Spanish Immersion in Atenas, Costa Rica

We were thrilled with the Arcos Costa Rica trip for our son! It was his first trip abroad without us and he had a wonderful experience! The itinerary was full of exciting excursions and cultural activities and he really enjoyed his homestay. We'd highly recommend the program and can't wait for him to go on new adventures with Arcos for his last two years of high school!

I've traveled with school groups to Oaxaca, Mexico and to Granada, Spain. In both cases, the programs delivered what we expected and more. These are unique programs because of their small scale and personal touch. They balance Spanish language instruction (which is notably very good), cultural experiences and home stay time. Any small glitch or need is addressed quickly and effectively. Special attention is paid to details such as celebrating student birthdays. The staff are accommodating, flexible, kind and professional. Our school chose to travel with Arcos again this year -- this time to Costa Rica.

My daughter gained a better understanding of Costa Rican culture and experienced an overall wonderful adventure. The Arcos staff is very caring, thorough, and personal. I rate their availability and coordination 5 out of 5. I would recommend this program to future participants.

Arcos staff were promptly responsive to the few questions I had. My son adored his host family, praising their kindness and generosity. He loved the excellent food and appreciated his host mother doing all his laundry and changing his sheets daily. He felt so well-cared for he didn't want to leave! He enjoyed the city, visiting the market and playing basketball with local kids. It was a wonderful and memorable week, thanks to Arcos and the host family.

The Arcos program in Costa Rica was a fantastic experience for my daughter. The greatest benefit was the independence she gained. I also appreciated the direct contact with the program director, Catalina, who was great about keeping me up to date with my daughter's activities.

My son did the Spanish Immersion program in Atenas, Costa Rica with his classmates. The greatest benefits were language and cultural immersion mixed with fun exploring. My advice for future participants is to pack light and reapply sunblock often. It was a wonderful experience--thank you Arcos!

Our son's experience with Arcos Journeys Abroad in Costa Rica was invaluable. He gained independence and knowledge of the Spanish language and culture. We are especially grateful for Arcos's assistance in getting him on his return flight, which required extra help after we overlooked paying the unaccompanied minor fee. Thank you, Arcos!

My daughter participated in the Spanish Immersion program in Atenas, Costa Rica. I highly recommend Arcos Journeys Abroad and give them 5 stars for their excellent coordination, staff, and availability. The greatest benefit for my child was the knowledge gained and achieving such fluency in the language. I would certainly recommend this program to future participants.

The program offered immense benefits for my child, primarily through the valuable immersion experience with local people, particularly the homestay with native Costa Ricans, and the various activities they participated in. I give the coordination, staff, and staff availability my highest rating.

This was an incredible experience for my daughter. She was able to see a different way of living through her time with Arcos in Atenas, Costa Rica.The pre-departure materials including the acceptance package, guidelines, and packing list were excellent. The experience is worth it!

Our son came back and could not stop sharing his amazing time and experience with Arcos! The greatest benefits were the homestay with a Costa Rican family and being in a non-tourist environment in the town of Atenas. Excellent coordination, staff, and availability.

The benefit of learning more Spanish was fantastic. The classes were three hours with a mid-morning snack break which was great for a reset. My homestay was perfect. A helpful tip for future students: learn your address by heart, as taxis are an easy and useful way to travel and you may need to direct the driver.

This was a wonderful first experience with a program abroad! The directors were very kind, and the classes were engaging and informative. I learned a lot about verbs and past tense. I also loved our host family—they were so kind and took great care of us. Future students should consider the volunteer option. I enjoyed the challenge of speaking to locals and getting around town.

I highly recommend this study abroad program with Arcos in Costa Rica. The classes offer a good range of activities to improve Spanish. A great benefit is the chance to learn Spanish alongside other students. Remember to pack light as you will want space for souvenirs!

I recommend the Arcos Journeys Abroad program to other high school students for its enriching experiences and cultural immersion in Costa Rica. I learned so much in the classes and the immersive experience of having to speak Spanish was a valuable challenge.

