U.S. Department of State
WHAT TO BRING?

Ideally, one trolley suitcase and one backpack, so we can travel easily using public transportation. Remember! There will be available laundry services (for an additional fee, outside of the program budget) in San Jose and Arenal. But you must consider about a week without laundry, and lots of rain! When we go outside San Jose, we will bring only one backpack for each of us, and maybe one big luggage with clothes that did not fit in the backpack, like tennis shoes, for example.

Waterproof rain coat/jacket (maybe more than one?). It might or might not rain, but we must be ready! It was expensive to buy these in Costa Rica, and not of good quality!

Hiking shoes (waterproof) to walk in the rainforest, do hiking, and horseriding. Last year, our tennis shoes were wet almost all trip long, so we left them in Costa Rica, they couldn't smell worst! One of our last year student is recommending "Chacos" type of sandals that you can also use for hiking.

Flip flops or similar for beach and other places. Some recommended Chacos.

One business casual attire for company visits. i.e. Khakis/dark jeans (no holes) and a nice shirt. NO FLIP FLOPS or shorts for company visits, unless otherwise specified. Remember, we can always do laundry in between company visits!

Jeans, shorts and shirts, swimsuit. July averages in San Jose range between 62F and 77F. Rainfall is about 8.46 inches. The Beach can go from 69F to 87F, with 18 inches average rainfall. Humidity of about 88%. Rain might come in the evenings! When we are in the rainforest, most probably rain will be there everyday, but it won't stop us! Let's just bring lots of light clothes.

No jewelry or anything that might attract wrong people.

Bring Mosquito Repellent :) Cheaper here.

Small umbrella or rain jacket!

At least two pairs of jeans/pants, and a sweater or jacket (light).

A laptop computer to take quizzes in OAKS and submit papers. You can also do it with an ipad if you know how to send it in a readable format by a regular PC. You are responsible for any electronics you bring.

STUDENT ID (really important)

***Students from previous years recommended: more nice clothes for evening events for cold weather, bring clothes for every weather (micro climates), umbrella, plenty of outdoor clothes for hiking (but light to pack), crappy pair of tennis shoes that you can leave there, rain jacket, heavier jacket/sweater for colder nights, a pair of casual shoes, nice shoes for companies and something to hike, flip flops, warm clothes and more quick drying clothes, bug spray, hiking shoes rather than tennis shoes, more t-shirts/shorts because they got wet every day, pants/pants/pants.