Study Spanish in Costa Rica

1 Picture 1 Caption - Why I Love Costa Rica

2010-09-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

Join our new group in Facebook, it's meant to be fun and hopefully reminiscing for others.

Valentine's Day Walk for the Earth

2010-02-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

Evolution of the Walk...

Walk for the Earth is a sacred journey that started with my precious boxer boy Yoda who taught me, to Walk with intention and prayer, as the many Elders of the Lakota tribe shared with me in the Unipi Ceremony (sweat logdes), as well. Yoda was only six weeks old when we first started walking together. I heard the call from my Ancestors, the very first day we walked together, to allow Yoda to teach me the power in Walking in rhythm with the Rainforest. For close to three years, every day, I wondered how, why, where and when would be the right time to share all that I was learning from this precious four-legged creature and our Mother Earth.

Valentine's Day 2010 became the day that I would humbly share all my experiences, while my boy Yoda, who crossed over 44 days previous, would guide me from the heavens to story tell our sacred Walk for the Earth with the World. What appeared to be strangers of the walk became Yoda's disciples. From the heavens, the tribe of ten beautiful souls, two dogs and a jungle of various creatures seen and unseen, wrote poems and told stories that they been long forgotten, until Valentines Day on the Sacred Mountain of Manuel Antonio, CR.

Today, I am clear that love and devotion to hear the Call of the Wild in Animals and Nature will heal our Human Family; One step at a time... One person at a time... One tribe at a time... The time has come that we must all step into the Tribe called the Human Family and life among the primal forces that bring us home to the Sacred Laws of Nature.

((( aho )))
V-day Walk
Healing Mother Earth

Costa Rican Casado

2010-02-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

A typical dish served during lunch, and at times can be served for dinner. The Casado, or “marriage in the dish,” is a combination of various types of food into one plate.

Casados consist of rice, beans, vegetables (salads), and your choice of chicken, beef, fish, or pork.
When visiting Costa Rica and looking for something authentic from the country, Casado would be one of those experiences one should not miss. Many of family owned small diners, or “Sodas,” as they call it, will normally serve the dish.

Study Spanish in Costa Rica and experience one of the countries traditional dishes.

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Visit the Local Markets and be Immersed in Spanish Culture

2010-01-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

When visiting a new country, one of the best ways to learn about the culture is visiting the local markets.

The markets are usually held once a week, and in certain countries it might be more. Local farmers bring in their fresh cropped, fished, and butchered goods.

At first, it can be a little intimidating, but once you get use to the loud and busy atmosphere, it can be quite an exploration. If you're a person who loves to take pictures or videos, this would be an ideal place to capture some of the most intriguing images. A variety of colors, stories, and personalities just seem to come up.

If you love to learn languages, such as Spanish, here is a great way to practice and get immersed.

In the video above, we take a walking tour of a local market in, Turrialba, Costa Rica. The markets are usually held on Fridays. Rain or shine the buyers and sellers are trading away. Since Costa Rica is known for producing plentiful fruits and vegetables, here you will see some of the freshest and most colorful crops. The farmers seem very happy, as this is also a good way to catch up with friends and their regular customers.

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Adventure Tours in Costa Rica

2010-01-16T06:06:00.000-08:00

Explornatura
The adventure company, Explornatura is a close associate of Spanish for Success. Many of the past students who attended programs in Turrialba, Dominical, and Arenal had used the services of the company.

The company has been operating since early 2000 and they’ve had a great track record on safety. The owners Massi and Ronald had taken the proper steps in order to keep the adventure tours running smoothly and safely for adventurist participating. They are one of the premier services that operate from the town of Turrialba.

Explornatura operates several tours, the two most popular ones are white water rafting, and canyoneering. They also offer other tours operating within other parts of the country. For more information, hop on the website www.explornatura.com

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While participating in one of the tours, our blog contributor, Russo Mutuc, had interviewed Massi and the raft guide. See video below.

