Program Reviews

I believe others should do this camp because it's a fun and immersive way to learn or get better at Spanish. The classes and activities each help improve your Spanish no matter what level you are at. Everyone is really welcoming, and you'll get to make long lasting memories with everyone you meet. The friends I made here have made such an impact in my life and I'm so glad I came. You also get to do really fun activities every day all while learning Spanish. Overall, it's a really fun experience.

Tico Lingo has been such an amazing experience for me, in school and out in the city! Every day we had a new adventure to go on, and you make amazing friends along the way. During the school day, you have lots of breaks, and you never dread going to class. There is always something fun to do, and you collaborate with the other students a ton.

My favorite activities in class were playing charades and Pictionary, writing stories about drawings, and the fake scenarios my teacher would put us in (all in Spanish). I got to pretend to have hit a grandma on my bicycle, have three delinquents macarena, then hit me with a stick, and spot my boyfriend with another girl. Over these two weeks, I have learned to explain all of these situations and more, all in Spanish.

In my homestay, I played Rummikub with my Tica mom and talked to her only in Spanish. She made delicious meals and laughed at me when I tried to show her some magic tricks and failed. After school every day we would go on awesome adventures, and a couple times we got to talk to kids our age at their school, and I got to explain to them what mogging is in Spanish while they tried to teach me bachata and salsa.

If we had time, my friends and I would go shopping and buy clothes, jewelry, and, most importantly, ice cream. I had an amazing time here, and I love Tico Lingo!

When I first arrived in Costa Rica, I was terrified that I wouldn't make friends and that it would be a horrible slow 2 weeks, but now, on the last day, I don't want to come home. I have made amazing friends and learned so much through new experiences. It made me realize what is possible outside of my small bubble at home and truly inspired me to become fluent in Spanish. Meeting new people like the local Tico students was one of the best parts because we can see a totally different way of living. Costa Rica is beautiful, and getting to see the jungle while rafting/ziplining was truly one of my favorite things.
This program is really well run, and everyone knows what they're doing. The teachers are all so sweet, and they push us to challenge ourselves through exciting Spanish games and conversations. They gave us a lot of freedom to find out what we need here, and it has helped me become more independent. My host mom and I have pushed each other to learn each other's languages, and I am so grateful for her and her family's graciousness. This entire experience was very eye-opening and impactful, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone considering it.

When I first arrived to the Tico Lingo building, I was so nervous about how I would be able to connect with people from around the U.S. However, everyone there was incredibly nice and welcoming to everyone. Through challenges and exciting new experiences with various people, I have learned a lot and have a more open view on different perspectives of people around the world. Coming home to a place where you may have to speak Spanish encourages you to think of how to describe things and use what you've learned in class. I think this camp has impacted me and encouraged me to look at the world differently.

It is an amazing opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people, learn a foreign language, and try various activities. It's not always easy but it is worth it. This program provides so many different opportunities to practice spanish and learn to be uncomfortable. Everyone is very inclusive and the small groups allow for a tight-knit community where everyone develops relationships with each other. It is also a point of differentiation for college applications and is such a special chance to make lifelong memories.

After spending time here I have gotten a lot better at Spanish. Staying with a host family was so cool and different, and really helped me practice my Spanish. All the activities were so fun (especially the rafting)! I have made so many new friends which made it that much more enjoyable. We were able to do so many different activities together. At the beginning I was feeling nervous but after just one day I was happy, comfortable and everything was fun. I'm so glad that I came and had this experience.

Ich habe im März 2026 einen Intensiv-Kurs für eine Woche bei Tico Lingo gemacht, um mein spanisch zu verbessern. Absolute Empfehlung!!

Bereits vor Anreise bei der Planung wurde ich top betreut. Abholung am Flughafen, Empfang am ersten Schultag, gemeinsame Ausflüge, der Unterricht - Alles ist sehr gut organisiert. Ich fühlte mich direkt wohl! Die Gastfamilie war sehr herzlich und wir hatten ein super Verhältnis. Die Zeit mit anderen Schülern aus der ganzen Welt, mit den Ticos in Heredia oder mit den Leuten von Tico Lingo hat mir, nicht nur sprachlich, sehr viel bedeutet und mich weitergebracht.

