Program Reviews

In the beginning when I arrived at the camp I felt excited but also nervous because you don’t know what’s coming up. But right when I stepped into the classroom I knew it was going to be great. Apart from the classes we did many fun activities like ziplining and rafting. My favorite thing was rafting because it’s just a lot of action. The trip over the weekend was very fun because we had a real hotel with our own room. The trip also gave us the opportunity to learn more about the other campers and have fun with them. Another great thing was when we had free time and went to the park and played basketball. It also helped us use our Spanish and learn more about the culture of Costa Rica. The learning Spanish part was very fun because we mainly learned with games. That made it more interesting.

During my time in Costa Rica with Tico Lingo I’ve learned not only what foods and animals are most common but how different things can be. Although it was short, the memories, experiences and adventures I’ve gotten to have included multiple challenges such as speaking Spanish. Kids may be better or worse at Spanish than you and it's all a part of the learning process. We’re all here for different reasons, from different places and backgrounds but the friends I’ve made during this trip have evolved (transformed) me into a more adventurous person. White water rafting and cooking empanadas was something I thought I’d never do. This program immersed me fully in the culture which is probably why it’s an immersion program. My host family, friends and amazing staff have been so supportive on this journey of mine. I’m very grateful to have been able to come on this trip with these amazing people and do amazing things. This trip was worth it. Thank you Tico Lingo!!

The first day getting off the plane is extremely awkward. You are sitting in a van full of people you’ve never met. The silence is uncomfortably loud, but after a 40 minute drive you arrive to your homestay. For me, I was immediately bombarded by a Costa Rican abuela who was speaking at 200 words per minute. I just nodded and said “sí” for the entirety of the first dinner. Then I had school the next day. I met so many awesome people and was able to connect with the other guys in my homestay. As I became more comfortable, I began to speak more with my homestay. As I became more comfortable, I began to speak more with my homestay parents and even met their family. The awkward dinners in Spanish quickly became my favorite part. Although I attended class every day most of my learning came from the time I spent with locals. Whether it was learning slang from Ticos at the park, gossiping at the dinner table, or speaking to English students at the intercambio, the local charm was all the difference. I came to C.R. struggling to understand spoken Spanish and left with the ability to understand at least half of the discussion.

I came to Costa Rica with the intent of learning Spanish; in the process, I fell in love with the country, the people, the food, and the culture. I attended the teen program, which was an amazing combination of Spanish, cultural immersion, and travel experience. The staff were all super well-trained and responsive to all issues. I would recommend this to any parents looking for an opportunity like this for their kids. I just wish I had participated in this camp earlier, so I could have done it twice.

There are no words that can adequately capture just how amazing my experience at Tico Lingo was. This was my first experience, but I promise it will not be my last.

I had been wanting to do a language immersion event for several years, but had never found the courage to actually do it, but one day, my daughter-in-law announced she was doing one. She was already extremely fluent and had even spent a semester in Spain as an undergraduate, but she had a specific interest and was going to spend a month at Ticolingo to accomplish it. When she came home, she told me it was by far the best Spanish instruction she had ever received – high praise considering all of her learning and experiences. Now, I wanted to do it more than ever before.

I carefully researched several schools before committing to Tico Lingo. Even then, I was afraid. Several things made me nervous. I'm 55 years old. I was worried the school would be filled with young adults, and I would be the awkward old guy in the room. I was worried that I didn't know enough Spanish. Could I even do this, or was I still too novice to receive much benefit from it? As an introvert, I was REALLY worried about the home stay. What was the expected level of interaction? Could I go to my room and read a book, or was that considered rude? Should I stay out in the living room and interact with people I really didn't know and struggled to communicate with?

As it turned out, I worried for nothing. Not one of my fears came true. In fact, it was the exact opposite.

• There were in fact quite a few young adult students, but there was also an equal number of more seasoned adults, but it also didn't matter. Everyone blended together seamlessly and had a wonderful time together. The younger adults were absolutely wonderful and extremely welcoming.

• Before I arrived, Yennifer called and gave me a "Spanish test" in order to place me in the correct group class. She nailed it. Everyone in my group was in the exact same place, and yes, I could benefit even at my level and learned far more than I possibly could have imagined. A big part of that was my instructor, Yobeth. I often feel embarrassed trying to speak Spanish because I know I am slow and make a lot of mistakes, but Yobeth was brilliant at making you feel comfortable. I felt as though I had permission to have fun and to try. I wasn't expected to get it right. That's why I was in school, and her corrections were fun and gentle. She taught all of us so much and in an incredible manner.