Russo Mutuc – “Participating in one of these tours is definitely a highlight when you come to Costa Rica. I have known most of the owners of Explornatura for almost 9 years, and every time I come back to the country, I try and participate in one of the tours. When I first came to Costa Rica in 2002, it was the first time I had ever rafted and ziplined. I thought this was such an amazing experience, and it definitely got me talking about it within my social media friends in Friendster and Myspace. Living and participating in the tours, the excitement was flowing, and I was constantly posting videos and pictures. With the incoming travelers visiting Costa Rica, often times, these tours are a must in their itinerary. From the customers I had spoken with after, many had commented on the high adrenaline fun and excitement. Though some of the tours are not meant for everybody, I definitely would recommend checking with your doctor prior to arriving in the country and participating in any adventure sports. Keep in mind, these tours are in nature’s environment, and often times, nature or the environment is unpredictable. “

How to Use the Costa Rica Public Phone System

2010-01-03T02:33:00.000-08:00

When you arrive to Costa Rica, and would like to use the public phone system, keep an eye out for phones that look like the one below. These blue public phones are the newer versions they have around the country. In order to use this phone, you would need to buy pre-paid phone cards, which you can purchase at the airport, markets, and small convenient stores.

The national telecommunications company is called ICE, and places that sell the phone cards, will have signs on the entrance or near the cash register. The phone cards which you can buy are $5, $6, $10, or $20. Aside from the airport, you will most likely pay with Colones, the Costa Rican currency.

These phone cards are very easy to use, and they have two types of phone cards with different directions to key in the digits. The normal key in is 197 and 199. For travelers that don’t speak Spanish, make sure to purchase the 199, this has the English option for instructions. 199 are ideal for using when you would like to call outside of the country. If you plan to make longer calls or multiple ones, make sure to purchase phone cards that are $10 or more.

Sample instructions on how to use the phone
•Pick up the handset and wait for the tone
•Dial 199
•Listen to the instructions and key in for English option
•In the back of the phone card is the code numbers which you will also need to key in.
•Once you have keyed in the code, you will then key in the phone number you are trying to call. (Please be advised on the new additional number they had added. For land lines you have to key in additional 2 + the seven digit number. When dialing cell phones, 8 + the seven digit number.)
•Finally, the automated system will inform you of how many minutes you can talk for.

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Red Eyes From a Flight to Costa Rica

2010-01-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

Red-eye Flights

Many of you have probably traveled and taken the red-eye flight. For some that had, you know how it feels to be part of this experience. For the readers of this blog interested about the experience, see the video below and read on.

There is a reason why they call it red eye flights, and literally, your eyes are red after taking the flight. The term comes from flights operated overnight, and travelers arrive at their destination with fatigue and exhaustion. The eyes are stressed from lack of proper sleep, and time change.

In the video below, I took a red-eye flight from Los Angeles (12a.m.) to El Salvador and final destination, Costa Rica (9a.m.). For travelers arriving in the country, this is a great way to save time and possibly money. Take for instance short-term vacationers, taking this flight would be ideal if they really wanted to maximize their time in the country. Arriving early morning will give them a full day to discover. But the disadvantage would be fatigue. If the body is not accustomed to little sleep, these short-term vacationers might end up sleeping in the rest of the day.

With my returning trip to Costa Rica, spending 4 days in the country made sense taking the red-eye flight. I had more hours in the day, to take care of business. The first night, in the country, I slept for hours.

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Art Scene in the Streets of San Jose, Costa Rica

2010-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

Cow Art

The video clip of the Costa Rica Cow Parade was filmed in Avenida Central, San Jose (2009). While watching the video, Massi Devoto, talks about the background of the art piece. The various painting on the cow depicts a story of a local musical artist, who stayed with the cow piece, on a daily basis, to protect it from kids damaging the original design. When the cow artist heard about the defender, “Marito,” they took the original art piece and incorporated him in the cow. They since have left the art piece in Avenida Central to share it with the locals, to let it be known, that Marito was a huge part of the art.

