Going out of state alone was a new concept to me, so it was a hard pill to swallow going to Central America by myself (kind of) for a 2 week program. I was lucky to have a really cool and relatively laid back roommate who lived here part time. I joked that it was just like Miami traffic…until the first road. Suffice to say, it was not even close to it. I knew that Freddy would be a joker from the first day of school when he feigned sleeping in.

My homestay family Damaris and Carlos took care of my house mate and and I like we were part of their family (which came and went quite often, their son lives in Miami, and it was refreshing to talk to someone who was in the 305). From being mostly antisocial to the much more extroverted classmates. At the end of the program I’ve warmed up to them. For some, friend is a stretch but I’d rather them than a stranger. Leif, Snow, Elliot and Claire were likely my biggest friends in Tico Lingo. Claire with her strange small dog energy, Snow for both being the more quiet kids, Leif for being cool and understanding, and Elliot for being a mass of concentrated coolness in a very short body. I think I’ve have gained much more weight had I not walked every day to school. The constant rain frustrated me. Regardless, the activities were many though the ropes courses were fun for me, as I got to climb around and get a good fun workout to balance the copious amounts of food I’ve been eating. The animal sanctuary allowed me to see a multitude of animals I love, so did the mall’s rooftop dog park (guess what animals were in the DOG park ha ha). The pools were not exactly a waterpark, but it was fun to launch people down the slides.

I believe I am 30% rice and beans with how much of that I have eaten the last two weeks. In the exchange with the English school, I saw that the other students know more English than we know Spanish. The counselors were great, Clay and Morgan kept things loose but together when Chris wasn’t there.

All in all, while I am looking forward to my return to Miami, I’ll say for the record that Tico Lingo was an incredibly fun experience that I wouldn’t be against recommending to others.

This was an amazing experience! Almost as soon as I walked through the front gates I was greeted by very welcoming staff and other hesitant campers. But soon, because of the wonderful environment that the teachers/counselors fostered, we quickly became excited to ask questions and talk about our lives. Whether it was the different rest stops we passed in our states (i.e., wawa) what our dream vacation was (other than Costa Rica of course), or the state of the American economy. I not only learned Spanish in my classes but also the perspectives of kids my age across the United States.

In the afternoons we truly got to appreciate the beauty of Costa Rica and land and culture through various excursions. Although we may have fallen on our faces while at a roller skating rink or or gotten borderline sun poisoning while kayaking (PACK SUNSCREEN) there were still plenty of opportunities to practice Spanish and try new things.

Speaking of trying new things, there are so many chances to try amazing Costa Rican food. Both at homestays and during the lunch blocks in the afternoon, I’m vegetarian and I was very happy and surprised to try all the delicious non-meat options Costa Rica has to offer. All in all this was a fantastic 9/10 experience (10/10 if I had remembered to reapply sunscreen while kayaking) and I would definitely recommend it to teens who love exploring places and cultures as well as improving their Spanish.

The first day at Tico Lingo was a little strange because I did not know anyone but as I got to get to know everyone I felt more involved. The first week at Tico Lingo was exciting and fun. Every day after class was a fun adventure. The teachers are super kind and helpful. We had lunch every day after school. The staff are very nice and Chris (the head) is amazing. He organized all the trips and the fun activities. Without Chris this would have never happened. My favorite parts were when we visited the coffee plantation, animal rescue center, white water rafting, ziplining and the tour of the capital San Jose. My homestay family was amazing. They fed me great food everyday. My family spoke to me in Spanish only so I can practice at home too. If you want to learn, improve or practice your Spanish you should definitely come to Tico Lingo. If you want to maximize your Spanish at Tico Lingo you should be speaking in Spanish. My experience at TIco Lingo was amazing and I would definitely come back.

The experiences I’ve had at Tico Lingo Spanish Camp have changed by life. I enjoyed every day to the fullest and I have made close friends with the staff and other campers. I feel like I’ve known these people for years but it has been just 2 weeks.

The staff is incredible - Clay and Morgan are amazing. They are both so kind and fun. Craig is super nice and very interesting. He has traveled the world and told us some of his stories. Chris is an amazing individual for setting this all up and giving us the opportunity to learn and experience Costa Rican culture and the language. The teachers are also fantastic. Karina is so kind and smart and such a good teacher. Freddy is so funny and has an amazing way of teaching. Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of meeting the other teachers but from what I have heard they are just as magnificent.

The outings are great experiences from touring Heredia to kayaking next to a volcano. I feel like the last 2 weeks have been the most action packed 2 weeks of my life. I particularly liked the animal rescue center because it was great to see those animals that aren’t in America and the food was great. Speaking of food, I have tried and loved so many new foods. I loved the plantains and casado particularly. My host family and house experience has also been amazing. My host mother Noileen has been very kind and welcoming to me and my host brothers. Her food has also been great. She is an amazing cook. My host brothers are also a big part of my experience. Originally I was worried I would end up having to live with 2 weird kids for 2 weeks but as I have come to realize most of the people here are very like minded to me and I have shared years worth of memories with my host brothers in 2 weeks.