The program staff, including María Laura and the teachers at Atesa, were amazing—knowledgeable, professional, and very caring. The homestay with Carlos and Genia was a 5-star experience, enriching our time in Costa Rica. The teachers maintained high teaching standards. The main challenge for students was staying off tech to engage more with their surroundings.

The classes and directors were excellent and fun. It was impressive to see the everyone become more comfortable practicing Spanish by the end of the trip. The homestay was very nice, helpful, and felt safe, with great food. I highly recommend this program for academic and personal growth.

Arcos is my top recommendation for studying abroad! The classes were very fun, and the homestay hosts were so kind. I definitely recommend trying to practice your Spanish as much as possible. While speaking Spanish was challenging, being around native speakers was a great benefit.

The Arcos directors were very great, and the classes were fun and not overly academic. The biggest challenge was the lack of free time, but the benefits, like Spanish language practice and learning about a new place, made it worthwhile. Future students should definitely apply.

My advice to future participants is to pack light. The biggest challenge I faced was being away from family, but the benefits, like learning a lot of new Spanish, make this an excellent experience. I highly recommend this program to future students—it will change your life!

The Trejo family homestay was exceptional—kind and engaging. My advice to future participants is to speak Spanish whenever possible; the family is incredibly helpful. The main challenge was not wanting to leave. A key benefit was conversational Spanish communication.

I highly recommend this program, especially the homestay experience with my Spaish mom and dad Genia and Carlos! The quality of the teachers is impressive; Mercedes was phenomenal. My only regret is the limited time—I suggest at least five days of classes.

Always be open and respectful to the local people. I highly recommend bringing an underwater camera for the beach and pool day to capture fun water shots of your friends. The main challenge was trying to understand some of the locals. A few spoke fast, making it hard to keep up, but for the most part, communication was easy. The best part was experiencing a new country and trying all the amazing food!

Lorena, our homestay host, was incredibly sweet and made our experience memorable with her amazing food and wonderful sense of humor. This program offers so much, and I genuinely recommend it. A vital tip: reapply sunscreen after swimming! While communication and catcalls were minor challenges, the benefits of learning and making friends far outweighed them.

I highly recommend this study abroad program! The homestay hosts were incredibly friendly, understanding, and flexible with our changing plans. While there was an initial language barrier, everyone was patient, which helped me significantly improve my Spanish listening and comprehension skills. Don't forget to wear and reapply plenty of sunscreen!

While the Spanish classes offered a challenge, they were a great learning experience. The initial communication challenge quickly improved. The benefits were immense: a better understanding of a new culture, closer bonds with classmates, great memories, and improved Spanish speaking skills. Enjoy the trip while it lasts!

Meeting new people and conversing in Spanish significantly helped my understanding. A constructive tip for future students: don't hesitate to go outside and meet people—maybe play some basketball! I found the rapid speaking pace a challenge initially, but the overall benefits were immense.

I did the Costa Rica Spanish Language and Costa Rican culture program in Atenas, which is a small town. We did cultural activities such as dance class and cooking class, and got to live with a local host family, who served us breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

I highly recommend this program to prospective high school students looking for a summer program abroad. Costa Rica has a lot to offer and Arcos is a great organization to do it with. Friendly directors, kind host family, and fun activities to make new friends.

The Costa Rica program was excellent across the board. Spanish classes, directors and the homestay with my Costa Rican host family were all great. The challenging aspect was communication in Spanish, but the weather was a significant benefit. Enjoy the trip!

This program is located in a town called Atenas in Costa Rica. I got to experience cultural trips, living with a local family, having great directors, going to the beach, doing the zipline tour, and taking Spanish classes in the open air classrooms.

I'm a much more confident Spanish speaker than ever before. Excellent homestay!! My host mom and dad went out of their way to integrate us into the family and I am exceptionally grateful!! I encourage future students to apply to Arcos if you want to be immersed.

Everyone was so nice. I got to do things I love with people I love, including living with a local family in Atenas and doing cultural activities and excursions as well as taking Spanish class in an open-air setting. Without a doubt, this program is one I would highly recommend.

