Spanish & Surf Program @ Nosara Spanish Institute

I had a great time. Costa Rica is an amazing experience, only made better by the people in it. This includes my fantastic Spanish teacher Jean Jimenez. Jean was just what I needed for the week to help me level up my beginner level Spanish. Jean was patient, and very knowledgable on what was most effective for my learning. Looking forward to go back again for further improvements to my language learning journey.

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I was in Nosara Spanish Institute for two weeks during rainy season (September). Hence the place was very quiet and relaxed. Perfect to focus on learning a new language. However, during my first week there was no other students, which I found a bit a shame because I was expecting to be meeting other people to explore together. Moreover, even got one week a one-on-one instruction since there was no other students for the normal price, which was amazing for my Spanish progress The teachers are great and teach also a lot about Costar Rican culture which I found very interesting and helpful. Unfortunately Nosara (Guyones where the school is located) is a very expensive place in comparison to other places in Costa Rica. However, it is also possible to buy food in local supermarkets. All in all I had a fantastic experience and learnt. Please keep in mind whether it is rainy season or not, this might change the whole experience a lot. But both can be great!

The school does a great job of accessing your level of Spanish and then pushing you hard enough that you had to think while keeping it fun. It was also a great avenue to meet many people at all levels of understanding so participation was easy and really helped me to advance. The teaching staff are all very good, understanding and well prepared. I would go back at any opportunity! Additionally, the surf instruction was awesome and I would suggest anyone going to do at least a few lessons while in Nosara. It is an absolute must! The surf coach was also great and very helpful.

As a Spanish teacher, I was fortunate to plan my fourth immersion experience at the Nosara Spanish institute. The culture of the Institute was cooperative and friendly, offering planned group experiences such as Taco Tuesday and unplanned fun with classmates and instructors as well. The leadership was effective and efficient in all matters related to instruction, class placement, as well as airport transfers and accommodations. The institute’s handling of the arrangements for surf as well as yoga were seamless and reduced the stress that arranging them myself would have entailed. The advanced level of instruction and ability of the instructor to create a learning environment without direct instruction of grammar was outstanding - the best I have experienced. I was also able to watch others traveling with me and in the homestay increase their language proficiency daily. I chose the homestay option, as it was the most affordable, and shared a home with other students in addition to the host family. The accommodations were rustic but on par with the area. The typical Costa Rican dishes were excellent and ample, for breakfasts we served ourselves from a small kitchen and for dinner we ate as a group and conversed in Spanish. Be prepared for cold showers! The beauty of Playa Guiones, the friendliness of the community, and the array of activities offered make the Nosara Institute the perfect place to study Spanish for all ages and levels.

I came with my two sisters and teen daughter - we did the 20 hours plus surf lessons program and stayed at a home stay for a week. I am so glad we found Nosara Spanish Institute! We had an amazing experience on so many levels. The teachers were seasoned and engaging and kept us on our toes. We had a lot of fun running into teachers out and about in Nosara, the school really had a community feeling to it and they seem very skilful at cultivating that. The homestay was a good choice, walking distance from the school and we were truly immersed in Spanish the entire time. Our surf instructors were also top notch. I look forward to going back before too much time passes!

I had an amazing experience studying Spanish for one week (20 hours) at the Nosara Spanish Institute. I took the beginner level classes with Zully, which were great. I loved how the classes were so intimate- I was one of three students in one class and actually the only student in my other class. I got to know Zully, my teacher, very well and she even shared personal stories and cultural info about Costa Rica, which I really enjoyed. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming! They even organized a couple outings for the students after class and on the weekend. I just wish I had more time than one week to take classes as it was very difficult to really learn and absorb all of the information in such a short time. I would definitely recommend doing at least 2 weeks of classes. My package also included 2 surf lessons through the Bodhi Tree Resort, which were awesome! The instructors were so informative, fun and really helped me with my form. Not to mention, they ensured first and foremost that we all stayed safe!