I truly hope we stay friends and can meet again down the road. I just want to thank everyone for everything they have done for me: Chris, Clay, Morgan, Craig, Karina, Freddy and even Alberto the bus driver who brought us to and from all our excursions. If you are thinking about coming it is an amazing and eye opening experience that you will remember for the rest of your life.

The experiences I’ve had at Tico Lingo Spanish Camp have changed by life.

I enjoyed every day to the fullest and I have made close friends with the staff and other campers. I feel like I’ve known these people for years but it has been just 2 weeks. The staff is incredible - Clay and Morgan are amazing. They are both so kind and fun. Craig is super nice and very interesting. He has traveled the world and told us some of his stories. Chris is an amazing individual for setting this all up and giving us the opportunity to learn and experience Costa Rican culture and the language. The teachers are also fantastic. Karina is so kind and smart and such a good teacher. Freddy is so funny and has an amazing way of teaching. Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of meeting the other teachers but from what I have heard they are just as magnificent.

The outings are great experiences from touring Heredia to kayaking next to a volcano. I feel like the last 2 weeks have been the most action packed 2 weeks of my life. I particularly liked the animal rescue center because it was great to see those animals that aren’t in America and the food was great. Speaking of food, I have tried and loved so many new foods. I loved the plantains and casado particularly. My host family and house experience has also been amazing. My host mother Noileen has been very kind and welcoming to me and my host brothers. Her food has also been great. She is an amazing cook. My host brothers are also a big part of my experience. Originally I was worried I would end up having to live with 2 weird kids for 2 weeks but as I have come to realize most of the people here are very like minded to me and I have shared years worth of memories with my host brothers in 2 weeks. I truly hope we stay friends and can meet again down the road.

I just want to thank everyone for everything they have done for me: Chris, Clay, Morgan, Craig, Karina, Freddy and even Alberto the bus driver who brought us to and from all our excursions. If you are thinking about coming it is an amazing and eye opening experience that you will remember for the rest of your life.

I really loved this camp and I wish that I could’ve stayed for longer. I was really nervous on the first day but everything was amazing. All of the people were really nice. I loved Morgan and Clay ❤️ - they were the sweetest people and were so personable. My favorite part was the hotel and the pools and the rafting. The rafting was an amazing experience that I wouldn’t be able to recreate. I also loved my homestay mom and dog. The vegetarian food was really good at my homestay but could’ve been better when at camp. The classes were really good and I learned a lot more than I thought I would back home. It didn’t really feel like class at all. Morgan and Clay made my experience amazing. Our host mom and us had such amazing conversations in Spanish and it was so fun. This was such an amazing experience and I loved every part of it. I quickly bonded with everyone and I made such good friends and hopefully I’ll be able to see them all again. I 100% would recommend this camp to everyone! Thank you so much! ❤️

I love my host family and their dog so much!! I am so sad to be leaving. All the students are really nice here and at the beginning of camp, I was not prepared for how many friends I would make. The teachers are so nice! I’m so sad my teacher had to miss the last days of school. I will miss the fun excursions and screaming at the top of my lungs and the zipline. I will miss listening to Nicki Manaj and Katy Perry on repeat on the bus and I will miss passing a tub of chocolate ice cream around the bus. I will miss doing Morgan’s hair and making fun of Clay (not bullying) and I will miss playing catch with Craig and Chris. Speaking of Chris, I will miss him stealing food off my plate and eating half a bag of party sized potato chips. The camp is really fun and I really don’t want to leave. I wish I could stay here forever. I have made so many beautiful memories here and I love Tico Lingo so much! ❤️❤️❤️

By the time I was on my plane ride home after three weeks in Costa Rica, I had made friends from different countries I’m still in contact with today, white water rafted, learned more Spanish than I have my two years of classes in high school, tasted amazing food, met amazing people, beat an obstacle course way up in the air, explored a national park, had a beach day in the warmest ocean I’ve ever been in, and so much more. This was the first time I’ve ever stayed in a foreign country, and at some points I felt more welcome than I do here in the States. Everybody, staff, locals, your host family, and your peers, are super friendly and awesome. Your itinerary, meals, schedule, etc is all planned and coordinated, so as a participant in the program all you have to do is relax and enjoy Costa Rica. In the mornings, you take Spanish classes. While I’m not too great at retaining information in school, Spanish in Tico Lingo became a breeze. Their teachers make learning fun and understandable, and I wish I had them for my first two years of Spanish class in high school. In the afternoon, things get crazy. Every day is a new activity, a new experience, a new memory that will last a lifetime. Seriously, I’m a year out and I can still vividly remember everything. I can not recommend this trip enough. Personal shout out to Chris and Clay for making the whole trip way more memorable, and to Yennefer for being so helpful. ¡Pura vida!
-Roland