Learn to Speak Spanish in Costa Rica

This Costa Rican programme offers a brilliant opportunity to take Spanish language lessons in the heart of Spanish-speaking Central America, enjoy a cultural experience with all-inclusive cultural activities such as dancing and cookery classes, stay with a Costa Rican family at a homestay and explore one of Central America’s most sensational, scenic, compact and safe countries – what more could you ask for?

Orientation

On arriving into San José you’ll be invited to attend a welcome meeting, where you will receive information on your upcoming placement and get to know a bit about the local area. Receiving a school ID card, a list of important contact telephone numbers, and practical information about living and travelling in Costa Rica, this meeting will cover a wide range of topics from safety tips, rules and etiquette for living with your host family, information about your Spanish course, a briefing on the school facilities and some information on the afternoon cultural activities which are held at the school.  You will also be given maps of the area, bus timetables, bank and money information, and tourist information. This is your chance to answer any burning questions, and can find all the answers you need in a question and answer session at the end.

First day of class

On your first day of class you should plan to arrive at the language school by 8am (unless told otherwise). As other students will be starting at the same time, the school will want to assess your language level and place you all in the relevant ability band class to suit your needs. For this you will be asked to participate in an oral language test and complete a written exercise. The staff will then be able to decide if you are ready for the beginner, intermediate, or advanced classes, and your first lesson should begin at 9am!
On the first teaching day your host family will accompany you to the school, and collect you after class.

Spanish Language Classes

Classes run Monday to Thursday, every morning from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Then there is a lunch break from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Afternoon classes run between 1:00-2:00p.m.

After the first day, you will make your own way to and from the school from your homestay location. Public buses are very easy to use and cheap, and they run every 10-15 minutes from 5:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Taxis are also very cheap and recommended if you are travelling at night.

Cultural Classes

After your Spanish classes you can take part in the inclusive afternoon cultural activities:

• Latin dance classes are held every day from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
• Cooking classes are held on Wednesdays from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
• Conversation classes run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

All these cultural classes are conducted in Spanish, so you can improve your conversation skills and fluency.

Homestay

During your Spanish learning experience, you will be staying with a local Costa Rican family in their home, immersing yourself in Costa Rican culture and improving your conversational Spanish at the same time. Staying close to the language school, you’ll be warmly welcomed into the life of a local family, and you’ll soon find it becomes a Spanish-speaking home from home!

Free Time

There are plenty of museums, markets, clubs, restaurants, bars and theatres close by, so you can make the most of city life and have fun in your spare time. Some optional activities include visits to dance clubs with your dance instructors, and weekend excursions to beaches, rainforests, volcanoes and National Parks. There are several cultural activities laid on at the school throughout the year, such as folk dancing, museum visits, football matches, craft fairs and the annual Independence Day celebrations, all designed to make the most of your cultural experience in Costa Rica.

Want to stay longer?

4 weeks not enough? We can arrange longer durations if you want to spend more time learning Spanish in Costa Rica. Contact a Travel Advisor for more information.