Be open to new experiences! I learned more Spanish than ever and made new friends and acquaintances. In Spanish classes, I enjoyed the interactive projects that required me to speak Spanish in real scenarios. The Arcos staff was super helpful and always available when I needed assistance and information.

My directors were very helpful. Remember that it is ok to make mistakes in Spanish when interacting with your host family. My Spanish speaking abilities have improved by a lot! If you are on the fence, I really recommend you go for it! You will not regret it!

The Arcos staff was always willing to help and really nice to be around! At my homestay the whole family was super accommodating, and so enthusiastic about ensuring we were comfortable and had fun when it came to spending time with the family. I didn’t expect to go dancing twice this trip, but it was a fun surprise!! I would absolutely recommend this program to future students – it's worth it!

This is the best program out there for young travelers! I have already recommended it to our friends, neighbors, and other parents. We were veru with our Arcos experience, all around. This is a fantastic program for young students who want to begin exploring the world.

If you are on the fence about signing your child up, please do not hesitate! It is such an incredible experience and such a huge growth opportunity for your child! Do not let your own fear/anxiety get in the way of a life-changing trip for your child.

Costa Rica is magical and the kids learn a ton about navigating life skills in a safe environment. I'm so thrilled with Arcos and we hope to do another program with them in the future. I highly recommend the homestay. She loved her family. From start to finish, the program is top notch. Thank you Arcos!

This is the best program out there for young travelers! I have already recommended it to our friends, neighbors, and other parents. We were veru with our Arcos experience, all around. This is a fantastic program for young students who want to begin exploring the world.

If you are on the fence about signing your child up, please do not hesitate! It is such an incredible experience and such a huge growth opportunity for your child! Do not let your own fear/anxiety get in the way of a life-changing trip for your child.

Costa Rica is magical and the kids learn a ton about navigating life skills in a safe environment. I'm so thrilled with Arcos and we hope to do another program with them in the future. I highly recommend the homestay. She loved her family. From start to finish, the program is top notch. Thank you Arcos!

My Arcos Director always responded promptly and with good information about the questions I had. My son's host family was amazing! He felt right at home with the family. They were over the top nice to him. He really enjoyed staying there. The biggest benefits to the program are starting to learn the language and learning another culture. Arcos has my wholehearted recommendation.

My director was really nice. Spanish classes were interesting. My homestay was awesome, and they fed me breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. The best thing was learning more Spanish! I highly recommend Arcos if you are considering a summer program abroad.

The best parts of this program were meeting great friends, conversing in Spanish, and practicing independence! My Arcos director was a wonderful person to be around and made my experience that much better! I would advise you to take every opportunity, especially those involving Spanish speaking. I 100% recommend it!

I was glad I paid extra to have cell phone service for my child while in Costa Rica. She liked being able to use the maps when exploring town and being able to be in contact with everyone. It made me feel better to see where she was if I hadn't heard from here in a day or so. We found that bringing a collapsible backpack or duffel inside luggage was very useful overnight excursions. Highly recommend this program!

This was the first time we had sent our 15-year-old out of the country by herself, and it was a wonderful experience. The team in Austin was helpful and easy to get in touch with. They walked us through the whole process and provided plenty of support. She enjoyed meeting students from different places, still keeps in touch with her homestay family, and found her new favorite foods in Oaxaca! Thank you Arcos!

Loved everything!! It was all truly amazing and I will never forget my experience! I love my host mom! I'm grateful for food, nature, sights to see and people to meet, building relationships and making memories! The best thing was learning about a different culture by fully living in it.

My 16 year old daughter went on this program. It was excellently run and managed. This was her first solo international travel experience, and we all felt some initial trepidation. However, all the staff and individuals involved in the program were extremely knowledgeable, supportive, and welcoming. This created an excellent experience and learning opportunity for my daughter; who came back with a renewed confidence and increased appreciation of the greater world around her.

To study abroad for my kids was a great experience. They learn a new culture, try new food and practiced a new language. With Arcos Journey my kids have been in Costa Rica, Argentina and Spain. Both kids loved the whole program.

