Laura Stein of UNC, Wilmington explains why she chose Heredia and why she loved studying in Costa Rica’s City of Flowers.
“After deciding that I wanted to study in Costa Rica, I realized I had even more options about which city I could live and study in. I initially chose Heredia because I wanted to live in a slightly smaller city that had a more home-y, small community-type feel. As soon as I arrived for my semester abroad, I knew I had made the right choice.
I enjoyed visiting San Jose and exploring the capital city, but I loved living in Heredia. It reminded more of the cities I’d lived in at home: always something to do, still a lot going on, but with a small-town sense of local community. It was easy getting around the town and before long, I knew how to navigate on foot and by bus. I loved spending time in the main squares and there always seemed to be family-friendly events going on during the weekends outside the churches.
It was also very easy to get to other places from Heredia. The bus system is fantastic and it was simple and cheap to go anywhere from the next city over or all the way to the coast. I also loved being within walking distance of Britt Coffee, which I visited a few times for a tour.
My friends and I quickly found our favorite cafes and restaurants in town that we would go to often, but we were also always able to find something new. I loved my neighborhood, my house, and my host family. I lived on a quieter street a little set off from the main road, but it was again, a quick walk to the town center, and I also could get to and from school within 20-30 minutes. Many of the students in my program lived within a few blocks of me, so it was easy to meet up with people on the way to school or to go out.
All in all, I love Heredia and would recommend it to anyone interested in studying abroad in Latin America. Costa Rica is a fantastic place to study abroad and Heredia is a great place to live.”
