New Summit Academy Costa Rica
Why Costa Rica?
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | An Overview of the Country: Costa Rica | |
Costa Rica is one of the safest, most diverse countries in Central America. From
primary rainforests to volcanoes to Caribbean and Pacific surfing beaches, it is truly a
rich canvas for learning adventures.
primary rainforests to volcanoes to Caribbean and Pacific surfing beaches, it is truly a
rich canvas for learning adventures.
Costa Rica is approximately the size of West Virgina and is
bordered by the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific
Ocean on the west. Costa Rica offers a rich array of
ecotourism from rainforests to beaches to volcanoes.
Common exports include coffee, fruit, and sugarcane.
Approximately 4 million people inhabit Costa Rica's beautiful
country, and Ticos are known for their hospitality and peaceful
politics. Costa Rica's culture is embedded in family values,
music, and eco-tourism.
bordered by the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Pacific
Ocean on the west. Costa Rica offers a rich array of
ecotourism from rainforests to beaches to volcanoes.
Common exports include coffee, fruit, and sugarcane.
Approximately 4 million people inhabit Costa Rica's beautiful
country, and Ticos are known for their hospitality and peaceful
politics. Costa Rica's culture is embedded in family values,
music, and eco-tourism.
Sunset
Local Independence
Day Parade
Day Parade
| What Costa Rica Has to Offer | |
- Immersion Spanish language learning
- Friendly, hospitable people
- Safe, stable government & economy
- Responsible eco-tourism & responsible environmental
practice - Peaceful politics & world-wide respect
- Family-oriented culture
- Environment rich for educational opportunities
- Wonderful tropical micro-climate
- Very high-quality medical services, many of which are
affiliated with US universities and organizations
| Why Attend NSA in Costa Rica When Options Are Available in the USA? | |
 | EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: |
- NSA's location in Costa Rica is no accident-Costa Rica is an experiential learner's
paradise. Because of Costa Rica's strong environmental and educational values as
well as her unparalleled natural resources, opportunities for experiential learning
abound in subject areas such as marine biology, tropical botany, tropical biology,
geology, and agricultural sciences.
| EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: |
- Attracted by Costa Rica's education ethic and natural resources, many researchers,
conservancies, and educational cooperatives from around the globe have set up
Costa Rican facilities. Many of these facilities function as open resources for local
educators. Costa Rica's emphasis on education has yielded a national literacy rate
that rivals that of the U.S. and Japan, and has spawned a host of universities, cultural
centers, museums, libraries, and other educational resources.
| SAFETY: |
- Costa Rica is one of the safest foreign travel and living destinations in the world for
Americans. Often referred to as the "Switzerland of Central America", Costa Rica is
politically neutral, and has enjoyed more than a half-century of domestic and
international peace.
| FLORA & FAUNA: |
- Nearly 9,000 different kinds of flowering plants grow in Costa Rica, including more
than 1,300 species of orchids. To date, nearly 850 species of birds have been
identified, which is more than are found in all of the United States, Canada and the
northern half of Mexico combined. The country is also home to 209 species of
mammals, 383 kinds of reptiles and amphibians, about 2,000 species of butterflies
and at least 4,500 different types of moths.
| LANGUAGE & CULTURE: |
- Many university admissions departments are recommending that students spend a
year abroad before college in order to mature through involvement with a foreign
language and culture. With hundreds of excellent language schools, Costa Rica has
developed a reputation as the premier Spanish language instruction locale in South
and Central America.
| THERAPEUTIC DISORIENTATION: |
- There is a healthy disorientation that occurs with a change in surroundings.
Therapists, educators, and mental health researchers have increasingly capitalized
on the therapeutic value of milieu change, as evidenced by the proliferation of study
abroad programs, adventure learning programs, and adventure therapy programs.
This disorientation provides rich opportunities for students to see the world with new
eyes, and to reflect on old patterns and behaviors that they have grown accustomed to
at home.
| GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP: |
- In this increasingly complex and global world, the hazards of ethnocentrism and
cultural isolation are undeniable. Whether participating in Community Service or the
Homestay program, students engage their unfamiliar environment with the goal of
contributing to its health and prosperity. In today's world there is a growing need for
cultural understanding and sensitive, astute world citizens. New Summit Academy is
committed to developing self-reliant, healthy, and empathetic world citizens.