Location
  • Costa Rica
    • Heredia
Length
1 - 2 weeks

Program Details

Program Type
Direct Enrollment
Timeframe
Summer
Housing
Host Family
Language
Spanish
Age Min.
13
Age Max
17

Pricing

Starting Price
3950
Price Details
All meals, classes, tours, transportation, class materials, and activities are included in the camp. We provide 24/7 communication with parents and upload photos of the camp daily to instagram and Whatsapp text groups.

Included in the Camp:
• Small Group Spanish classes, 20 hours/week
• Spanish Oral examination to ensure proper Spanish class placement
• Homestay Accommodation – 2 meals/day, laundry, wifi
• Daily cultural activities; dance, yoga, art, cooking, soccer
• Mix of traditional and modern Costa Rica lunch provided daily
• Weekend adventure tours like white water rafting and national park tours
• Airport pick-up and drop-off (from SJO)
• Chaperones 24/7; 7:1 student-chaperone ratio
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Meals SIM cards Transportation Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

All meals, classes, tours, transportation, class materials, and activities are included in the camp. We provide 24/7 communication with parents and upload photos of the camp daily to parent Whatsapp group chats.

What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
What's Not Included (Extra)

Not Included in the Camp:
— Airfare & Travel Insurance
—Spending money for umbrellas, snacks, ice-cream, souvenirs, etc. (we recommend $50/week)

Jan 24, 2024
Mar 06, 2024
23 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Combining intensive Spanish classes, local homestay accommodation, daily cultural activities, and weekend adventure tours, the Teen Spanish Summer Camp fully immerses students in Costa Rica’s culture, language, and natural beauty.

The camp emphasises studying and acquiring Spanish through cultural immersion. Students will not only walk away with an increased confidence in speaking Spanish, but also with a worldly and cultural perspective on life… and an adventure to share with everyone back home!

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Gain Spanish fluency by living with a local family and seeing the real way of life in Costa Rica.
  • Take weekend excursions to rainforests, waterfalls, and volcanos.
  • Meet and study Spanish with other students your age from all over the world.
  • Partake in afternoon activities at the school.
  • Make friends with Costa Ricans who are learning English during weekly conversation class where English and Spanish learners are grouped to practice speaking skills.

Program Dates

Application Deadline
Program Dates
-
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Program Reviews

4.92 Rating
based on 36 reviews
  • 5 rating 91.67%
  • 4 rating 8.33%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Growth 4.8
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.9
  • Housing 4.95
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 25 - 32 of 36 reviews
Default avatar
Jujhar
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer 2017 Program Review

The program was amazing in my Spanish development and I returned to my school with noticeable improvement. My host family was amazing I appreciate how well I integrated into their family. My teachers were understanding, compassionate and explained grammar an vocab in a way we understood. I felt safe and explored the city like I would anywhere else. I wish I stayed much much longer than three weeks but Tico Lingo was my first experience abroad and it lit a spark to see the rest of the world. It was awesome!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
Whitewater rafting was the most exhilarating and scary part of my life.
54 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lainee
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

6 weeks in Costa Rica

It was really fun. Lessons last for four hours with a break in between, after which there is an optional hour of either yoga, cooking classes, or dance classes. After that you're free to explore the city (and go into San José to look at the museums). I stayed with a host family, and it was super helpful. You get home cooked meals every day, a chance to practice your Spanish, and a local guide. Fair warning - the weather (at least during the wet season) switches from hot and humid to pouring rain. I'd recommend packing an umbrella and a ton of sunscreen.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Definitely bring bug spray and sunscreen. While you are in a city, there are a lot of tours offered on the weekends and they can get pretty buggy. The sun in Costa Rica is also super strong, so be prepared to get burnt. If you're an athletic person there's a lot of free exercise equipment in the parks, and several gyms near the school. There are also some good hikes (if you're willing to drive a bit). If you're a food person, there's a ton of really good restaurants in the neighborhood. The coffee is, of course, excellent. I'd recommend going for at least four weeks, so you can go on as many of the weekend tours as possible. Also, there's an option to get additional private lessons in the afternoon, and I'd recommend those if you really want to improve your Spanish.
66 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Christian
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Tico Lingo Experience

