Hosted by Intercultura Costa Rica Spanish Schools

Intercultura: Spanish Small Group Classes

Name: Intercultura: Spanish Small Group Classes
Brand: Intercultura Costa Rica Spanish Schools
SKU: 45100
Rating: 4.56 (18 reviews)

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4.56 Rating

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Location

Costa Rica
- Samara Beach
- Heredia

Term

Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Maymester, Short Term, Spring, Spring Break, Summer, Winter

Subject Areas

Cultural Studies Language Studies Latin American Studies Linguistics Literature

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Program Details

Program Type

Direct Enrollment

Housing

Host Family

Language

Spanish

Pricing

Starting Price

295

Price Details

Starting price range for one week of classes in Heredia.
Group classes 4 hours per day, Mon-Fri.

Last Updated: Mar 24, 2022

Last Reviewed: Jul 30, 2018

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7 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

At both campuses, Heredia and Samara Beach, we offer year-round intensive Spanish group classes in small groups (max. 6 students per class), 4 hours per day and 20 per week. Spanish classes are dynamic, fun and involve a wide variety of authentic learning activities appropriate for all learning styles and students from different cultures and ages. According to your level and the number of students enrolled you either have classes in the morning or in the afternoon at our Heredia Campus, and mostly alternate morning and afternoon at our Sámara Beach Campus.

Our private and semi-private lessons are offered during green season and during high season on a space-available basis. Intercultura´s private lessons are a great option to get some extra practice tailored to your specific needs, pace and topics of your choice. You can take single private lessons only, in the morning or in the afternoon, or add them on to our group classes.

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Video and Photos

Spanish group classes on the beach, samara costa rica

Group Spanish classes in Heredia, Costa Rica

Spanish class Graduation, Heredia Costa Rica

Small group Spanish class, Heredia Costa Rica

Students of all ages learning to dance Salsa!

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Program Highlights

Beautiful Beachfront and city campuses
Small, fun classes with university qualified professors
Visit a tropical island, a volcano, beaches and the rainforest
Free activities every day -- from Latin dance to cooking to yoga
Recognized by the United Nations Global Compact

Popular Programs

Classes are FUN! Who would have thought...

Immersion Spanish in Costa Rica

OUR SPANISH IMMERSION PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES are designed for full Spanish immersion in real-life contexts and social interactions. We have:
* Two campus locations: Heredia City and Sámara Beach
* Comprehensive and entertaining Spanish immersion for all ages and levels
* Internationally recognized programs, year-round available
* Daily cultural activity program and excursions
* Optional homestay or student residence lodging

Program Reviews

4.56 Rating

based on 18 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 72.22%
4 rating 22.22%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 5.56%

Academics 4.55
Support 4.7
Fun 4.45
Housing 4.3
Safety 4.35

Showing 17 - 18 of 18 reviews

Within a couple of lessons and with a clear study plan the Intercultura teachers managed to get me from zero Spanish to a proper conversation with locals in just two weeks! Friendly teachers and very flexible in planning the lessons so I could weave it into my holiday perfectly.

I really liked my stay in Samara with Intercultura. I stayed with a local family in a room I shared with another student from my home University. The room was clean and had an attached bathroom and shower, and electricity to charge devices. My mama tica (host mother) made great meals with large portions for breakfast as well as dinners when we were not going out to eat at local restaurants. We found that there was a lot to do in town, and my fellow students got together in the evenings pretty much every day we were in town.

The Spanish instruction at Intercultura was very good, and I found myself challenged and recalling things I had forgotten from previous classes, and well as learning new vocabulary.

The location is awesome, right on the Samara beach. Overall I don't think you could choose a better spot to go an learn Spanish on a long term basis.

What would you improve about this program?

Placing some more WiFi routers around Intercultra's campus for a wider range signal would be nice, but as is it's great that we had free access to internet. Not a major complaint.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

My school proposed to go learn a new language in another country. I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, and I love Central and South America so Intercultura was the program with the right criteria for me. The woman who’s in charge of language immersions also told me that the program is really nice and that everyone who goes there wants to go back.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The woman at school reserved my classes, my transport, and my residence. I only had to pay her by credit card or by check. She explained to me what was included and what to bring there. I only needed to book a plane to go, and I could stay in the country afterwards to visit. It was really easy to book the program since I basically didn’t need to do it!

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I think it’s really important to bring sunscreen and a beach towel to sit on. I went in February so it was always hot and sunny. Don’t forget a reusable water bottle because tap water is drinkable, and you will drink a ton of it! Also, bring a real English-Spanish dictionary because there are times when it’s hard to reach the wifi so you can’t make use of Google Translate.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

On the first Monday, you need to go to school an hour before the beginning of classes to take a small test so you can be put in the right class; you only do this once.

