A month-long stay in Florence, Italy, accented with full-day excursions to Venice, Bologna, and Siena, in addition to a two-day trip to Rome. Sound like a dream vacation? Welcome to one of two MiraCosta College Study Abroad options being offered in the summer of 2023.
Italy not your cup of cappuccino? MiraCosta also is offering a summer Study Abroad trip to the beach town of Sámara in biodiverse Costa Rica, during which you can experience the waterfalls in the tropical dry forest of the Central American nation, volunteer at a wildlife refuge for sea turtles, or go on a kayaking and snorkeling trip to Isla Chora.
Why Study Abroad?
“Students can learn all the things we can’t teach in a classroom,” said Communication Studies professor Anthony Ongyod. “When you’re there in Sámara, you are immersed in the Pura Vida lifestyle. These opportunities deepen our understanding, deepen our empathy, deepen our experiences. To be there with the people, to live in the culture, to taste, to smell, to listen, to participate in the community, this cannot be replicated. Plus, the food is amazing.”
Students taking part in either program will also be enrolled in two, three-unit, college credit classes. The Study Abroad trip to Costa Rica includes Spanish 101 (Elementary Spanish) with Professor David Detwiler and Communications 215 (Intercultural Communication) with Ongyod. Students taking part in the trip to Florence enroll in Design 107 (History of Western Architecture) with Professor David Parker and Italian 121 (Introduction to Italian Culture) taught by Professor Andrea Petri. All courses are UC/CSU transferrable.
Cost of the Costa Rica Study Abroad program in Sámara, which runs from June 25 through July 23, ranges from $3,075 to $3,810, depending on the accommodations chosen. Both include meals and air fare, but neither include tuition ($46 per unit) or fees.
Cost of the Florence Study Abroad program, which runs from June 7 to July 5, is either $3,835 or $3,985, depending on how many students take part. The fee excludes air fare, tuition, and fees.
MiraCosta College is encouraging students who may be interested in a Study Abroad trip to visit its Study Abroad webpage or call 760.795.6897to learn more. This is the second year MiraCosta is organizing its own campus-led, study abroad program during the summer. MiraCosta study abroad students previously were limited to England in the fall and Spain in the spring through a Citrus College led consortium involving several Southern California colleges. Those semester-long trips are organized by the American Institute for Foreign Study, a privately owned travel company that has been managing study abroad programs for more than half a century. MiraCosta College remains part of the consortium, which offers study abroad trips to Madrid in the spring of 2023 and London next fall.
Scholarships are available to help defray costs; more information is available by contacting the MiraCosta College Scholarship Office.
The study abroad program is part of MiraCosta College’s wide range of international education initiatives designed to enrich students’ multicultural awareness, intercultural competence, and understanding of global issues and trends to better navigate an increasingly global economy and society. Other initiatives include a certificate of achievement in global studies, the Institute for International Perspectives, an international film series, and an array of campus cultural events.
Spend four weeks in beautiful Sámara, a beach town on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Study Spanish and Intercultural Communication. Lend a hand for a service project at a wildlife refuge for turtles. Complete an environmental project with local college students. Tour a coffee processing plant, hike to a waterfall in the tropical dry forest, visit national parks, and fully immerse yourself in the Pura Vida lifestyle!
Study Abroad in Florence, Italy in Summer 2023!
Take History of Western Architecture (DESN107-3 units) and Introduction to Italian Culture (ITAL121-3 units) in Florence, Rome, Venice, Siena, Bologna, and Ravenna!
Seven UNESCO World Heritage sites will be your classroom, plus many more amazing architectural, historical, cultural, and art sites.