The Arcos directors were both super responsive, supportive and helpful throughout the program! The program was an altogether wonderful experience throughout! I loved my Spanish teacher, the final skit project, and learning in an outdoor space. I'm really glad I signed up for this program!

I really liked our Spanish classes, and that our teachers spoke very slow. Because my teacher didn’t speak much English it really challenged me. I liked when we interacted with people at the market too. I loved my most mom and dad. They were so cute and absolutely hilarious. They always made an effort to talk to us and make conversation which really stretched my Spanish skills. The house was clean and the meals were delicious. I learned that people will appreciate you even if you just try your best to speak the language.

My Arcos director was very kind and helpful. The greatest benefits were learning a lot more Spanish and meeting new friends. This is a great program to go with! The conversational Spanish class was very helpful. I really enjoyed my time with my host parents.

My director was really nice and all of the Spanish teachers were amazing. I lived with a local host family. My advice is to be outgoing, make friends and explore the town. The greatest benefit was meeting new people. I genuinely recommend this program.

Take all opportunities to do everything! It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The rewards were getting better at Spanish and meeting new fun people. My director was really nice and always helpful and available when needed. I would absolutely recommend Arcos!

The Spanish teachers were fun, personable and knowledgeable. Our Costa Rican family members were the most incredible hosts. We felt so lucky. The highlight of the trip was the rich conversations and meals with them in their back patio. The house was clean and our rooms spacious.

You have to really have the right attitude to do this kind of trip...doesn't really matter your level in the Spanish language - it is about attitude not aptitude! The greatest benefit was the homestay! My homestay was THE BEST! Amazing hosts and I'd go back tomorrow if I could. Highly recommended!

The greatest benefits for me were improved speaking and listening in Spanish, trying new foods, and learning about another culture. I really enjoyed the Spanish class and the assignments, particularly the trip to the store and the taxi ride home! Be brave and engage with your host family.

A great experience in another country with an amazing family. Remember to practice having conversations in Spanish ahead of time. It can be hard to remember certain basic words. Without a doubt, this program is one I would strongly recommend to study abroad with.

My homestay was amazing! I improved my Spanish skills and met great people. Go and do everything you can. Talk, explore, immerse yourself in it all. The greatest benefits were the people I met, improving my Spanish skills, and the amazing activities.

My Spanish greatly improved. I got to meet new people, experience a new culture, and taste, smell, see, and feel many beautiful things. In Spanish class I felt appropriately challenged. I could grow and learn a lot while still having fun. My host family was amazing. They truly made an effort to improve our experience any way they could.

I loved all the Spanish teachers! They were very caring, understanding and supportive of those who are trying to learn a different language. I loved my Arcos director! She was an understanding and down to earth person. She was very kind to everyone and made sure everyone knew they could come to her for help. I would absolutely recommend this program to future students.

The Spanish classes were thorough, hands on, and very entertaining! We greatly improved our Spanish over the course of only four days. I built a great relationship with my host family and felt super comfortable right off the bat. We saw amazing views, plants, animals, and places and could not get enough of the amazing food!

It was great for my child to have the opportunity to live with a family who spoke only Spanish and getting to experience what it’s like to live in a smaller, rural town. Make sure you have WhatsApp downloaded before your child leaves and consider setting up a specific group chat for the immediate family. I appreciated being able to talk to the owner of Arcos and then with one of the staff. They answered our questions and were easily accessible.

The best part of the program is the connection that is forged with the host family as well as other program participants. I recommend that you sign up earlier to get better timed flights. We didn't have any choice by the time we signed up late in the game and thankfully everyone at Arcos was understanding of my son's late night/early morning flights.

My daughter gained Independence and confidence by having the opportunity to live in another culture and with people from different backgrounds. I suggest that you encourage your child to spend as much time with the host family as they can and embrace their home and ways of living. Glad my daughter did two programs!

I recommend this program to future students! My Arcos director always responded quickly and was good about letting us know what was going on the next day the night before. The biggest benefit was getting to learn more about the culture. There are always interesting things to do in your free time, so try to explore the town when you can.

