If you don’t have the time or inclination to read this lengthy review, then all you need to know is that it’s time to book your ticket. That said, make yourself a cup of tea and read on.

I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish and never really had the opportunity to do so in school, so I decided that spending four months traveling through Central America would be the ticket. However, being a solo female traveler with no prior knowledge of the Spanish language, I knew I wanted to do an immersion program before I began my travels so that I would be comfortable speaking with locals and getting around, as well as establish some sort of base in the event that I ran into any trouble. After doing some research into Spanish schools in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, I decided on Tico Lingo.

Getting in touch with Chris was a breeze, and he was very timely in providing me with all the information I needed on all aspects of Tico Lingo’s immersion programs. It was especially beneficial to be able to meet Chris and Freddy (el mejor profesor de español) over Skype before I arrived in Costa Rica so that I could get a feel for the school as well as what my Spanish lessons might be like. One of Tico Lingo’s strongest points is definitely communication, which has been consistent before, during and even after my time with them.

As for the program itself, like all of Tico Lingo’s alumni, I cannot recommend it highly enough! I was completely blown away by my incredibly sweet homestay family, the intense yet always fun Spanish lessons, and the calm and cheerful vibe of the school which was embodied by the people as well as the layout and design of the school itself. Even the location could not be more perfect- Heredia is off the tourist track which lends it a very liveable feel and yet there is so much to do and see (and eat) that it will never fail to delight. Also being reasonably close to the pacific coast, it’s easy to catch a bus to some of Costa Rica’s natural beauty if you are ever in need of some respite from the city on weekends.

While twenty hours a week seems like a lot of time to spend in the classroom, Freddy does a stand up job of engaging his students and manages to keep the classes entertaining by constantly switching things up, and ever with a healthy dose of comic relief. The material that you’re given to work on covers all the basic concepts and acts as a springboard to work off of, while class time is spent practicing those concepts through conversation and writing. Freddy really encourages free flowing conversation to practice the concepts as you learn them and has a good sense for what areas each of his students need to work on, and will always tailor the lesson plan to address those areas. The best part is the freedom to be able to take the classes on the road and have a Spanish class on a volcano (believe it) or while eating some of the best food of you’ve ever tasted at some tiny nondescript soda on the street corner. Because the focus is on the individual and not on following a regimented, you will never feel out of step with the material and will really be able to solidify what you’re learning. At least for my part this can explain why after 12 years of French in school I know next to nothing while after just one month with Freddy in Tico Lingo I’m able to travel through Central America with confidence in my ability to order a beer (among other things).

The generosity and patience of my tica familia as I practiced my Spanish was endless and I find myself just a little bit homesick for my tica mamá’s delicious cooking and warm company which always revived me after a long day of blundering through Spanish. One of my favourite memories is still my first day, when after literally dropping my bags in my room my tica mamá and I went grocery shopping to prepare for a big lunch later with my whole tica familia- brothers, aunts, uncles, grandmother, the works. It was slightly absurd to be in a setting that was so familiar to me back home in Canada, but with the exception that I was thousands of kilometers away and neck deep in a language I then knew nothing about. This definitely served as the biggest motivator for me to continually work at my Spanish- to be able to speak with not just my tica familia, but all the friendly ticos I met during my wanders.

Tico Lingo ticks all the boxes in terms of the homestay families they work with, the approach to teaching and the activities they provide at the school, as well as the location itself. They take a genuine interest in all of their students and the result is a really warm community that you will have no trouble integrating into. If you can, try to do at least a month because it will go by fast and there is a lot do in and around Heredia. During the week, your time will most likely be spent scouring town for the best place to eat at (hack: there are many), joining in on either yoga, dancing or cooking classes at the school, practicing your Spanish with locals who are studying English in conversation classes Wednesday afternoons, and most importantly going to mejenga (weekly soccer match with locals) and afterwards to Albino’s for a couple cervezas and some delicious chifrijo Thursday evenings. You will also want to spend as much time as possible with your homestay family to really learn about Costa Rican culture and bond with them. Your weekends are free and you can take advantage of the extra time to see some of Costa Rica’s natural beauty in Monteverde or Manuel Antonio, or if you are totally burnt out from your busy week, then just head to Jacó and lay on the beach. But basically no matter what you do, you will have an incredible time and it will go by too fast!