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Costa Rica Culture and Personal - Photography

2009-12-31T09:46:00.000-08:00

Volume 1
Her are some images from Costa Rica. Russo Mutuc's Image Worx shares some of his photography.

When you come to Costa Rica, you will not only see the many breathtaking views of the cloud forest, volcanoes, hot springs, jungles, beaches, and many more. To truly experience a cultural immersion, get to know the local foods, music, art, dance, and the people. When students go abroad, to learn Spanish, they have the chance to be part of the local scene. Try and speak the language, and you will be surprised how you can discover the whole culture.

Russo Mutuc – “I spent a day doing a walking tour around town, and I got to know some of the vendors at an open-air market. Surprisingly enough, many of them are not camera shy. They were very friendly, and open to chatting about our different backgrounds. I also went around looking for locals willing to speak about their fashion style. I tried to capture, in video and pictures, urban styles.”

Some of the images shared are people in their element. We’ve posted Volume 1, more images to come in the near future. So make sure to come and check us out often.

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Taking Cabs (taxi) in San Jose, Costa Rica

2009-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

How to Take a Cab in San Jose, Costa Rica

If you’re traveling to Costa Rica, and it’s your first time in Latin America, you might come across the cab (taxi) services they have. Taxis are a great way to get around in the city, and sometimes within the country. They are relatively in-expensive, if taken within the city.

For travelers coming in the country who are reluctant to take the transportation system, it can be intimidating, especially, if they do not speak the language. Communication can be an issue, but if proper precautions are taken, anyone can use these services with ease.

What to look for?

Airport Taxis - In the airport of San Jose, there are official taxis services that work specifically with passengers arriving and even departing the country. Taxi Unidos offers services almost anywhere in Costa Rica. All the drivers speak English, and are accustom to servicing foreigners.

Red colored taxis - Are the general taxi services within the country. When looking for official taxis, keep an eye out for cars; with red in color, and with yellow triangles on both passenger and driver doors. These yellow triangle signs are to signify they had registered their car, and they have specific numbers assigned. Most of the red cabs are associated with taxi companies, and are very reputable services, which a lot of travel services use. With big companies, reservations can be arranged via phone, and arrival times are very convenient. Plus their meter system is usually fair, and they tend to be a more honest in taking you to your destination, without having to go through extra mileage.

There are also other red taxis that have the same look, but work independently from the big companies. These taxis tend to have a bad reputation, because they that tend to charge more than usual, or they never use the meter. But not all of them are like that, if the passenger knows what they are doing, they can find out respectable independent taxis. If a passenger decides to take one of these taxis, be prepared to negotiate a price prior to entering the cab. If you know your destination, and the normal price, you can ask that driver how much would it cost to get there? If the price sounds just about right, then, it’s a fair ride.
Generally when taking red cabs, off the streets, it’s a good idea to know a few phrases and questions prior to taking the ride. Normally passengers would ask;
• Maria? (locals call the meter Maria)
• Marca con Maria?
• Cobra con Maria?
• Usas con Maria?
If they say no, you can either negotiate a price, or move on to the next taxi.
Un-marked cars – in smaller towns of Costa Rica, they have taxi services that have un-marked cars. Independently run, these taxi services are usually negotiations only. They are not red in color, and often times, it’s a local who uses his or her personal car as a taxi.

What to prepare for?
It’s suggested when taking any taxi to get your directions pre-planned or ready. This way the passenger can get to the destination a lot faster and possibly save some money. If possible try and memorize your directions, especially in Costa Rica, they don’t use numbers on buildings and houses. Instead directions are based on land marks.
Have enough money in your pocket or bag, to pay the taxi, in case you have to get out prior to your destination during heavy traffic. Plus having exact change will prevent showcasing bigger bills, which prevent theft.

For the new travelers coming in the country, know the Costa Rican money currency before you pay. Often times, people mistakenly paid more money, because the bill looked the same in color. If the driver is not honest, they might simply drive off without giving you change.