I appreciated the Tico Lingo program. I had the intention of going to learn Spanish and although I picked up some elements it turned out not to be the focus of my time during the program. What I found was important for me was the independence I gained. This was my first trip without being accompanied by my family. I was 15 years old and I had the capacity to journey around with new friends and also have a level of financial independence. Much of the town was closed due to Covid-19 quarantine measures but I still managed to find things to do and occupy myself either via the kind family who hosted me, the roommates who became like brothers, and the activities like white water rafting that the camp provided. Interacting with some of the kids was challenging but for the most part, the group was pretty cool. I got to understand myself better and am looking forward to my next solo excursion. I think if you want to offer your child a safe environment in beautiful surroundings where they can learn a bit of Spanish and open themselves up to a culture they may not be familiar with, this is the experience for you.

64 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Natalie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing camp full of great people

I loved every single day of the three weeks I spend in Costa Rica with Tico Lingo. My teacher was incredible and I learned so much about the structure and grammar of the Spanish language and by the end I felt drastically more comfortable speaking and interacting in Spanish using what I learned. My host family was also very kind and generous and the 13 other students were all really awesome people. The afternoon activities were also super fun and they bonded us all as a group through the unforgettable experiences we shared. We also had a good amount of free time to explore the city on our own with a friend or two. The weekend trips were really fun and we got to see so much of the wildlife in Costa Rica while also doing anything from swimming at the beach to white water rafting.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice would be to step out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there. You're only going to learn once you're out in the world interacting with different people in different cultures, so don't be afraid to make a mistake. Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Let yourself stumble a bit through those mistakes, get yourself back up and don't forget your toothbrush.
63 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
jyosna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Summer Experience!

this was truly the best summer i have ever experienced. the city is safe, all the kids were incredibly kind, my teacher (Freddy) was smart and hilarious, and i always felt cared about. it was amazing to be able to hang out with other teenagers ranging from 14-17 and click instantly. Thanks to this camp I got to improve my spanish and make life long friends. i personally loved the aspect of independence that came with being able to travel by myself and i would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a safe and fun language immersive experience!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
it’s interesting to learn not to flush your TP lol
64 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Shloka
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Tico Lingo - Shloka Mehta

I had a great time at the program. My host family was wonderful, the classes were super constructive and I definitely learned a lot from both the immersive experience and the lessons. The activities after class were fun and I never felt unsafe. I especially enjoyed the weekend outings to Manuel Antonio National Park and to the rapids for white water rafting. The staff were supportive and always available. I made lots of friends over the three weeks and will miss all of them. Overall, it was a good experience!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Everyone in the town was super friendly and didn’t mind our not-so-perfect spanish
65 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kennedy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience! Would highly recommend!

Going to Costa Rico and being a part of the teen Tico Lingo camp was one of the best experiences that I will always remember. I was 16 when I went, so I was still young and not use to being away from my family for so long! The staff were all very supportive and understanding that Costa Rica was a new environment for the teens and went out of their way to make us feel like we were apart of the Tico Lingo family. The life time relationships I have made through this program is unforgettable! I absolutely would 100% recommend!

What was your funniest moment?
Going white water rafting and seeing sloths in the same day! That was one of the best days!
77 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Nel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My camp in Costa Rica

I learned way more Spanish doing this camp than I did in highschool. Speaking with natives really makes a difference. My family was amazing and the Spanish classes we're pretty intense but we were challenged and my classmates enjoyed it. It was just an overall great positive experience. I'm over 18 now, but I'd love to go back and sign up for the adult program. The teen camp was everything i needed to get used to living in a new place. There was so much support from the staff. Activities were fun, I liked the cooking classes with Profesora Helen! My teacher Oscar was so so cool. We still stay in touch on Whatsapp and he helps e with Spanish questions when I have them. Would highly recommend this camp to anyone looking for an adventure and wanting to drastically improve their Spanish speaking skills. Gracias!

72 people found this review helpful.

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