Costa Rica -  Language Immersion

Costa Rica has amazing geographic and biological diversity unmatched by any country its size.  From the 12,000-foot mountains in the Talamancan Range to the pristine beaches and rainforests of its Pacific coast, it teems with natural beauty.   We will celebrate our ninth year in Costa Rica, as our expeditions will continue to uncover the grass roots side of Costa Rica. We plan to traverse the highlands and the lowlands, experiencing both the diversity of ecological life and the friendliness of the Costa Ricans (Ticos).
 

Overview:  - Language Immersion Programs

Orientation and Rafting (5 days)
Our experience begins in the San Jose Central Valley area at our B&B, where students get to know one another and establish goals for the weeks ahead. Here we will learn more about Costa Rica, take a Latin dance class, and loosen our muscles with a three-day, two night rafting trip on one of the many spectacularly scenic rivers.  We will also participate in some informal Spanish lessons, so please come with a desire to learn some key words and phrases!  

Monteverde Conservation League (4 days) - After settling in, we travel to Monteverde to work in the tropical cloud forest managed by the Monteverde Conservation League. A three to five kilometer, rigorous up-hill hike brings us to a comfortable eco-lodge, our home for the next several days. Time will be spent on a combination of: environmental projects (trail work, painting, etc.), night hikes to view wildlife, and day hikes to swim or see waterfalls. If the weather cooperates, we will have a spectacular view of the active volcano, Arenal, and adjacent Lake Arenal.



Guanacaste/Nicoya Region and Homestays (10 days) - After our stay in Monteverde, we head off for our community service projects in the Pacific Region. While living and working with local families for ten days, we will work on projects chosen by the community itself. Each of our four groups will live and work in its own unique community. Among our four communities last summer, typical projects included: building a foundation for a community center, painting and tiling a community kitchen, building a plant nursery, completing a sidewalk around the town square, building a school library, building and painting school desks and chairs.  In the afternoons and evenings, we will join in the daily lives of community members as we play soccer games, prepare special dinners, participate in a traditional game and dance night, or take short excursions.



Chirripo Hike or Playa Hermosa/Manuel Antonio National Park (4 days) - After a rewarding homestay experience, we head back to the Central Valley for a chance to regroup and enjoy some "gringo" food and a movie. From here, a couple of our groups will head for a rigorous three-day backpacking trip to the top of Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica (12,500 feet). We spend two nights in huts just below the summit, allowing for a sunrise ascent of the summit and exploration of the surrounding glacial lakes and valleys. This hike is rigorous and takes an average of eight hours. It is achievable for everyone, so please come with a strong desire to physically challenge yourself! Those groups who do not summit Chirripo will enjoy the next several days exploring the scenic beaches and exotic wildlife at Playa Hermosa and Manuel Antonio National Park. After admiring beautiful pacific sunsets from the the Playa Hermosa Turtle Refuge's protected beaches, groups play cards by candlelight before night "turtle patrols" when students stand a good chance of witnessing live turtles of two species come ashore to look for a nest. Some students will even get to handle warm turtle eggs as they transport the eggs to the refuge's hatchery. One day the group will spend sea kayaking along the coastline with the opportunity to see dolphins and other wildlife.  The third day our group will travel to Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica's most popular national park, where they are most likely to see monkeys and sloths while basking on some of the countries finest beaches. 

Hacienda Baru: Beach time! (4 days) - We finish the trip with a chance to relax and reflect upon the weeks gone past. Hacienda Baru (a private rainforest reserve) boasts a unique combination of rain forest and ocean settings.  We spend several days exploring new activities such as snorkeling on Isla Cano, boogie boarding in the ocean, and viewing wildlife. It is very common to spot sloths, monkeys, and dart frogs in the reserve and leatherback turtles sometimes appear on the beach!  Some of the most popular adventure activities are tree climbing and canopy exploration.