By the end of the first day of the program I had made lots of friends who I still talk to. My directors were amazing! They were lovely, very kind people who helped lead the program in a great direction. They were always available when you needed something. The teachers at our Spanish language school were great. My host family was amazing! They were very kind and helpful with all of my needs. They included me in all of their family conversations and I learned so much about Spanish and Costa Rican culture from them.

My Arcos director was very nice! The biggest challenge I experienced was leaving Costa Rica. I didn’t want to leave because it was too fun. I loved everything! I got to learn some Spanish a very fun way, I got to visit Atenas, and make amazing memories! I highly recommend this program!

Everything was amazing! This experience opened my mind to wondrous new possibilities. I made wonderful friends and learned many things through my time in Costa Rica. I would totally recommend this program to other high school students looking for summer programs abroad!

I did the Spanish Language Immersion and Costa Rican culture program in the town of Atenas, Costa Rica over the summer months of June and July of 2023. I would for sure recommend this Arcos program to other high school students like me.

My homestay family members were very nice people. I give them an 11/10. My advice is this: don't be afraid to talk with strangers or to mess up when speaking Spanish. I highly endorse this program for other high school students.

I had a great time getting to live with my host family and my Spanish really improved. I loved how we had time to explore on our own, but also had structured cultural time. School was fun and the activities were engaging.

Make the most of every day because they start to fly by when you are there so always get out and go try new things. Nothing is jumping out at me as really challenging it all was pretty great. I think definitely language improvements were for me the biggest benefits. My Spanish definitely got better and I got much more confident with it. I also got much more experience and learned a bunch about traveling on my own in a new place.

The best aspects for me were making many close relationships with new friends and the amazing teachers and school. Homestay houses are very nice. I enjoyed seeing new animals and learning so much about Costa Rican culture. Bring something to do for free days/time between after school and activities. Bring water everywhere you go. Make friends fast. Buy food/snacks to eat in-between home stay meals.

Don’t be afraid to try new things, meet new people, and practice your Spanish. The biggest challenge for me was foreign food upsetting my stomach. The bigget benefits were that I gained an appreciation of Spanish language and Costa Rican culture, l made lots of amazing friends, had fun experiences, and learned independence.

I learned so much more Spanish, and it was great practice for traveling alone in a foreign country. Make sure you know at least a little bit of Spanish before you come, and don’t forget to bring an umbrella. I’d say the biggest challenges for me were just being away from home for so long, and the language barrier.

Try to speak Spanish as much as possible because the practice is what will really help you improve. My biggest challenge was probably trying to immerse myself enough in the culture as it was difficult to find a balance between making friends with the other students and actually practicing Spanish. The best benefits from my experience were that I was able to see what life is like in other parts of the world and being forced to speak Spanish at home helped me become more comfortable in my skills.

I liked talking in Spanish to people and got good exposure. I also met really lovely people as well as fellow classmates. Remember to interact with people as much as possible. My biggest challenge was talking to my host parents because sometimes it could be really hard to get my point across.

Dont worry! It is 100x easier to learn if you just go for it without fear. Even if you mess up no one cares. Don't bring more than you need. And get a debit card it makes it so much easier. The connections I made with other people were amazing and more than I ever hoped. I got so close with so many people. I never thought I would cry on my way out, or on the plane coming home, or when I finally got home. I miss those girls and my home-stay more than anything. It was a different relationship than I've ever had because they have no attachment to me, and in 3 weeks I am more conformable with them than some of my real friends. Cata told us that we are one of the closest groups, and I could not have seen it any other way. I can say with confidence I love each one of the group members. I love my host family and hope I can see them someday in the future. My biggest take away was definitely the relationships; with the teachers, students, directors, and host parents. I was never scared, or upset or unhappy. I honestly can't remember another time I was that happy for 3 weeks in a row, and there is something to say about that. Huge shout out to the teachers, Maria G. is an amazing person and teacher and I owe her so much.

I feel much stronger in my Spanish and I learned how to travel on my own. This program also taught me life skills without being alone. At first speaking Spanish with my host family was a little hard but once you start they are very patient and helpful.

