Spanish courses in Spain
and in Latin America

HEREDIA ______________

The colonial city of Heredia is located approximately 20 minutes by bus from the capital city of San José. It is home to the National University, and an important cultural center for Costa Rica. Furthermore, much of Heredia has managed to retain a typical Latin American “pueblo” feel despite increasing modernization.

The location of our Spanish language school within the city gives students easy access to transportation, shops and entertainment. At the same time, the tranquility and natural beauty of the mountains is only a few minutes away by taxi or bus.

The province of Heredia is the coffee-growing capital of Costa Rica, where one can still see loaded ox-carts bringing in the beans from the coffee plantations characteristic of the green mountainsides. In the rural villages you will witness a way of life very different to that of the cities, and see vestiges of the old colonial architecture once typical in the entire Central Valley.

THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL
________________

Our language school is located in Playa Sámara, directly on the beach in a beautiful, new building overlooking the ocean, with gardens leading straight to the sand.

Each classroom has AC and full audio-visual equipment. Occasionally, teachers take students outside the facilities to hold a conversation hour in our rancho, the tropical gardens, or on the beach under the shade of a palm tree.

Our school facilities include a large open-air rancho used for dance classes, yoga classes and other activities; a stage for performances, community activities and cultural events; a kitchen for student use; lounges, gardens, open-air classroom study areas, hammocks, and the reception and tour services desk.

Nearby restaurants and open air cafés and bars provide ample places to relax and chat with friends, drink coffee or try the delicious local tropical fruit shakes.

ACCOMMODATIONS
__________________

Arrival: Sunday
Depature: Sunday

Homestay
The homestays we offer are a key part of our Spanish program.  We select Costa Rican families in Sámara within walking distance of the school and beach (from half a block to max.1 mile /1.5 kms). All students are encouraged to participate in this opportunity, as it provides an invaluable source to learn Spanish as well as a wonderful interpersonal experience.

Homestays also provide an economical alternative to hotels, as breakfast, dinner, private room and laundry service are included in the price.

Hotels
If you prefer, there are several hotels within walking distance where we make your reservations.

:: LEARN SPANISH IN SAMARA IN COSTA RICA

Our Spanish courses are designed to fully immerse students in real social interactions.

Our Spanish program uses a combination of immersion teaching methods centered around the Communicative Approach. Our aim is to enable students to really express themselves in the language.

Groups range from 1 to 6 students, the average group size being 3 to 5 for most of the year, except during high season (January to February and June to August), when 5 to 6 is the norm. When classes contain only 1 student, we reserve the right to reduce contact time to 3 hours per day in order to maintain academic program consistency.

Our core Spanish program consists of 12 different levels, from complete beginner through advanced. After these have been completed, students continue with six additional levels of high-advanced to superior level Spanish, which develop upon the literature used in lower levels and intensify work towards full proficiency in the various areas of language acquisition. Also covered at these levels are complex field projects, current events, linguistics, regional language usages and Costa Rican history. In addition, we have specialized courses for those who wish to study specific topics such as business, medical or media Spanish.

:: INTENSIVE COURSES IN SAMARA IN COSTA RICA

Course 20h
4 lessons a day in a small group from Monday to Friday
Classes run from 8:30am to 12:30pm or from 1:30pm to 5:30pm. Students are informed of their timetable after their entrance exams. Schedules change every week.

Course 20+5h
4 lessons a day in a small group and 1 hours private class per day
Private lessons are available in the afternoons.

The course incorporates all aspects of language acquisition: conversation, grammar, reading, listening, writing, general comprehension and idiomatic expressions. In addition to formal textbooks, we use a wide variety of current materials: newspapers, literature, audio-cassettes, videos, advertisements, music, short stories and more. Classes also incorporate field-trips and out-of-class learning experiences by taking students to practice their Spanish in marketplaces, museums, buses, restaurants, and other areas where communication practice is a necessity.

One-to-one classes
According to the needs and desires of each individual student.

For our US-students: Our spanish courses are accredited through the U.S. university system, offering undergraduate academic credit to those interested.

Teen Spanish Programs in Costa Rica : Please ask for details.