Program Reviews

My experience learning Spanish with Tico Lingo has been amazing. Marysella is an excellent teacher — sharp, empathetic, and super friendly. She makes classes feel comfortable, engaging, and supportive. She explains things clearly and is genuinely kind and encouraging. She has also been very flexible with scheduling, which has helped me stay consistent while working full time. The remote format works really well and makes it easy to share materials and coordinate lessons. I would absolutely recommend Tico Lingo and Marysella to anyone looking to learn Spanish from anywhere.

I highly recommend Tico Lingo for an intensive Spanish learning program. Heredia is a lovely and friendly town. This is my second year there. Unfortunately I could only spend a week each time. The instruction is intense but very supportive and fun. Small groups are leveled for the learners ability. They use a variety of lessons and meet many different learning styles. Lessons are fun and engaging. Teachers are friendly and supportive. I have learned a lot. They also offer fun tours and extra classes such as dance and cooking.

I attended one week of immersion lessons in Costa Rica and then continued with my instructor online. I’m so glad I did both. Zaida teaches in a way that works for mu brain and personality — in-person and online. My Spanish has improved greatly AND our lessons are so connective. I cannot say enough about rapport being a factor in how I learn — but Zaida is a very important part of my life as instructor, mentor, and friend. Immersion online has been amazing when I couldn’t do a second trip. That said, starting in person was ideal. The school is just charming and I loved being with other adult learners of various backgrounds, learning for various purposes. Heredia is a great location. Lodging with my Tica Mama was comfortable, connective. We are still in touch.

Zaida is incredible. She focuses on what you want to learn and is so patient. She’s fun and teaches in a way that makes you use your brain in a problem solving manner instead of just giving you the answer. I was her student in person at Tico Lingo in Costa Rica and continued with her online. Since coming back to the US and working full time it’s hard to continue to develop my Spanish skills, but with this program I feel really good about the business and the teachers and my Spanish (while still rough), isn’t disappearing like I thought it would. Pura Vida.

You meet a lot of new people and make a bunch of friends, all of whom I hope to stay in contact with! You get to experience so many different things, try new foods, explore a new city, and practice your Spanish through fun activities. My homestay family was super welcoming and provided everything I could possibly need (it was so amazing getting to be part of a Costa Rican family for 2 weeks). I made so many friends and enjoyed my time here because I tried so many things out of my comfort zone. I would recommend coming, way better than random summer camps!

It’s a great experience and you get to learn and see a bunch of new things. You also get to learn lots of Spanish in class and by doing activities like games and talking to people around Costa Rica. You make new friends with others in the camp and friends at the other school that is learning English. I loved my homestay and the camp staff, they made me feel safer in a new city. It’s a lot of rice and beans, but it’s good if you like trying new cuisines. I would definitely recommend this camp for anyone who’s on the fence!

On my arrival to the airport, I was all alone in a new country and nervous. But soon I met my roommate Lily and 2 other boys doing this program. Me and Lily clicked instantly, and the boys were very kind. In the next week me and Lily began making connections with other campers, and by week 2, we were going to each other's homestays outside of school. In the 2 weeks here, I created strong bonds with others I would never have known or met if not for Tico Lingo. The homestays were also one of the best parts, they were super kind and made amazing food

When I first arrived at Tico Lingo, I was anxious about whether the Spanish class would be too hard and whether I would get along with the fellow camp mates. Now, near the end of the trip, I feel reassured that I was comfortable in both scenarios. I loved just chatting with my homestay family, and they treated me like family (the food was so good!!!). Overall, great experience and I would recommend it to anyone who likes traveling or learning Spanish. I would 100% recommend to anyone who's on the fence.

This Spanish immersion camp was such a cool experience. At first, I was nervous because I didn’t know most of the other people and I wasn’t confident in my speaking, but the teachers, counselors, and other campers were so nice. I also liked staying with a host family. It gave me the chance to practice a free-flowing Spanish conversation with a tica and implement the new language I learned in class that day. After class, we did so many really fun activities like ziplining, a ropes course, kayaking, white-water rafting, visiting a coffee plantation, and an intercambio (which was speaking with Costa Rican students learning English). I would say to prepare yourself for rice and beans to become almost all of your food groups, but you will survive. All in all, I had a lot of fun over these two weeks and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their confidence in speaking Spanish.

My experience in Costa Rica was overall positive. I met lots of new people, and saw new things. The food was a new experience. There is a lot of rice and beans. The environment is different to America, the people can seem a little creepy, and the walking culture is different. The group activities are things to look forward to. Classes are way better than I imagined them. They are typically interactive activities. There is a lot of time to socialize, and mingle with people. They do take phones during class periods. The other kids in the program were nice, and open to talk to. If I were to rate the trip out of 5 stars I would give it 4.