I attended three weeks of Spanish classes at Tico Lingo in February 2021 and I had a wonderful time.
I was a total beginner, having never learnt any Spanish before, I knew hola and si, and not much else. Whilst it was very challenging at times, trying to learn as much as possible in the short amount of time I was there, Erick was a great teacher. He was very patient and helped me to grab a good understanding of the basics. I was able to make real improvement during my time at Tico Lingo.
We were also able to organise weekend trips with some of the other students, to the volcano and hot springs at La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio National Park. Some of us even met up later in Santa Teresa, for some fun and Spanish practice on the beach.
One of the highlights of the experience was my Homestay family, Sindy and Claudio. They welcomed me into their home and treated me like one of the family. They took a real interest in my Spanish progress, helping me outside of classes, over conservation at dinner and movie nights (in Spanish). They even celebrated my birthday, surprising me with a birthday cake, even though I had only been there for a few days.
It was a great place to learn and I highly recommend Tico Lingo. Thank you Chris, Yennifer and Erick!
What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
On the weekends, go and explore! Don't be afraid of using public transport (something I was initially hesitant about) but everyone is so friendly and it's rather easy to figure out routes and times (even for someone with my limited Spanish knowledge).