This blog is for anyone traveling in the country, and for study abroad Costa Rica students.

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Costa Rican Gallo Pinto

2009-12-17T20:40:00.000-08:00

Gallo Pinto, a popular dish in Costa Rica. It’s considered one of the traditional foods of the country. The name Gallo Pinto resembles spotted rooster, hence, the dish is normally served during breakfast time. But it’s also common to eat at lunch and dinner.

In Costa Rica, the preparation is with cooked white rice, onions, peppers, and black beans. All mixed and fried together, to give it that spotted rooster look. When served for breakfast, it can come with combination of fried eggs, slide of bread, and in the side, are a glass of juice or cup of coffee.

Study Spanish abroad, and experience a taste of Costa Rican culture.

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Tropical Fruits and Vegetables

2009-08-20T21:12:00.001-07:00

Here are some images of Costa Rica's fruits and vegetables. We'll post more as we get them from Spanish students. (Go to main BLOG)

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Costa Rica From A Different View

2009-08-20T20:20:00.001-07:00

One way to see Costa Rica from a different view, is from the sky. Here is a video and photo essay of Costa Rica from a different point of view.

Raw video taking off

The hanger

The runway

Take off time...

Pilots view

Let us know what you think?

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What is it About Costa Rican Beaches, that Travelers Flock to?

2009-08-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

When you think of Costa Rica, the beach is one of the most popular destinations to go to. Costa Rica beaches are so beautiful, often times, it's mandatory for a traveler to put in their itinerary. What is it about Costa Rican beaches, travelers love? Is it the warm waters all year round? The exciting waves to surf? The sunrise and sunsets? The laid back feeling? The food? The tropical weather? The people and culture? Whatever it is, travelers and tourist come from all over the world to experience the natural ingredients of the country.

In general the beach makes people happy, and Costa Rica is one of those places that makes people smile and have a good time. It was even named one of the most happiest place on earth, in 2009. So many tourist enjoyed their experience in the country, that they turned ex-pats and changed their life styles to get a piece of paradise.

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Eco-Adventures and Biology Trips in Costa Rica

2009-08-19T21:55:00.000-07:00

Students exploring the Eco-Adventures of Costa Rica, some are on a biology field trip, and others are on the Eco-high-feeling from the many natural beauty the country has to offer. When students study Spanish in Costa Rica, they have a chance to, not only to learn a language, but also to explore the country. If studying in a particular city or town there are tour companies working with the students who offer half-day or full day tours. Plus it's recommended if students are staying for more than one week, to take advantage of the weekend tours to explore. From late Friday to Sunday, students can either go to the beach or mountains to try some of the famous tours Costa Rica. Adventure tours are plentiful, and there are choices from; ziplines, river rafting, hiking, mountain biking, surfing, snorkeling, camping, kayaking, swimming, therapeutic and relaxing places, plus many more. It's an outdoor playground for students to explore. The pictures below are some of the tours students participate in. While in the country, it's common to come across the other locals, the wild life. Monkeys will holler, tropical birds flying, plentiful insects will be roaming, and other exotic animals living in their habitat. (Go to main BLOG)

Some of the students in the pictures had taken the courses offered at the Heredia and Samara Spanish schools, operated by Intercultura. Students can participate in these two locations to get different experience from city to beach. It's a good combination which many students participate in. Spanish for Success has been working with students and the school since 2004.

