Tico Lingo

My 18-year-old daughter and I attended TL for one week in April 2017 (all the time we had for Spring break). This place is not only for the young but also for the young at heart (I'm 50 years old). I researched MANY Spanish immersion schools in Guatemala and Costa Rica (Heredia & Liberia). I'm very happy I chose TL. From the beginning, Chris, the director, was timely with correspondence and was very helpful. Everything from start to finish was EASY. About a week before arriving, Karen, the student coordinator, gave me an interview via Skype to see how much Spanish I knew in order to put together a custom curriculum (why waste precious time on things we already know?). Chris and a TL student met us at the airport & drove us to our homestay. We were warmly greeted by our Tico mom and her 2 young children (her husband was part of the Holy Week procession). We were given keys to our room and the house and were told that this was our house. During the week she cooked OH-SO-DELICIOUS breakfasts (she makes the best gallo pinto!) and dinners for us and some days a filling snack after school (school was 8a-12p) if we didn't eat elsewhere. After class we'd normally walk to the central market and have lunch in one of the cafes (they call them sodas). I'd pick up some ripe mangos, the BEST MANGOS I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE!! They were so sweet!! In the short time we were there, we went to San Jose twice by bus & train, zip lining (they call it canopy tours), white water river rafting, to Manuel Antonio National Park (where there is also a beautiful beach!) and a local futbol (soccer) game. Chris arranges everything for the tours---taking care of the driver, lunch, and entrance fee. The people in CR are very patient, helpful, and friendly. Our teacher, Freddy, is THE BEST!! He made 4 hours (with a 15min break) go by so quickly!! He makes sure you understand the lesson and is very patient. We never wanted class to end. Freddy has a FANTASTIC personality!! The school is located in a a safe neighborhood 10min walking distance from our homestay. The school is very comfortable with a small kitchen to make a snack during break, outdoor patios, and a seating living-room-type area with water & coffee. TL is an AWESOME Spanish immersion school; I HIGHLY recommend it and will gladly answer any questions you may have about our memorable experience ([email protected]). I will definitely return but for 3wks this time. PURA VIDA!!!

P.S. The only cons were the humidity and our homestay bedroom (entire house, actually) not having air conditioning, and the fan in our room was very loud. I would still return in a heartbeat!!

I am a 56 year old guy from Texas who has been taking Spanish lessons off and on for over 20 years. Wanting to become more comfortable with Spanish via a full-immersion program, I searched Google and found Tico Lingo. After spending a month in Costa Rica, my Spanish skills improved significantly.
The program is organized well from start to finish. A person picked me up at the airport, drove me to the house where I would be living and introduced me to my Tico family. The family was welcoming, the room was comfortable, free WIFI was available, the meals were good and the atmosphere felt safe. I opted for one-on-one lessons at Tico Lingo which is a converted house in the suburb of Heredia. Most of the other students were in their 20s, but the program seems to work for all ages.
There is lots of free time outside of studying for whatever a student wishes to do. Rather than join others on organized weekend tours, I explored San Jose and the suburbs. Very little English is spoken outside of San Jose - which is good. It rained every single day, so having an umbrella was a necessity. There are good restaurants, excellent coffee places, local gyms, etc. The people in Heredia are generally nice and helpful for travelers. My main method of getting around was walking, but Uber also worked great.