Try to talk to your home stay as much as possible in Spanish. It will definitely be hard at first but they are there to help you learn. I met so many amazing people and got to experience some once-in-a-lifetime things. I also learned more about traveling abroad and how to do it safety and learn about a different culture.

Paloma gained a sense of independence and came away feeling very proud of herself for completing the program. It was her first time traveling alone. She made a lot of nice friends. Expect that your child may be very homesick the first several days until they settle in.

I would say that students should try their hardest to speak to their friends in Spanish as well has their host parents. The biggest challenge was working on getting more confident with my Spanish skills. I am now able to have a full conversation in Spanish.

You’re only there for a short time so take the opportunity and do some activities. I had homesickness for the first couple of days and it was a challenge communicating with my host family. But both things got better with time. I made so many great friends! Also, I have a much easier time speaking Spanish.

Bring good walking shoes because you walk to most places. This was my first trip away from home where I was alone, so it was a bit of a challenge trying to figure everything out by myself. But it was definitely a growing experience and I learned so much about responsibility. I learned so many amazing things about a culture that I never would have seen by just being in my Spanish classes at home. Through the activities, the amazing people, and by being immersed in the culture, I have a newfound appreciation for Mexico.

Elizabeth's self-confidence and independence grew dramatically after the two weeks. She was also extremely happy while she was in Costa Rica. She enjoyed the cultural activities and made close friendships. For my daughter, it made a big difference to meet with other participants before starting the trip. This eliminated her primary anxiety driven by feelings of "What if they don't like me, or I don't like them?"

This was the first time our 15 yr old daughter traveled anywhere by herself, much less to a foreign country with no one she knew. She was so nervous- hardly speaking the language; living with a family she didn’t know; making new friends; facing the unknown! But she took on the challenge and was SO happy she did. She had a wonderful experience and came home a very happy camper, feeling so confident and accomplished. No doubt Arcos had everything to do with it. From beginning to end Arcos was on it. Our questions & concerns were promptly addressed; the whole process was well organized and uncomplicated; information was clear & thoughtful; safety & well being of kids always seemed to be their first priority; and the program offered a perfect mix of cultural and language immersion with adventure sprinkled in. We recommend Arcos without hesitation! Our daughter has no regrets and would do it again.

She had a wonderful experience. It was worth the money for sure. As a parent, I wish that I would have had more communication from the program, I would have felt she was safer in the beginning. It turned out fine but I was nervous the day she travelled and the first few days she was there. Otherwise, it was a great program and life changing for her.

I love my exchange. Life changing. I miss it everyday. It was the most beautiful experience. I learned so much about myself and others. It made me independent, and took me out of my comfort zone. I become more confident in my speaking and understand of Spanish, and well as the culture. I fell in love with the country, and the people. My home stay was amazing and I keep in touch with them often. As well as the friends I made, which are going to be lifelong friendships. I fell in love with traveling and this program and recommended it anyone that even considers going. It was the best decision of my life.

Arcos Study Abroad Program supplied clear and thoughtful instructions that first time travelers could follow to a T along with caring host families to follow. The lessons are taught by caring teachers that truly broaden your language capabilities and experiences that allow you to practice these skills while also being extremely fun. The program feels like family and I would recommend it to anyone.

This Arcos Journey program is just what they say it is. Super fun. The staff is great. My daugther's host mother was an amazing cook and made her delicious meals. She loved all of the activities and outings and Spanish classes. She made nice friends that she enjoyed hanging out with. The program is super well organized and down to earth. We highly recommend it.

Our 16 year old daughter loved this trip. She went for 3 weeks. Loved Catalina, the counselor there. Brent was fantastic coordinating before the trip and Catalina was fantastic in Costa Rica. Her family was great. Her host mom was a delicious cook. The classes were great, the outings were fun, from surf lessons to cooking classes to seeing a baby sloth, there was a great variety of things to do. There was also a bit of downtime to go to town. She made friends and went to town on a few occasions with them. The trip, the program and staff are great!! Everyone is very straight forward. The trip was exactly what they said it would be. We were all very happy!

My daughter had a wonderful time and learned so much about the culture while improving her Spanish. They took care to match her with other students her age. We would definitely use this program again!