Gracias a todos en Tico Lingo por una experiencia incredíble! ¡Pura Vida!

I spent a week studying at Tico Lingo and it was enjoyable, as well as exciting to be part of a school that seems to be quietly asserting itself in the field. From the outset, Chris took a very hands-on approach and was diligent in listening to my requirements and kept in regular contact prior to my arrival, fine-tuning the arrangements and keeping abreast as to how my Spanish was improving (I had been attending other schools in Central America).

When I got to Heredia on the Sunday, Chris was there to meet me and we went out for a late lunch (a welcome gesture after 6 hours on a bus). Afterwards, I was taken to my homestay which was definitely the best I had experienced in all the schools I had attended. Mara and her family were fantastic and were only too happy to help me practise my Spanish, as well as providing outstanding meals and a lovely room. They are a special bunch.

Chris also came to collect me for the first day and made sure all was well in my homestay. My teacher was Freddy and I joined a class of 3 other friendly souls who had been at Tico Lingo for some time. Freddy provided a clear and direct teaching style, peppered with humorous interludes.

I joined a relatively established group and therefore I followed their natural course of progression in Spanish which was broadly consistent with my level. I feel that I would have become completely in sync with this this had I stated longer and this is certainly something I would have done if I took the decision in planning my travels again.

Chris was also enthusiastic in organising out of class activities, a common feature in language schools. However, I must say I had the most enjoyable experience in this regard at Tico Lingo where myself and the other students were invited to to play in a weekly game of football with some Ticos. This was right up my street and we were all made to feel very welcome. Afterwards, we went for food and drinks and had a right laugh with the Ticos. A perfect end to the day.

On my last day at the school, we had a small graduation ceremony and also participated in an inter-cambio with some Ticos who wanted to learn English. This was really relaxed and good way to conclude my time at Tico Lingo.

Heredia itself is a great place to learn Spanish. It strikes a balance between having enough to do/a culture of its own and being small enough that it is easy to navigate whilst having a relatively relaxed lifestyle and doesn't have that touristic feel.

For all of the reasons above, I would thoroughly recommend Tico Lingo to anyone.

When I arrived in Costa Rica, I did not speak any spanish. I had taken classes in high school, but I truly think that it is borderline impossible to learn spanish if you aren't immersed (at least if you're ADD like me.) After 5 weeks of classes, studying for 4 hours every day, I can speak with confidence and travel anywhere without fear.

Tico Lingo, and Heredia itself aren't perfect. Both the school and the city have problems, but they are both warmer and more inviting than any other place I have been. I strongly believe that Heredia is one of the best places to learn spanish in Costa Rica, there are very few tourists in the town and very few people speak english. When living with my Costa Rican family that was arranged through Tico Lingo, I am consistently forced to speak solely in Spanish. I think this has been hugely important in my transition from a helpless gringo to capable spanish speaker.

The highlight of the school is without a doubt Freddy, el profesor de Español. He is extremely professional, humorous, relaxed, and has perfected the art of teaching Spanish. Freddy is the real deal, and the number one reason I will be recommending Tico Lingo to everyone I know.

Right now, I'm going to head to a final conversation class with local Ticos (which is always free and super fun). I could write more and more, but I can't recommend this program highly enough.

I was travelling through Central America and I realized my Spanish really wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. I found me in a bunch of tourist spots and felt bad not speaking REAL Spanish. Sooo I made my way south and I sought out a Spanish program in a city that was a little less touristy.

I found Tico Lingo and I just texted them on Whatsapp. I talked to the program director, chris, and he gave me a lot of details about the program and the prices and the philosophy of their teaching style.

