Costa Rica Internships — Intern Abroad in Costa Rica

I absolutely loved my time with Maximo Nivel in San Jose, Costa Rica. I was placed at a hostel and helped out with general operations and marketing. Although you do not get too much information before you leave, they are very thorough in their orientation once you do arrive. Everything about my internship was amazing-the support I had, the people I worked with, and the overall environment. My host family placement was also fantastic, and almost everyone I talked to had a positive experience with their host family as well. I also found the Spanish classes useful. I had private one-on-one classes, and although I have an advanced level of Spanish, I was able to practice my conversational Spanish. All of the teachers at maximo are truly wonderful and great at what they do. I would recommend the micro-business internship to anyone who is looking to get business experience abroad and who wants to practice their Spanish while also having fun while doing it. If I could, I would definitely do another program with Maximo, and already have plans to come back to Costa Rica.

I was volunteering at one of the nursing homes and the staff there were kind and very appreciative of my help. My favorite part was visiting with the residents and playing games with them. Through this program, I have made friends for life that I hope to continue to visit!

The staff at Maximo are also very friendly and helpful. They were always there to answer any questions that I had and helped me with any concerns. They also went out of their way to make sure that I got what I wanted out if the internship.

Spanish class was amazing! I had private lessons an hour every day and it helped me gain confidence in my speaking abilities. I highly recommend taking advantage of them! I also participated in the tandem program which allowed me to make friends with locals. One night they offered a speed dating tandem for the first time and every volunteer and local showed up. There was hardly room for everyone and I didn't get to meet everyone but it was a great opportunity to meet locals. They also offer free salsa classes and even if you know the basics of salsa, it's worth going to the classes so you can learn how to dance like a professional.

Thank you Maximo Nivel!

This experience was certainly a life changing one for me. Maximo Nivel gave us support the entire time whether it be through Spanish lessons, ideas for places to eat, or setting up weekend trips for us. The most memorable moment that comes to mind for me during my experience would be the catamaran that we went on down in Manuel Antonio. It was set up for us thanks to Maximo staff and we were able to snorkle with exotic fish, eat a delicious dinner, and then ride off in to the sunset while wild dolphins were swimming beneath our boat. It was an incredible night and something I will never forget. Thanks to the Maximo staff in both Manuel Antonio and San Jose for all the help and support they provided us throughout our trip.

My experience in Costa Rica was unbelievable and maximo Nivel and their staff made everything so much easier and enjoyable for us. One story that comes to mind is the first week when we went on a catamaran cruise planned with the help of the maximo staff in Manuel Antonio. It started out as a fun boat ride in the ocean. We snorkled with exotic fish and ended with a cruise off into the sunset as wild dolphins were swimming beneath us. Truly an unforgettable experience.

Interning in Costa Rica was the best few months of my life for several reasons. Obviously I got to travel in country and see some amazing things, but my actual internship at a nursing home in Cartago really made the trip. The staff was so sweet and kind. They went out of their way to make sure I was happy and learning new things every day. It was so hands on and they let me do more than I ever hoped. It's also worth mentioning that when I arrived in CR my Spanish was laughable. By the time I left, I was able to hold conversations with others in Spanish and understand medical terminology in Spanish. If you're looking for easy, this is not the place for you. If you're looking for personal growth, Spanish education, and meaningful friendships to last a lifetime, Maximo is for you.

If you have stumbled upon this review or program, do not ignore it! DO IT. This was the best 6 weeks of my life. I left the US for the first time and learn more about myself, my career and the world than I ever have in my whole life. Maximo makes you feel right at home and you will make friends FOR LIFE here. The lifestyle, the food, the people...everything about Costa Rica is worth it. Go there, Volunteer, study, SPEAK SPANISH AND EAT GOOD FOOD. It is absolutely the most wonderful decision you could make. I interned at a hostel for six weeks and worked for te most lovely sisters ever. Make sure you take advantage of every opportunity out there. You never know what it will bring you! Pura Vida!

My internship was at Fundación Mujer, a nonprofit, micro finance organization in Costa Rica. This interning experience allowed me to practice my Spanish in a professional setting and see what it was like to work in a country abroad. I improved my Spanish, professional skills and understanding of the Costa Rican culture. The staff at Máximo were extremely helpful in making sure I was able to receive the best experience possible and I would highly recommend the program to anyone looking to gain work experience abroad!

Through Maximo Nivel, I was able to work on my Spanish language skills with awesome lessons from instructors. They personalized their lessons on areas that I wanted to improve on and I feel that I am much better at Spanish because of it. I also had the opportunity to teach English to adults, which I really enjoyed doing. All of the staff supported me throughout the whole process, where I felt comfortable asking anyone for questions or help My homestay was also a very memorable and positive experience and am so thankful for everything.