In the beginning when I arrived at the camp I felt excited but also nervous because you don’t know what’s coming up. But right when I stepped into the classroom I knew it was going to be great. Apart from the classes we did many fun activities like ziplining and rafting. My favorite thing was rafting because it’s just a lot of action. The trip over the weekend was very fun because we had a real hotel with our own room. The trip also gave us the opportunity to learn more about the other campers and have fun with them. Another great thing was when we had free time and went to the park and played basketball. It also helped us use our Spanish and learn more about the culture of Costa Rica. The learning Spanish part was very fun because we mainly learned with games. That made it more interesting.

During my time in Costa Rica with Tico Lingo I’ve learned not only what foods and animals are most common but how different things can be. Although it was short, the memories, experiences and adventures I’ve gotten to have included multiple challenges such as speaking Spanish. Kids may be better or worse at Spanish than you and it's all a part of the learning process. We’re all here for different reasons, from different places and backgrounds but the friends I’ve made during this trip have evolved (transformed) me into a more adventurous person. White water rafting and cooking empanadas was something I thought I’d never do. This program immersed me fully in the culture which is probably why it’s an immersion program. My host family, friends and amazing staff have been so supportive on this journey of mine. I’m very grateful to have been able to come on this trip with these amazing people and do amazing things. This trip was worth it. Thank you Tico Lingo!!

The first day getting off the plane is extremely awkward. You are sitting in a van full of people you’ve never met. The silence is uncomfortably loud, but after a 40 minute drive you arrive to your homestay. For me, I was immediately bombarded by a Costa Rican abuela who was speaking at 200 words per minute. I just nodded and said “sí” for the entirety of the first dinner. Then I had school the next day. I met so many awesome people and was able to connect with the other guys in my homestay. As I became more comfortable, I began to speak more with my homestay. As I became more comfortable, I began to speak more with my homestay parents and even met their family. The awkward dinners in Spanish quickly became my favorite part. Although I attended class every day most of my learning came from the time I spent with locals. Whether it was learning slang from Ticos at the park, gossiping at the dinner table, or speaking to English students at the intercambio, the local charm was all the difference. I came to C.R. struggling to understand spoken Spanish and left with the ability to understand at least half of the discussion.

I came to Costa Rica with the intent of learning Spanish; in the process, I fell in love with the country, the people, the food, and the culture. I attended the teen program, which was an amazing combination of Spanish, cultural immersion, and travel experience. The staff were all super well-trained and responsive to all issues. I would recommend this to any parents looking for an opportunity like this for their kids. I just wish I had participated in this camp earlier, so I could have done it twice.

On the first day I was excited to meet my homestay family. When I arrived at the house I met Jorge and Maritza. At the time the Euro Cup final was being played between England and Spain. I watched this game and then the Copa America final game between Argentina and Colombia. We did a lot of activities throughout the two weeks that forced me to use my Spanish in real-life situations, and the 4 hours of classes every day improved my understanding of the language a lot. My favorite part of the stay was the trip to the Arenal volcano and lake. We kayaked, rafted and relaxed in the hot springs which I enjoyed a lot. The food in my homestay was great, and I enjoyed getting to know my homestay family. This trip has given me the courage to practice Spanish with more people, and I would absolutely recommend it.

Me gustaría decir que este programa me enseñó mucho. No solo sobre el español, pero sobre la vida en Costa Rica y experiencias con otras personas. Este programa es muy divertido, pero no quiero decir demasiado. Quiero dejar muchas sorpresas entonces necesitas hacerlo. Es todo.

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I would like to say that this program taught me a lot. Not only about Spanish, but about life in Costa Rica and experiences with other people. This program is a lot of fun, but I don't want to say too much. I want to leave many surprises so you need to do it. That's all.

On the first day I was pretty tired. The homestay is very nice and their dogs are adorable. The food was great, but sometimes the vegetarian option was uninspiring. The mall was fun as well as the ziplining and white water rafting. To be honest I regret the high ropes course because it was so terrifying. If you are scared of heights it’s really not for you. The white water rafting was really fun. I fell out of the boat once but was immediately saved so that was just a scare. I really enjoyed the rapids because it felt a little like a roller coaster. I don’t know how to describe it - it’s the most thrilling experience. The zip lining was really fun and felt completely safe. The teachers are nice and in general it was quite a pleasant experience.

Coming to this camp/school I was really nervous traveling to a new country alone, not knowing anything about the people or the program. I became less nervous as soon as I got to my homestay and met the parents I’d be staying with, and both of my roomates. Although I was scared to talk to people I’d never met before, and would be staying with for the next 2 weeks, we got along really well as soon as we started talking, and that has lasted for the entire 2 weeks. We arrived at school together everyday and took classes with really fun teachers who didn’t make us do boring work to learn Spanish. The counselors were super chill (Clay and Morgan) and the bus rides were always so much fun and every activity was interesting. I’m so glad I did this program. I’ve improved my Spanish and made lifelong friends.