Tipp: Seid aktiv, wendet euer spanisch an, geht auf die Menschen zu und nutzt das Angebot von Tico Lingo. An der Stelle Grüße an Dani, die vor Ort alles im Griff hat und immer gute Laune verbreitet. Und probiert die Salsa von Yami ;-)

English:
I took an intensive one-week course at Tico Lingo in March 2026 to improve my Spanish. Highly recommended!!

Even before my arrival, during the planning stages, I received excellent support. Airport pickup, welcome on the first day of school, group excursions, the lessons, everything was very well organized. I felt right at home! My host family was incredibly welcoming, and we got along wonderfully. The time spent with other students from all over the world, with the Ticos in Heredia, and with the Tico Lingo team meant a great deal to me, not just linguistically, and really helped me progress.

Tip: Be active, use your Spanish, approach people, and take advantage of what Tico Lingo offers. A special shout-out to Dani, who keeps everything running smoothly and is always in good spirits. And try Yami's salsa ;-)

So my Spanish experience in the past was centered around a worn out verb conjugation book and learning street phrases. Coming to this course really challenged me and made me more confident. Not because I learned a bunch more verbs or conjugations but because I was taught how to let things flow more naturally. So in the end legit knowledgeable teacher with a love of expanding communication.

I spent 2 weeks at Tico Lingo in Heredia in March 2026. School provides airport pickup! The school was a 6 minute walk from my homestay in a safe neighborhood. The school is decorated with tons of plants which I absolutely loved! There is a beverage corner on both floors with coffee and water always available and sitting areas scattered throughout for students to gather and visit. Tico Lingo does a good job testing and sorting students into class level. I had the same teacher, Freddy for both weeks. He is so passionate about language. I came home with a new appreciation for spanish after watching him love language so much. He kept classes interesting. Class is 8-12 Monday-Friday and the school offers optional afternoon activities, some free and some have a cost. Examples include dance classes, cooking, yoga, tours to volcano, chocolate making tour, a couple hours visiting locals in spanish and english, an afternoon walking tour of the city and one day each week students can pay $6 to have lunch with Yami, the woman who cooks traditional Tico food at the school. There is a gorgeous table and seating area to do homework among the beautiful plants with the warm, gentle breeze always flowing thru the building. Sometimes there is spanish music playing too! Its a very casual environment which promotes learning. Staff are all super friendly and helpful. The school considers your preferences to place you in a suitable homestay if you are wanting a homestay. I loved mine. My homestay mother spoke zero english which also helped me learn more. Her home was very clean and she was an amazing cook. I ate breakfast and dinner there each day. I felt welcome there. Overall I am thankful for the experience I had there as an older solo traveller. It was safe and really set up for more spanish fluency in a fun way with various ages of students. Tico Lingo has carefully thought over every detail and runs so smoothly!

Hola, we are Brian and Sigrun newly-retired from Nuevo York! Our goal in visiting Costa Rica was to begin our adventure with a one-week Spanish immersion program. Our hope was to build upon beginning Spanish learning that we had in school over 30 years ago, and Tico Lingo definitely fulfilled our vacation plan.

Dani, the head of student services and the Tico Lingo team matched us with a wonderful host family that spoke English, but also emphasized conversation in Spanish most of the time. We had breakfast and dinner at their house which was muy delicioso and different every day. Our Tico family taught us a lot about local customs and culture.

Our teacher at Tico Lingo was Kevin, and this hombre was the profesor perfecto. He spoke most of the time in Spanish but stopped whenever we had questions to elaborate on a topic. The written materials provided were very comprehensive. Kevin was so thorough in explaining commonly-used phrases and helping us to make conversation.

The student services director Dani was very gracious and accommodating in guiding our social activities and answering travel questions. Tico Lingo offers many tour opportunities on weekends and activities during the week. We learned some Salsa dancing, how to make empanadas, took a coffee tour, and even did a yoga class...all in Spanish.

Here is the best part...all of this immersiveness helped us to continue our trip with much more confidence in this beautiful country. The Tico Lingo program is great for both beginners (like us) and people who want to get an in-depth learning experience with any a long-term goal. We highly recommend it and Pura Vida!