What inspired you to go abroad?
I have been doing Latin dancing for 10 years and love Latino music. I started Spanish classes in my hometown five years ago as I love the language. I take one class per week which is primarily conversational, with some homework. I wanted to have the experience of living in a Spanish speaking culture and had traveled to Costa Rica on a vacation before. I enjoy the Ticos very much - they are very warm, welcoming, and helpful. I also love the country, its nature, and beaches.
Visit to Club A - helping local children learn English.
Why did you choose Instituto Estelar Bilingue?
I chose Instituto Estelar in Liberia as it offers classes at different levels of ability. I also wanted to be in Guanacaste as I understood the weather is less humid - which was true - and Liberia is a small community and is close to the ocean. I did not want to be in a big city like San Jose. I liked what former students had to say about the school in their reviews.
What was your favorite part about Liberia, Costa Rica?
Hard to identify one thing as I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the people in Liberia, but also enjoyed going on hikes and swimming in the river and ocean, and seeing wildlife!
Hike to a waterfall - arranged by the guide at the school.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The Director was willing to be flexible as I did not feel I was placed in the correct level - it was more advanced than I was comfortable with. She arranged to give me a private tutor for my second week who could tailor my class to my needs (intermediate). This worked really well and I learned a great deal! The teachers were all super! And the school provided a guide to take us to parks or hiking areas.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?
I only wish I could have stayed longer!
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
I was up early and arrived at the school by 8:00 a.m. The class involved grammar lessons, discussions on a variety of topics, games, songs, and videos. The first week I was in a class with two other students and we worked together for four hours. The second week I met one on one with a teacher for three hours. I felt more comfortable the second week as we could move at a slower pace. The afternoons were free for us to explore the area, visit with our families, and to go swimming or hiking. Dinner with the host family provided an opportunity to speak Spanish. And after dinner, I usually did my homework.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
Swimming in the river, taking a bus to the ocean, going hiking, a bit of shopping, and finding places to eat dinner.
Riverboat trip to view monkeys and crocodiles. A little closer than I expected!
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
I stayed with a lovely host family the first week. It was a short walk to the school. They had grown children who frequently visited and we had great conversations around the dinner table. There were two other students from the school staying there as well. I had my own bedroom with a ceiling fan which was very comfortable.
The shower had only cold water - which is common - and took some getting used to. The second week, I stayed with my friend in a hotel with a pool. The hotel was about a half hour walk from the school, but this was manageable. It was quite reasonable and comfortable and included breakfast in the cost of the room. We had a balcony overlooking the pool and enjoyed these features very much.
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
I would suggest you ask whether there will be classes at all levels offered at the time you are planning to be there. If there are not other students at your level, you might be placed in more challenging class than you were expecting. You can always request private lessons and I found three hours a day quite sufficient for me. I was charged the same amount for half day / four hour classes as I was for private three hour lessons. This was absolutely fine with me and I learned a lot with the private teacher.
Here I am (on the left) with my fabulous teacher, Sonia, at Instituto Estelar.
Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
It has made me want to pursue more of these experiences. I decided to look into Spanish classes in Mexico and found a school to go to in Puerto Vallarta. This is my next destination - Feb. 2019. I continue to learn Spanish in my home town with weekly classes.
Would you recommend Instituto Estelar Bilingue to others? Why?
I highly recommend Instituto Estelar as the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is positive and Liberia is a comfortable sized town to live in. I would encourage students to use the school's guide to explore the area - there are beautiful parks to visit with waterfalls or rivers to swim in. The experience of staying with a host family is also very positive! And the cost for the school and the home stay was quite reasonable.