I signed up for a week and ended up doing three. I loved my homestay family and the food and the amount of practice I got to have with locals. I loved conversing with people! The school was small, and I liked that. It didn't feel like a big university campus. It felt more personal and more specific to my needs. My professor WAS GREAT. He focused on what I needed and on the grammar points on wanted to focus on. No text book is awesome.

Overall great experience. Would come back. Loved everybody there.

Coffee and fried chicken. Each smell reaked into the myraid of other oders in Heredia--diesel, bread, cigarettes. I expected Costa Rica to be different from Boston in climate, people, food, I could go on and on, but what differed the most was how everything smelled. On my walk to school, began to associate each landmark with a different smell. Take a left at the bakery when you smell warm bread, walk down the street past the oily fumes of the gas station, switch sides of the street at the pizzaria so you don't annoy the people in the line for the bus...Everywhere I went I began to associate with the smell. In the market, the sickly sweet smell of tropical fruits runs into the wet smell of Turibulla cheese and cement from the workers repairing the floor. The smell of fresh fish wanders into smell of fried plantains making it slightly revolting yet mouth-wateringly appetizing in a wierd way. Even the bank had a smell (money and cleaning spreay from the janitor who went around wiping sweat off the plastic seats from the people waiting for a teller). Every smell was magnified by the warm air and the constant wind sweeping through the streets blowing ash and oder around like confetti in a tornado. One could smell sizzling meat from a local soda (like a tiny restaurant) down at the train tracks where oil and smoke went hand in hand. I know this isn't your typical review of a language program but in all honesty, I had a great time. I will remember the smells and sights for the rest of my life. I encourage you, go book a ticket. Just go. You won't regret this.

It's been a solid ten years since I opened a Spanish dictionary and attempted to break down a language barrier. This January, I spent 4 weeks studying the spanish language at Tico Lingo and could not be happier with my experience. Tico Lingo provided me with everything I needed to learn how to speak spanish and successfully communicate in Central America.

I was placed in a beginner's class with two other students who were at the same spanish speaking level as myself. We reviewed basic vocabulary, regular and irregular verbs, how to conjugate past, present, and future verb tenses, and so much more. Freddy is an incredible professor and knows how to meet the students' needs. I feel so comfortable with my spanish skills and I can actually hold my own in most conversations!

Heredia is a cool city and it really feels like you are learning spanish in an authentic tico spot. My favorite place in the city was the central market which was filled with produce, meats, dulces, and sodas. Most days after class were spent walking around the town and observing the daily hustle n bustle of the ticos. Puedo practicar mi espanol, por favor?

Lastly, I can't rave enough about the Tico Lingo actividades. I loved that weekend tours to local attractions, like volcanoes, city parks, and canopy tours were offered to students. Everyone should definitely experience a dance class with Fleur, the queen of the dance floor. And Friday cooking classes were the perfect way to end the week of immersion learning.

The staff at Tico Lingo set the perfect environment for me to learn spanish and I couldn't be more grateful that I had this immersion experience in Costa Rica!

I was traveling in Costa Rica and realized my Spanish was terrible and that it was probably important for me to learn some and speak some. So, I found Tico Lingo online and emailed them two days before I wanted to start a program. I got a response and was quickly meeting the Program Director are a local café where he led me to my Homestay mom and family.

I immediately felt at home with them! They were so nice and fed me so well!

I took some yoga, dance, and cooking classes, but what I really enjoyed were the Spanish classes with professor Freddy. He and I worked together for two weeks and I really enjoyed his teaching approach. He was clear and worked with the things I needed help with.

Likewise, the rest of the faculty at the school were super nice! Chris, the program director, walked me through Heredia and invited me to different activities around the city.

Overall, I really enjoyed the time I spent in Heredia with Tico Lingo!

My Spanish abilities improved greatly. Freddy taught our class a bunch of grammar and vocab. We laughed a lot and had fun along the way. Dance classes got me up and ready to bust some Latin moves, mastered the plank in Yoga, and I'm still making some of the dishes that I learned in the cooking classes. My host mother was warm and friendly and I got to enjoy some great Costa Rican food! I enjoyed my trip.