abroad
Three years ago, I was applying to colleges with the hope of spending a portion of my college career abroad. As a first-generation student, being accepted into my first-choice college was an accomplishment in itself, but as soon as I stepped on campus, I began planning for my ultimate goal–a… read more
Why I Went Abroad: A Look at Five Moments
This blog post was contributed by Estefania Rodriguez, an Education Abroad peer advisor who helped other Longhorns begin their own transformative education abroad adventures. Every person who has studied abroad has a collection of stories at their disposal for the moment they get asked about their experience. As a peer… read more
Pura Vida! Part #3
Just like that, my time here in San Joaquin, Costa Rica came and went. Tomorrow is my last class day, Friday is our farewell dinner, and Saturday I am on a flight back to Texas. While the assignments for this course have ramped up a bit here at the end… read more
Pura Vida! Part #2
So I am halfway through my Maymester here in Costa Rica and have experienced enough to fill a whole summer’s worth (luckily, there is plenty more to come). I have had the luxury of being able to go with my classmates on several small excursions during the week and weekend… read more
Pura Vida! Part #1
No expectations are the best expectations. While going with the flow and taking things as they come goes against every fiber of my being, I made a conscious effort to be different for the next four weeks of my life. I just wrapped up my sophomore year as a double… read more
Daunting Deadlines Down, Super Summer Ahead.
Yep, deadlines are fast approaching!! But don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to find a program and get on board. The deadline for Summer Faculty-Led Program applications is December 1. Summer Faculty-Led Programs are exactly what the name implies – a UT faculty member will teach the class(es) for the summer… read more
Intro Spanish in Latin America
This week we’ve put together a list of UT study abroad summer programs in Latin America that offer lower-division Spanish courses that fulfill the language requirement. Often overlooked by students looking to study abroad, Latin America offers an incredible natural and cultural diversity. While many countries south of the border share a common… read more
