Welcoming host family, friendly locals, outstanding Spanish teachers and extremely helpful staff!

I was looking for a program in Central America that would help me brush up on my Spanish skills. I had always heard great things about Costa Rica but I did not realize it would end up being as wonderful as it was, and honestly it was all thanks to TicoLingo.

The school director was prompt and really helpful with his responses. He helped me choose the best program type based off of my interests and goals. I really wanted to stay with a host family because of my previous positive study abroad experiences in college. One down side was that the house I stayed in was a bit far from the school but he put me with the most caring family who went out of their way to accommodate me in every way possible, especially with rides to and from class. I had a host brother and sister, both teenagers who definitely felt like my siblings ;P, and the family was always going on outings together which I had the option of joining when I wanted to.

That was what I really enjoyed about this program and everyone involved - everything and everyone was really flexible. It all depends on what you want your experience to be and I can attest to the fact that everyone involved with TicoLingo can and will and wants to help make that happen.

Speaking of flexible, our teacher was one of the most creative language teachers I've ever had. Every class was filled with digestible information, new material unique to me and my classmate and the option to take our conversations on a field trip, even if it was just to the cafe or market down the street. This style of language immersion was crucial to strengthening my Spanish skills and I must admit that I learned so many phrases and words that I never learned in my 5 years of Spanish in the states - Not to mention how much more fun it was!

As for unforgettable natural and cultural experiences, CR has it all, and almost every Tico and Tica(the nickname for locals) is more than willing to show you the best stuff their country has to offer. I can't recall how many people I met, even brief encounters, who invited me to dinner at their homes, to learn Tropical dances at the local dance halls, to see their team's fútbol game, to pick fresh coffee beans at their family's farms and plantations or to explore the jungles and beaches that are so easy to travel to(Montezuma, Manuel Antonio, Volcan Arenal...). Being the yes person that I am, I said yes to everything that I could. Just one example was when my friend, and fellow student, and I were invited by one family to go mountain biking just outside of San Ramón. We said yes and were pleasantly surprised when they outfitted us with everything from bikes to gloves to the whole spandex get up! We stayed in touch during our stay and were able to make plans to meet them at the hot springs in La Fortuna. They invited us back for Christmas and I honestly think they would have been our host family if we'd let them! The best part was we were able to help the parents with their English and they were able to help us with our Spanish. They treated us like family and we still keep in touch :)

My list of amazing times with TicoLingo is much too long for this small space but I can proudly say that every day was a new adventure that left me feeling happy and full(not just because of food but also because SO MUCH GOOD FOOD). Seriously though, I learned to cook plantains during my stay and when I make them in the U.S, it's a little reminder of my Costa Rican home, friends and family. It warms my heart, but I gotta admit, it just isn't the same...Looks like I'm gonna have to go back... :)