A “Home stay” in Costa Rica Offers Spanish and Cultural Immersion.

Learning Spanish is a lot like a long-distance hurdles race: if you commit yourself to staying the course, you’ll find that a bit of patience, some healthy endurance, and the occasional burst of energy will take you through to the finish line. Although Costa Ricans are known for their welcoming smiles, friendly attitudes, and immense patience when it comes to meager Spanish skills, learning the language — grammar, conjugations, vocabulary — will help you enjoy this beautiful country even more.

Imagine joining in on lively political discussions, being able to order your food with ease, or reading every road sign without double-checking your dictionary; these are the benefits to learning Spanish. With Costa Rica’s global reputation as a stable, safe nation, the Spanish-learning opportunities here are both enjoyable and ideal, offering you amazing language opportunities in some of the country’s most beautiful destinations.

• Language Schools: A quick Google search will provide you with hundreds of local language schools. These institutes have locations throughout the country, offering you insight into both city, beach, and country life, while teaching you Spanish based on your language level. The curriculum is simple: on your first day, you’ll take a test and be placed at the appropriate level. Over the course of your stay, you’ll be in class for about 4 hours daily, learning the nuts and bolts of Spanish. On your off time, you’ll travel the country and talk with local Spanish-speakers, testing your recently acquired skills in the real world. Best of all, prices for these language institutes are manageable, ranging from about $900-$1200 for a month’s worth of classes.
• Homestays: A homestay can be arranged for you by your language school, or you can obtain one independently. Either way, living with a host family is one of the best ways to test your skills and learn about Costa Rican culture. For about $400 monthly, you’ll have your own room (sometimes with private bathroom), as well as breakfast and dinner each day. Your family will welcome you with open arms, taking you to family events, showing you around your new town, and fully integrate you into Costa Rica living. And, of course, you’ll form strong relationships with your new family members, giving you the confidence to practice your Spanish and allowing for plenty of learning opportunities. Plus, the bond you build will last a lifetime.
• Rural Tourism & Volunteerism: Many big city residents speak a bit of English, so you can easily get away with speaking little Spanish during your travels through Jacó, San José, and Manuel Antonio. However, traveling into rural Costa Rica will not only offer you amazing sites rarely seen, but a chance to practice your developing language skills without the temptation to revert back to the mother tongue. There are plenty of free volunteer opportunities available out here, too, so if you have a bit of time, enjoy working side-by-side with Spanish speakers, helping the world, and improving your Spanish all at the same time, this is the option for you.
• Practice, Practice, Practice: Speaking of practice, you’ll need to delete the notion of “embarrassed” from your vocabulary (and safely so, as the word’s false cognate in Spanish means “pregnant”). Challenge yourself to step out on a linguistic limb. On the whole, Costa Ricans are very patient with foreigners, especially those that speak some Spanish. So check your humility at the door, and practice with every chance you get. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you learn, and how well you’ll speak, even after just a few weeks.

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Filed under: Travel on July 3rd, 2008