More images from Costa Rica

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Salsa Dancing Costa Rica

2009-07-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

Samara, Costa Rica An alternative, must-try, activity in Costa Rica are the Latin dances. Ideal for anyone who is willing to try, or even the most experienced dancers. Being in the tropics and moving and shaking your hips, will make you feel immersed in the Costa Rican culture. The most common dance types in the country are; Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Bolero, Bachata, and some of the latest Latin Dance "Ritmo." (Rhythm) The locals, "Ticos" love to dance, and you can find many places within the country to go and dance. In the cities i.e. San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela are many dance clubs that open their doors several nights a week. Even at the beaches, it's common for open-air bars to start playing Latin dance music, and many of the locals and tourist mix to enjoy the night. The students that study Spanish in Costa Rica, many of the programs offer Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia classes, as part of the package. It's a great way to get-to-know other students from different countries. The picture above is taken from a Spanish school in Samara, and students are learning to dance, from an experienced instructor, and they are just a few steps from the beach. Imagine listening to music, moving your body, and getting that nice ocean breeze as the waves are crashing. Dancing in the tropics is a definitely a must-try! To learn more about Spanish courses in Samara Beach and dance classes, contact Spanish for Success.

A listing of Dance Clubs in Costa Rica

More Pictures from Samara

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Culture At The Beach, Costa Rica

2009-07-29T21:27:00.000-07:00

Beach Soccer in Costa Rica

Have you ever tried playing soccer at the beach? If not, it’s one way to get immersed into culture. In Costa Rica, the locals (Ticos) are known to play soccer on a daily basis. Usually smaller in groups and the field goals are based on either small sticks plunged into the sand, trash cans, and rocks. Normally it’s separated by few feet distance. It’s a great way to get exercise and some sun exposure. The picture above was taken in Samara, Costa Rica. Students that learn Spanish in Samara have a great view of the beach from the campus. Just a few steps and you’ve transitioned from student environment to tourist (picture link). To learn more about Spanish programs in the beach, contact Spanish for Success.

See more PICTURES from SAMARA BEACH and Spanish school

See more INFORMATION on STUDY SPANISH Samara Costa Rica

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Pamela Chelin - freelance journalist in Los Angeles who has worked with Access Magazine, Globe and Mail, LA Times, German Glamour, etc.

2009-01-05T19:10:00.000-08:00

By: Pamela Chelin (California, USA) 2008
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"I had an amazing time in Costa Rica and I developed a real fondness for the laid back and 'carpe diem' Costa Rican culture. Further, I discovered an adventurous side which I didn't even know that I had to the degree that I do have and, now, indulge freely! Between the wonderful fish and plantain desserts I feasted upon, the amazing time white water rafting and overnight camping along the Pacuare, the incredibly informative experience I had at CATIE learning about the flora, the wonderful Costa Rican people I met during my travels and the beautiful scenery from the volcanoes to simply gorgeous waterfalls, I have a love affair with Costa Rica. I am eager to return to this wonderful, laid back and inspiring country."

Pamela Chelin is a freelance journalist in Los Angeles who has worked with Access Magazine, Globe and Mail, LA Times, German Glamour, etc.

Blog By Nooria - Costa Rica Trip

2009-01-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

By: Nooria (Maryland, USA) 2007
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To see Nooria's full blog with pictures, click here

The last time I visited Costa Rica, I went to a small beach town just at the tip of the Nicoya peninsula called Montezuma. It was the very beginning of the off season, so I had just missed all of the crowds.. This may sound boring to some of you, but for me it was perfect!

I had no idea how amazing the next few weeks were going to be for me, especially since I knew next to nothing about this Cozy little beach town. My friend was doing an internship at Ylang Ylang beach resort, which is about a ten minute walk down the beach from the edge of town. There is no other way there. It is like an Oasis among the seaside trees.. I found Ylang Ylang to be kind of expensive, after all I was staying for almost a month, so I found a room at El Jardin, which is at the top of the hill in Montezuma next to the beach where the fisherman have their boats, a fishy beach, not really good for swimming..