Central Valley and Travel Home (2 days) – The departure is sad, but the final trip back to our B&B in the Central Valley allows us to share our memories before we fly home. A celebratory dinner at a nice restaurant and an 'awards ceremony' allows us to reflect upon our last four weeks together.  We realize that Costa Rica and the friends we have made will always be with us!

Overview:  - Language Exposure Programs

Service Projects*
- Work on small construction and erosion prevention projects with the Monteverde Conservation League
- Help build a community center or school classroom
- Assist park rangers with local ecotourism projects
- Teach English or work in a school

Adventure and Cultural Activities*
- Take a 3-day white water rafting trip
- Canopy walks, snorkeling, and boogie boarding
- A group homestay experience in a small Costa Rican village
- Latin dance classes
- Sea kayaking and wildlife viewing in Manuel Antonio National Park

Costa Rica has amazing geographic and biological diversity unmatched by any country its size. From the 12,000-foot mountains in the Talamancan Range to the pristine beaches and rainforests of its Pacific coast, it teems with natural beauty. We will celebrate our twelfth year in Costa Rica, experiencing both the diversity of ecological life and the friendliness of the Costa Ricans (Ticos).

This language exposure program is designed for students of any Spanish language level and includes a group homestay experience that places 2-3 students per home. This trip also offers more adventure days than our Costa Rica language immersion programs.

Orientation and River rafting (5 days) - Our experience begins in the San Jose Central Valley area at our B&B, where students get to know one another and establish goals for the weeks ahead. Here we will learn more about Costa Rica, take a Latin dance class, and loosen our muscles with a three-day, two-night rafting trip on one of the many spectacularly scenic rivers. We will also participate in some informal Spanish lessons so please come with a desire to learn some key words and phrases!

Monteverde Conservation League (4 days) - After settling in, we travel to Monteverde to work in the tropical cloud forest managed by the Monteverde Conservation League. A 3-5 kilometer, rigorous up-hill hike, brings us to a comfortable eco-lodge, our home for the next several days. Time will be spent on a combination of: environmental projects, night hikes to view wildlife, discussions, and day hikes to water holes or waterfalls.  The work projects consist of trail maintenance, small bridge construction, and painting. They are physically demanding but critical to the upkeep of this special land.  If the weather cooperates, we will have a spectacular view of the active volcano, Arenal, and adjacent Lake Arenal.

Community Stay (8 days) - After our stay in Monteverde, we head south for our community service projects in a small rural village. While staying in a group homestay (with 2-3 students per home), we will work on projects chosen by the community itself. Typical service projects may include: building the foundation to a community center, painting and tiling a community kitchen, building a plant nursery, completing a sidewalk around the town square, building a school library, and building and painting school desks and chairs.  We also take time to relax in the afternoons and weekends as we play soccer with locals, prepare special dinners, participate in traditional game and dance night, or go for excursions with families to nearby watering holes.

Hacienda Baru and Manuel Antonio Park (5 days) - We finish the trip with a chance to relax and reflect upon the weeks gone past. Hacienda Baru (a private rainforest reserve) features a unique combination of rain forest and ocean settings. We spend several days exploring new activities such as snorkeling on Isla Cano, boogie boarding in the ocean, participating in zip line and canopy tours, and viewing wildlife. One day we will take a trip to Manuel Antonio National Park to sea kayak and explore the wildlife and beaches in this world famous park. It is very common to spot sloths, monkeys, and dart frogs in the reserve and leatherback turtles sometimes appear on the beach! Some of the most popular adventure activities are tree climbing and canopy exploration.

Central Valley and Travel Home (2 days) - The departure is sad, but the final trip back to our B&B in the Central Valley allows us to share our memories before we fly home. A celebratory dinner at a nice restaurant and an 'awards ceremony' allows us to reflect upon our last four weeks together.  We realize that Costa Rica and the friends we have made will always be with us!

* please note the some of our projects, locations, and activities will change from year to year, however, they will be similar to those listed. A final itinerary will be printed prior to each trip.