• I also did 2 hours per day of one on one instruction with Freddy. Freddy is incredibly passionate about the language and about his students. In a private setting, that passion was laser focused on me, on my goals, and on my learning. He was fully prepared for every lesson, but adjusted on the fly based on what I needed. He not only taught me Spanish but also how to learn Spanish. He gave me an incredible amount of information and exercises to take home with me to allow me to continue my journey long after I left Costa Rica.

• This combination of instructors was phenomenal and taught me so much. Both of my instructors not only demonstrated an incredible passion for teaching the language, but also demonstrated a genuine passion for me as a person and a student. They truly, truly cared.

• One of the best parts of my experience was getting to know my Tico family. They were so warm and inviting, and they completely let me decide how to spend my time.

If I needed private time, that was totally fine. I was also completely welcome and comfortable hanging out and doing things with them. I even had my own key and could come and go as I pleased. They are amazing people, and we have continued to stay in touch since I've been home.

• Another fear was walking around alone in a strange city where I barely spoke the language. The people of Heredia immediately put me to ease. They smiled and spoke to me and were very patient with my attempts to communicate. I even met one neighbor who took me in and introduced me to her whole family.

In every way possible, my time at Ticolingo was an incredible experience and far exceeded all of my hopes. It was over way too quickly. As I mentioned, this was my first trip, but there will be many, many more.

I had an excellent experience at Tico Lingo! It was my home away from home for six weeks. I just arrived back home today and had my first conversation with my family in Venezuela. Before Tico Lingo, I understood some vocabulary but didn’t speak any Spanish. I am so happy to be able to speak now (although it is slow), it means so much to me to be able to communicate with my family.

I have high praise for the patience and skill of all the teachers in the school. I progressed much faster than I believe I would have on any other learning platform.

My host family and the director of the school were also amazing. I got sick while I was there and was very well taken care of. Even though I was “alone” in a foreign country, I never felt alone and always had more than enough support.

For anyone looking for a crash course in Spanish, a beautiful country, and a very safe experience, I recommend Tico Lingo.

As a person who has had a career in adult education, I have high expectations for learning environments. Erick, our small-group instructor at Tico Lingo, was superb in explaining grammar and vocabulary clearly, offering just the right amount of illustration, and then encouraging us in our learning. My homestay was equally excellent, with Nela and her family (her mother Maria Elena, her husband Henry, her daughter Maria Jose, and her son Mathias) being both welcoming and enthusiastic, and also very patient with my budding Spanish. Tico Lingo covered all the bases very well!

I started looking at Spanish immersion schools years ago to become a Spanish medical interpreter and found there are a lot of schools out there. After trying to narrow them down by their reviews I found that this school was at the top of the list. I am here in Costa Rica going to this school now.

I am in my fourth week here and my Spanish has improved dramatically. The reason for such improvement comes from the way they teach and how multi-faceted it is. From grammar lessons to vocabulary to 'modismos', it's all there and helps a person to get a solid grasp of the language. The teachers are mostly bilingual and are knowledgeable in all aspects of Spanish.

What helps even more is the school will set you up with a family to live with during your stay that fits your needs and gives you a chance to practice your Spanish every day. The host families are patient and will help you a lot. These families are wonderful. I'm staying with Gabby and her family and they have become very near and dear to me. There are over 50 families you could stay with and Yenifer will get you settled into a family that best fits your needs.

This school has been amazing from the start with super helpful people like Robert who begins the process to Yenifer who works at the school and will ensure you have the best experience possible. They also off many day trips or dancing and cooking classes to further immerse you in the Tico culture! I cannot recommend this place enough.

On the first day I was excited to meet my homestay family. When I arrived at the house I met Jorge and Maritza. At the time the Euro Cup final was being played between England and Spain. I watched this game and then the Copa America final game between Argentina and Colombia. We did a lot of activities throughout the two weeks that forced me to use my Spanish in real-life situations, and the 4 hours of classes every day improved my understanding of the language a lot. My favorite part of the stay was the trip to the Arenal volcano and lake. We kayaked, rafted and relaxed in the hot springs which I enjoyed a lot. The food in my homestay was great, and I enjoyed getting to know my homestay family. This trip has given me the courage to practice Spanish with more people, and I would absolutely recommend it.

Me gustaría decir que este programa me enseñó mucho. No solo sobre el español, pero sobre la vida en Costa Rica y experiencias con otras personas. Este programa es muy divertido, pero no quiero decir demasiado. Quiero dejar muchas sorpresas entonces necesitas hacerlo. Es todo.

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I would like to say that this program taught me a lot. Not only about Spanish, but about life in Costa Rica and experiences with other people. This program is a lot of fun, but I don't want to say too much. I want to leave many surprises so you need to do it. That's all.