In the first week, I got to know some of the locals which was pretty much all that was there because it was off season, and that created a very personal very close encounter with the CR natives and their lifestyle and culture there.. I found most of my days were wandering around while my friend was working.. (which she did a LOT). But it was cool because I had a lot of time to myself and was free to do whatever I wanted. One of the people I got to know well was Trixy, an Ayurvedic practitioner that was working at Ylang Ylang at the time. I had many treatments from her. There was one where we walked out onto the rocks at low tide and I sat in a pool of water and meditated.. It was after this treatment that I almost felt reborn.. like I had new eyes and we sat on the rocks for a while and watched the people on shore, the fisherman and the last tour from Tortuga island returning for the day. I felt completely content and I was sure something VERY special had just happened to me. I knew I felt a little tired, but I realized I had felt much more than tired, almost jaded and now I felt better than I had in years..

One day, I stopped in one of the shops to buy a sarong, since no one uses towels here, and forgive me I don't remember what they call them in Costa Rica. And it was in the shop where the man told me I should go to Playa las Manchas. And so I did. I walked along the winding road, past the fisherman's beach up hills and across a bridge, when I started questioning what the man had told me.. maybe he had lied? Maybe it was much farther than he said, but as soon as I asked someone I was just about there. There was a little house on the right with rooms for rent, and I'm pretty sure it was called Manchas hotel or something similar and directly across the street was Playa las manchas, a beautiful little spot with nice soft white sand and crystal clear waters. The water was a little rough that day so I didn't end up really swimming. But I lay in the sun and watched some other very nice looking visitors without their shirts on play football..

Needless to say I enjoyed myself..
During the nights we would have dinner in one of the many restaurants in Montezuma. Our favorites were Allegr de something rather and Cocolores.. Allegr was an italian restaurant and they had the most amazing food. The gnocchi was my favorite. Cocolores had the most amazing gorgonzola steaks that were usually served pretty rare, no matter how you ordered them. But it turned out to be great!
After dinner, my old and new friends would go to Chicos.. the bar/nightclub there. We salsa danced and played pool and foosball, or just people watched.. and one night the bartender fed me a wonderful 35 year old Guatamalan rum, which instead of sitting on a barstool made me feel like I was floating on a nice fluffly little cloud. It was amazing! I spent a lot of time on the Ylang Ylang resort, talking to my friend and the other workers there. The environment was extremely mellow, and since it was the low season and no one was staying there, I was able to use the Yoga studio and the pool and lounge in the hammocks on the beach. One day, I was lying in a hammock when I suddenly felt like I was being watched.. I looked up to find five for six squirrel monkeys staring down at me from the tree tops.. they must have been attracted to the sparkles on my tank top. I didn't stick around to find out.

I had waited almost the whole three weeks I was there for my friend to become available to go on the four wheeling trip with me and we finally got to go. We drove up the road into the forest stopping at Santa Theresa and a little bar in the middle of nowhere, along the route we were taking.. it was (once again) amazing! We had the teeniest little margaritas we had ever seen in our lives but that was a good thing because I was driving the four wheeler. We passed a few houses and some open fields and one Tico sitting on the side of the road and when he looked up at us he had the most crystal clear blue eyes ever..(these features are typical among most of the ticos). I yelled to my friend sitting behind me "did you see his eyes??". *sigh*

The four wheeling trip was a lot of fun, even though I almost lost control of the thing a few times, in REALLY bad places like.. on a small natural bridge with a drop off next to it of who knows how many feet.. I would feel the atv lose it's grip and suddenly at the last minute it would catch on the nasty terrain again. I never told my friend about this.. She still has no idea! But hey, it's called living on the edge.. whoo ...
Anyway I guess I should wrap this up.. Through the lazy days that I wandered, most of them were sunny, so I was surprised to find that it was on a cloudy day that I found complete contentment for the second time .. It came when I least expected it..

