Playa Tamarindo

Program Outline

The Standard 4-hour Program is Spanish language classes, four hours a day either in morning or afternoon. Classes are from 8am to 12pm, 1pm to 5pm. The Intensive 6–hour Program is has two additional hours of group classes in the afternoon from 1pm to 3pm. This is on top of the four hours of group in the morning. The Group 4 PLUS 2, is the standard four hours of group in the morning, followed by two hours of private lessons in the afternoon from 1pm to 3pm. Materials are included in all programs and the maximum class size is 6 students. During classes students are encouraged to converse and exchange ideas between each other and with the teacher. Out of class experiences, such as walks to the beach and visits to the local community are used to enhance the student's conversational ability as well as learn more about the culture of Costa Rica. Private Lessons are available and highly recommended for those students that have serious language goals, but limited time. The Surf Program can be added to any of our Spanish language programs and includes all of the following each week: Surfboard rental, two lessons and one half day trip.

Lodging

In Playa Tamarindo we have two lodging options, School Stay and Home Stay. The school has four two bedroom apartments on campus that are available for student stays. The bedrooms are shared and the apartments have: cable tv, free wireless access, a/c, kitchen, utensils, living area and porch. It is just a two block walk to the beach and the center of town. Homestay is offered in the towns of Villareal and Santa Rosa, which are located 4 and 6 kilometers from Tamarindo. The houses are small, clean, comfortable and fairly rustic. Included in the homestay option are: a private room, shared bath, breakfast, dinner, laundry service. There are other lodging options for families and groups in Tamarindo available upon request.

Cultural

We believe that learning the language has to do with more than just class time and homework. For this reason, the school offers two different cultural activities each week. Examples of these are Latin cooking classes, Latin dance classes, Spanish movie night, trips to nearby beaches, afternoon field trips to local markets with instructors and half day tours. By helping students learn more about the Latin culture we believe they are going to learn more Spanish.

Location

Playa Tamarindo is on Costa Rica's west coast on the Nicoya Peninsula and is one of the country's most beautiful beaches. The long, white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters attract nature lovers, surfers, turtle watchers and sun seekers all year round, even in the rainy season. Though it is a great tourist destination, the town and area still have a very Costa Rican feel. Local fisherman and farmers still live and work as their families have for generations before them. The school is located two blocks from the beach. The school facilities offer outdoor classrooms under a canopy of tropical tress and indoor classrooms with air conditioning. The building has recently been remodeled and has an open feel with lots of windows and plenty of natural light.

Local Color

Besides being a nature lover's paradise with numerous outdoor activities and wildlife, Tamarindo has a very enjoyable and active nightlife. The town boasts numerous cafes, restaurants, bars and discotheques, as well as local Fiestas. These 'fiestas' move from town to town, but are never far away and a great deal of fun.

Hot Tip

For those that like Texas Hold’em, Tamarindo has its own World Series of Poker tour. Every other Thursday they hold the tournament, and they are always looking for extra players to fill out tables. It is a great way to spend an evening meeting many of the locals in town and you may even win a little money.

Start Dates

Courses begin every Monday and are held every weekday of the year except in the case of national holidays. These are: Jan. 1, Thurs & Fri. of Easter, April 11, May 1, July 25, Aug. 2 & 15, Sept. 15, Oct. 12 & Dec. 25. No refund is given for classes missed on account of holidays except for Holy Thursday.

Main points about the Playa Tamarindo campus:

• Climate: Guanacaste receives the least amount of rain a year and is very dry, even in the rainy season.
• Remodeled school building gives students a very enjoyable learning environment.
• Wireless internet access at the school and student apartments. For those students with laptops, connection is free.
• The beaches in and around Tamarindo are great for both surfers and sunbathers alike.
• Lots of outdoor activities such as kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, horseback riding, hiking & biking.
• Weekly cultural activities such as Latin dance lessons in Salsa, Meringue and Cumbia.
• Beautiful natural environment in which to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
• Students can either stay with a family or in one of the school air-conditioned apartments.
• Fly directly into Liberia’s Int’l Airport; or from San Jose, there are daily flights to Tamarindo making it very accessible.
• The school is run very competently and professionally.
• Small school that does not feel like a factory, with a great deal of personal attention.
• Transportation to and from host families provided in the morning and afternoon.