Afterwards, you’ll know if your class is in the morning or in the afternoon. Classes switch every day, so if you have morning class on Monday, you’ll have afternoon class the next day. On Fridays, you are given a test to make sure you understood what you learned during the week. There is also a graduation for people leaving.

If you stay for the next week, you can look at the new schedule to know if you have to go to class in the morning or the afternoon on Monday. Then you’re free for the weekend!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was really scared to not be able to make new friends, and to be all alone for three weeks. I’m really shy, and I never really talk to people first.

By chance, a group is made of only six persons, and they were all around my age. We were in the same group for all three weeks, and we had so much fun! We also went to the beach together and hung out during the weekend. Now, I’m less shy, and I realized I can actually be friends with people from all around the world!

What are your realizations after this program?

I think it’s really important to open your horizon. You need to be open to new experiences. You need to respect everyone because we all have different backgrounds.

You also can’t expect to be friends with everyone. However, if you stay open-minded, you can surely expect to create long-lasting friendships!

Also, you’re in a new country, so it’s impossible that everything is going to be the same from home. You need to accept that. Learn and don’t judge!

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Christiane Wonde

Program

Intercultura: Spanish Small Group Classes

Job Title

Marketing Manager

Christiane is originally from Germany. Before moving to Costa Rica in 2010, she obtained her BA & Master’s in Business Administration. As a student, she worked part-time at an international solar energy company, traveled in Cuba, Mexico and Central America, and in 2008 came to Costa Rica for the first time in order to complete an internship abroad. Two years later, after finishing college, she came back to Costa Rica and started at Intercultura’s Samara Beach Campus in Student Services and Marketing.

female headshot

Did YOU study abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Christiane: My first time abroad was as a teenager when I spent one High School year in the USA and lived with a host family. Already at that young of an age, I had a strong interest and passion to go abroad for a longer period of time, to live the life of the locals and to perfect my language skills.

Firstly, learning to speak English fluently had been a priority for me ever since I was young because somehow it was clear to me that English is an unavoidable qualification, not only to stay competitive in the international job market, but also in general -- considering the ongoing globalization.

Additionally, lots of childhood international travelling with my parents contributed a big part to my wanderlust, and a curiosity to explore the world. Through my trips to Cuba and Mexico during semester breaks I developed a passion for Latin America, wanting to get to know more countries of Central America and setting my personal goal to improve my Spanish skills starting in high school. So in 2008, I decided to go to Costa Rica for 5 months to complete an internship and travelled afterwards through most of Central America.

Islas San Blas, Panama 2008

Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?

Christiane: I personally think it's not only the most efficient way to learn and understand a new language, but it's simply the only way to be able to communicate in a proper way with the natives of the country. It automatically leads to faster trust and a faster integration in the community and foreign workplace.

In order to have a strong community relationships, and a successful cooperation at your workplace abroad, it’s essential to have experienced and lived the culture, to understand certain behaviors, reactions and customs, and most importantly to have understood why some things are just different instead of just placing blame.

A true cultural immersion gives you also the privilege to create your own ideal lifestyle by picking up a different perspective from the new culture, instead of only knowing the one “extreme” from your home country.

What was your favorite traveling experience?

Christiane: My two-month trip through Mexico was my favorite one because I did it on my own and I had the time of my life, meeting so many friendly locals and other travelers along the road. It had the strongest impact on my life in terms of where to head with my career, setting new priorities and different goals in life.

Kids of the Corn Islands, Nicaragua, 2011

I really believe that without that trip and all my other travelling I wouldn’t have went so far and been living in a tranquil beach town in Costa Rica today, preferring so much more a different living standard and lifestyle over the one typically lived in Germany.

What does your home-country's culture value that is taught in your program?

Christiane: Students always tell us that they enjoy our communicative teaching methodology which follows the 80/20 rule (students talk 80% in class and teachers only 20%) and involve activities relevant to the students (ie: lots of social interaction!)

Our Spanish courses not only teach grammatical conjugations and the syntax of the language, but also the wider cultural aspects of language and communication, with the goal of engaging and stimulating learning. It’s easy to conjugate a verb on paper but the key is to be able to use the different tenses and the respective conjugations correctly and quickly while holding conversations.

About Intercultura Costa Rica Spanish Schools

Founded in 1993, Intercultura Costa Rica offers internationally recognized Spanish and culture immersion programs for all ages and Spanish levels. Our main goal is to teach the students in a warm, fun yet intellectually challenging learning environment, providing them with the highest standard of service possible. What makes Intercultura Costa Rica...