Other things I did: Vistited a waterfall.. Made out with the most attractive guy in the town on the moonlit beach.. Went to Santa Theresa for a surfing competion, which we missed because we had false information about a connecting bus. But we sat and had margaritas and caught up instead, which was nice. The food was just amazing and it blew my mind that I would have an exceptionally good food and wine pairing in CR, but it happened a few times in Montezuma and then on my last night, in San Jose I wandered out to this restaurant with one of the guys that was staying at the hotel with me. We had traveled from Montezuma to San Jose together and became friends. It was at this restaurant where we listened to a guy sing love songs with his guitar and had really tastey filet mignon with really good red wine! It was so nice, and that night I went back to my hotel and lay in a hammock in the courtyard. There weres some older women there that were clearly having a reunion. I listened to them talk and laugh and felt my last and most lovely moment of contentment that I was ever so grateful for... *sigh and smile*
To see more pictures of her blog, click here

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Carmen (Utah, USA) Sample Blog Writting

2008-12-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

By: Carmen (Utah, USA) 2003
Repost By SFS

I am sorry I havent wrote sooner. Each time I get on the internet something happens immediately when I am about to type. Our school is held outdoors in bamboo tents next to the jungle. This is also a nature reserve with incredible flora and animals. The birds are amazing. I actually went waterfall repeling. It was just like Romancing the stone. The jungle is amazing. I repelled down the water fall with ropes and climbing gear. Then we trapsed through the jungle along the river. WOW!! Alas we took a few zip lines to several platforms. Kinda scarry. not too high however. Zip lines are wires you hook your harness up to with a pulley. you can fly through the jungle perhaps 50 yars or so and land on another platform. We then rapelled down several other waterfalls. I am going on the same trip next week because I needed a waterproof camera along the way. You will be in shock. My host family is wonderful. my brothers and sisters are great. I have been singing Ave Maria maria for everyone. Mothers day is Aug. 15 and I am going to my grandmothers house to sing with her along with the professor of music from the local universidad. He will accompany me on the guitar. I have rented a bike here and ride it to school and back. It is about 2 miles away on the nature reserve. The food is not very good here, but I will survive. I am going on a class 5 river raft trip on Saturday on one of the most renowned rivers in the world. It sounds scary,but por la vida as the Ticos say. live life. My spanish is not coming along as good as I had hoped. I kick myself everyday for not bringing my spanish books from school.Salt Lake Community College. I will have Ola send them on Monday. Every day I get up at 6 oclock and eat breakfast at 7. I have had alot of activities lately. Etc. Serpentaria. That was a reserve for Snakes and such up in the Mountains. We were told all about snakes etc.. Too bad it was all in spanish. I will go there again in a few weeks. This school is great. My legs look like beets. They are swollen with mosquito bites. ITCHY!!!!! I am a bit bruised up from the Canyoneering , I went to the gym today for the first time, I havent had any time to go. I have ran a few time in the nature reserve. Pure paradis. It is amazing how much it rains but it is a warm rain and very pleasant. On Sunday we are taking a hike to the local Volcano and going inside. It should be an adventure. Getting to a phone is difficult, however I just found out tonight that I can use my host familys phone with the card I have. We had several tremors here over the past days due to a large earthquake in Panama.

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www.spanishforsuccess.com

Costa Rican Artists

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This section we will provide for our viewers to get to know some of the top artists in:

* Painting
* Music
* Ceramics
* More to add

Costa Rican Music Artists

Updated - November 2008
Makatelyu is a Costa Rica reggae, Latin, Caribbean band form in 1998. There music and message provide an insight about Costa Rica culture, politics, and its people. Check the link to see and listen to some of their music in Youtube. Blog with us, and let us know what you think?

Images of Costa Rica

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Sunsets

Beaches

Flora

Fruits and Vegetables

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Costa Rica

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Top 10 Reasons to Visit Costa Rica

By Spanish for Success

10) Easily accessible from the USA; about 2-8 hours flight from a major hub

9) Compared to Euros, a dollar goes further, and lot more affordable than Europe

8) Abundance of fruits and vegetable (Mango, Pineapples, bananas, and many more)

7) Costa Rican Foods and Cuisines (Casados, Gallo Pinto, Ceviches, and many more)

6) See exotic creatures and animals (4 types of monkeys, green turtles, red eye tree frogs, and many more)

5) Known for some of the best Eco-tourism (National Parks; active volcano, cloud forests, rivers, beaches, and many more)

