What advice would you give to a friend suffering from culture shock?

The first one would be to try to don't be shy with people that you meet every day because they can give some advice to you. For example: how can you use your vocabulary as well as they know.
Also, always be accompanied by someone. If you're alone maybe could be more difficult to learn things.

What personality traits do you think could help prevent culture shock?
Definitely, be friendly!!!. If you're friendly and kind with everyone you'll have more friends and they can help you in whatever moment that you need them.

What variables might make culture shock more or less severe?
Maybe if you feel homesick, or if you miss your friends a lot, it can be a good reason to want to go home again.
Another thing could be the environment, the place you live, people, food, etc. those kind of things can do more difficult the stayed in a place.

1- Why is culture important in studying language?

When you are interested to learn a new language is not all, you have to understand also the culture, because many costums are diferent and isn't easy to use it in a real way.

2- What aspects of your culture are most interesting for foreigners?

I think the food, because in Costa Rica at whatever hour you want you can eat "Gallo Pinto". As in any other country Costa Rica have a typical food and if you are foreigner you have to tasted our typical food is excellent...

Also our natural environment is another reason for the foreigners visit Costa Rica. We are so lucky for our ubication, that is the reason that Costa Rica is so beautiful and have many kinds of flora and fauna.

3- What aspects of your culture are most challenging (difficult) for foreigners?

Maybe our ways to do the things, always we had many arrears and you have to be patient.

4- What do you like best/least about American culture?

The best thing would be efficiency to make things, In the American culture always trying to do any thing fast in the best way also the economy is very important in whole world.

5- What would you change about Costa Rican culture if you had the chance?

Our Puntuality!! When you have an appointment, meeting or activity always people be late! that's impolite but, all do it. For me if I have a chance to change something will being this bad habbit.

1. What do you like best about English?

Always you can see the english language in whatever place also now is so important if you want a good job... It's the universal language for that reason is the most useful language in whole world.

2. What do you like least about English?

Something bad about english language is that for me, always is a little bit complicated when you want to say something because first I think in spanish and then I try to translate in english.

3. What are your strongest language skills?

I think my interest about the language. I have many years learning english, trying to improve it and go on with my studies.

4. What are your weakest skills?

My listening skills and my grammar skills, always I try to improve about that. When I listen english I try to understand all, but some times people talk so fast and it's dificult to understand for me.

5. What do you most need to improve and why?

First, my listening skills because if you want to have a good job you must know all about the language and have a excelent english level.

Next, my grammar skills because when I'm speaking english I make mistakes and people don't understand me.

6. What activities are most helpful?

I think listen people talking in english, review grammar topics, listen music, see a movie and this kind of activities.

What I want to learn in this course

Always I pretend to learn as much as posible. Learn vocabulary, things about how can I say something, etc.

I spect to improve my english level and pass a good time in class with all the parners