My time at Tico Lingo was absolutely amazing. As a sixteen-year-old high school student, this was my first experience with any sort of study-abroad program (and my first time traveling anywhere on my own), and it did not disappoint! From the moment I arrived to the moment I left, I could not have been happier or more satisfied with this program. Despite having taken Spanish classes in the US for three years, I did not feel at all confident speaking the language-- on the first day, I could barely communicate, let alone understand what my homestay family was saying! However, by the end of the program, my speaking abilities had vastly improved and I could both speak and understand with relative ease.
I arrived in Heredia thinking I would only be there for two weeks. However, by the third day, I’d fallen in love with my homestay family, my newfound friends, and the city itself. A few phone calls later, I had arranged to stay for a month. I found that Heredia was the perfect setting to practice Spanish-- the locals were extremely patient and friendly, and were always willing to strike up a conversation. More importantly, however, my homestay family was incredible. The entire family's amazingly welcoming demeanor made me feel like I was a family member right from the start. Chris and Karen were also wonderful, and were always there to help the students with anything we needed.
The teachers were fantastic. Each had their own style and manner of teaching, and all three were incredibly helpful and friendly. Ana Lorena's kind, patient, and encouraging demeanor was perfect, especially for the first few days, when I felt overwhelmed by my lack of understanding. After I felt comfortable with the material she was covering, I was able to move into Lucia's class, which was filled with discussion, question-and-answer activities, and constant conversation. Lucia's teaching style was a perfect blend of grammar and real-world applications, and she did an amazing job of giving context to her lessons, making them memorable and easily understandable. During my last week at Tico Lingo, I moved into Freddy's class. Freddy was very patient and professional, with a great sense of humor, and his class was far more grammar-intensive than the former two. I learned an incredible amount in just a few days with him, which was perfectly paced after the three weeks spent building a strong foundation for my Spanish. After a month of classes, I found that my Spanish abilities skyrocketed; whereas before I struggled to articulate my thoughts, speaking now came naturally.
This program was a wonderful learning experience. Thank you so much to Chris, Karen, my teachers, and my homestay family! I hope to come back next year! ¡Pura vida!

If you want a low-key, relaxed but thorough Spanish immersion experience this is for you. The best thing I can say about Tico Lingo is that the school is run in such a chill way that you don't ever feel like a tourist. At the same time the teachers are high-quality and you will learn fast. I recommend staying with a family, who cooked me two delicious meals a day and were great company. The staff of this school are real, down to earth, and completely attentive to making sure you have a good time. If you are looking to make friends and have a good time while learning or brushing up on your Spanish this is the perfect place. Def hit up the exotic beaches on the weekend.

When I arrived in Costa Rica, I literally did not know any Spanish. Sure, I knew “hola” and “cómo estás” but that can only get you so far. After spending two months taking classes at Tico Lingo, my Spanish has increased exponentially. Now I can more easily have a conversation, read books, and watch TV all in Spanish. Immersion is simply the best way to learn another language, and Tico Lingo’s immersion program is definitely the best way to learn Spanish.

Classes are taught completely in Spanish, which can seem a little overwhelming at first, but you will be surprised by how quickly your understanding will improve. Classes are taught in small groups. In fact, my class had on average only three students, and it never had more than five. These small groups allow a greater opportunity to practice speaking, and allows the teachers to better tailor lesson to everyone’s level. Also, the teachers at Tico Lingo are absolutely amazing. Classes were creative and different, making learning more engaging. Besides the great teachers, the staff at Tico Lingo are fantastic. They really go out of their way to support you and provide a comfortable environment to learn Spanish in.

I also really enjoyed the trips that Tico Lingo organized. It made it easier to explore this beautiful country. I went to the beach, zip-lining, the mountains, kayaking, hiking through the jungle, mountain biking down the base of a volcano, and I am probably forgetting some things. There is just so much you can do in Costa Rica to keep yourself busy.

I also really enjoyed the city of Heredia. I thought Heredia was the perfect size city: not too big it’s overwhelming but big enough that there is still plenty to do. The school and host families are just a short walk from downtown Heredia. There were many coffee shops that were great for studying and many delicious restaurants. As my Spanish improved I would strike up conversations with the locals hanging out at the central park of Heredia. Ticos are very friendly, and it was always fun meeting new people. Heredia’s central location also made it quick, and easy to go on your own adventures. For a few dollars (many less than a dollar), you can take buses all over the country. When I felt confident in my Spanish, I used to take a different bus to another nearby city and explore it for the afternoon.

On top of all of this, one of my favorite things about my Spanish immersion experience was my host family. They were very warm and loving, and I felt like I was a part of the family. Living with a host family is not only a great way to practice speaking Spanish, but it is also super fun!

Tico Lingo truly is the best place to learn Spanish and have an unforgettable experience!