4) Good quality coffee (Soil in volcanic areas, mountain ranges produce amazing coffee tastes)

3) The weather is great all year round (Only two season; rainy and dry)

2) Has plenty of Adventure Tourism (River Rafting, Zipline, Canyoneering, hiking, surfing, and many more)

1) GREAT PLACE TO LEARN SPANISH (Spanish for Success)

Costa Rica is an ideal place to visit anytime of the year, many travelers and tourist are amazed by the experience they get from the country. Many have returned to the country more than ones, some have taken on residence in the country as an expat or investor. The investments within the country has grown dramatically, in the last 10 years, from; Real Estate, B&B, restaurants, and even surf schools.

Here are some more points about the country.
• There have been no recent acts of terrorism in the country. Relatively safe for women travelers
• The capital of Costa Rica offers advance Medical Facilities and the latest technology
• Ideal place for retirees
• American Passports automatically have three months visa stay upon arrival
• The locals, or as known as Tico’s, are some of the friendliest people you will meet. The majority has a laid back relaxed feeling about life.
• Transportation in the ground and air is very efficient in most popular destinations.
• There is a fusion of different cultures from the North, South, East, and West.

Blog with us, and let us know what you think.

www.spanishforsuccess.com

Study Spanish in Costa Rica

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Costa Rica has no official military and has instead chosen to invest most of its funds in the areas of Health and Education. There is virtually no political unrest in the nation, which makes traveling considerably more comfortable.

Costa Rica has a rich diversity of elements to enjoy running the gamut of cuisine, fruits, culture, people and various other activities, particularly in the realm of ecotourism. Twenty-five percent of its lands are designated as National Parkland and therefore offer the visitor a wide assortment of choices when participating in outdoors activities.

These range from the pristine rainforests of Corcovado, to the wide beaches on both the Pacific and the Caribbean, to the high altitude cloud forests of Monteverde and the seasonally snow covered top of Chirripo (2nd highest mountain in Central America).

Costa Rica is your best choice from a wealth of pleasurable activities and a quality educational experience.

Our focus is Spanish language immersion, because we have various locations around the country each of which provide different environments for learning, it’s up to the student to decide which environment is best for them given their objectives.

Schools not only offer classes, but they also provide different activity options, depending on the package chosen, which let the student determine what’s best for them.

Costa Rica has invested much of its resources in health care infrastructure and education. The nation is a stable, tourist friendly, advanced country with a high literacy rate.

But for those seeking to improve their Spanish language skills, they will be hard pressed to find a better combination of learning opportunity, environment, pricing and sheer beauty.

Experience Costa Rica for its beauty, culture, people, and the many adventures. For example, beaches the offer great sun and surf, with the essence of tranquility. Top Notch River rafting, that offers all levels of classes, plus it has one of the top five rivers of the world, known as the Pacuare.

Endure the many challenges of hiking, mountain biking, repelling, zipline, ATV, caving, snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, and many more. If adventure is not your desire, the country also offers the many relaxing activities from; bird watching, eco tours, coffee plantation, Catamaran boat/island tours, and of course the many hot springs. If you prefer to socialize, there are many local bars, clubs, or dive spots that best fits your mood.

There are choices from: live bands, Jazz or Rock to other sorts of genre. For those footloose enthusiasts, the Latin dancing will further enhance your trip. (Salsa, Merengae, Cumbia, and many more!)

When is a good time to go?

Anytime of the year is a great time to go. Depending on your length of time is a good question.

January 1 New Year’s Day *
April 1 First Day of Passover
April 2 Good Friday
April 11 National Hero’s Day *
May 1 Labor Day *
July 25 Guanacaste Province’s Annexation Day *
August 2 Virgin of Los Angeles Day
August 15 Mother’s Day
September 15 Independence Day *
October 12 Columbus Day
December 25 Christmas Day *

(* Holidays to watch out for when choosing a program)

Come and enjoy Costa Rica.