Turrialba

Program Outline

The Standard 4-hour Language Program is four complete hours of language a day. Class hours are from 8:00 am to 10:00 am and from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Classes are no larger than four students. All materials are included. Each week all students will also have the option of participating in three different afternoon activities: Latin Dance Class, Cooking Classes and one half-day excursion. The Intensive 4-hour + 8 hrs Private has the same group schedule in the morning, followed by 2 hours of private lessons every afternoon except Tuesday, for a total of 28 class hours a week.

The Medical Spanish program is combined with any of our Spanish language programs. In the Medical Spanish program doctors and medical students are instructed two afternoons a week by our in house physician in medical terminology, patient interviews and clinical procedures. Two other afternoons each week, they go to local clinics and shadow local physicians. The Children’s 8 to 13 Spanish Program is a four hours a day that combines in class lessons with out of class field trips and games. This program follows the same class hours as the adult program, but is designed with children in mind. The Kindergarten Program is for small children from 2 to 7 years old. It takes place at a small private kindergarten nearby the school. Students interact with local children of their same age and learn Spanish through immersion. Private lessons are available with a minimum of 10 hours required each week. We also have a great deal of volunteer options available. A full description of all options is available at your request.

For added value, there is The Deluxe Adventure Program with can be added to any of the above Spanish programs. For an additional $100/week students received the following: Airport pickup in San Jose, transportation to Turrialba, daily internet access and Saturday daylong adventure tour. Every weekend, students will experience a different full day excursion. A full description of Saturday tours is available upon request.

Lodging

Homestays are with local, middle class and professional Costa Rican families in Turrialba. Every student will have a private room with a bathroom that they share, although some houses do have private baths. Weekly laundry service is provided along with two meals a day, breakfast and dinner and all homestays are within a 15-minute walk from the school. We have a great many host families from which to choose, some with children of all ages and all can accommodate students with special dietary needs, including vegetarians.

Cultural

Each week all students can participate in the afternoon activities, Dance and Cooking classes, as well as afternoon excursions to the surrounding area. There are also many different volunteer options that help students become better acquainted with the local community and culture.

Locations

Turrialba is a typical Costa Rican pueblo of over 40,000 people in a mountain valley on the Atlantic Slope between the colonial capital Cartago and the Caribbean coast. The area surrounding the town is rural with verdant green mountains, river valleys, farms, coffee plantations and rainforest. The school itself is located just outside of town in the countryside on the 400-acre manicured grounds of the CATIE tropical research center next to the botanical gardens. The area is very Tico (Costa Rican) and few people speak any English, so it is very immersive.

Local Color

Turrialba is very active both during the day and at night and is the center of the region's social life and its economy. There are many different restaurants, bars, discos, markets, shops, a movie theater and a nice Central Park. Even though many tourists pass through town to ride the rivers, there are not many foreigners living in the area. This makes for a very good environment for students wishing to practice their Spanish and be immersed in the culture.

Hot Tip

The Guayabo National Monument is the smallest national park in Costa Rica and is located 45 minutes from Turrialba. Contained inside its primary rainforest is the countries oldest archeological site with ruins dating back over 2000 years. The park is easily navigated by a rainforest trail that takes you to all the sites. It is a hidden gem.

Start Dates

Every Monday of the year except on Costa Rican National Holidays. In the case of Monday holidays, classes will begin on the following Tuesday. The following Costa Rica Holidays are observed by the school; January 1st, April 11th, May 1st, July 25th, August 15th, September 15th and December 25th. The school is open on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. There are no refunds for missed days because of holidays.

Main points about the Turrialba campus:

• Small intensive group classes of no more than 4 students.
• The Turrialba campus is in a picturesque mountain valley, with the best aspects of the city, countryside and mountains.
• The Dominical campus is right on the beach with lots of wildlife in the surrounding countryside and in the town itself.
• The area surrounding the Turrialba campus is very rural with lots of farms, ranches and coffee plantations.
• Great afternoon and weekend activities such as Dance and cooking classes, rafting, kayaking and mountain biking.
• Turrialba is the most immersive school location with only Spanish speakers in the area.
• Great Adventure program in Costa Rica with the best river rafting in the country.
• Undergraduate college units and graduate level credit available.
• The Intensive group 4 + Private is a great combination of groups classes and individual tutoring.
• Extra benefits for those on the Adventure program include airport pick up assistance and daily internet access.
• A very comprehensive Medical Spanish program, combining in class curriculum with afternoon hospital and clinical visits.
• Extremely safe area, perfect for families and those traveling on their own.
• Small school so it is very flexible and willing to set up special programs or group packages.