Intensive Spanish Immersion Program in Heredia, Costa Rica

I enjoyed every minute of my time in Costa Rica with the Tico Lingo program. Chris did an exceptional job matching me with an amazing family that will have a place in my heart forever. He was available 24/7 for questions …. restaurant recommendations, directions, schedule changes, anything! Yennifer placed me in a great group - similar in our Spanish speaking process - it is a process! I had the opportunity to work with four different instructors and they were all amazing. Overall the experience exceeded my expectations! I would love to go back …. soon!!!

Be forewarned, there will be a lot of superlatives in this review! If you are considering an immersion Spanish school, I would encourage you to put Tico Lingo at the very top of your list! I spent two weeks at Tico Lingo, and the Spanish instruction was exemplary, my homestay was amazing, and the town of Heredia is a friendly, bustling community filled with opportunities to practice your new language skills.

It can be intimidating to be in a new environment where you don’t speak the language, but Tico Lingo was a comfortable and welcoming environment from the moment I walked through the front door. I was greeted by Yeni, who knew who I was when I walked in, which was not only a very nice touch but also set the tone for my entire stay. Over the rest of my time there, she greeted me every morning and said goodbye at the end of each day. Chris, the founder of Tico Lingo, was also a daily fixture at the school, and he, too, called me by name when we first met. Both of them were constantly available and checking in with me about my classes, my progress, and my experience as a whole. Any fears or uncertainty I may have had quickly disappeared, and I hadn’t even gotten up the stairs to my classroom yet. When I did get to my class, the experience only improved.

Yeni called me about a week before my arrival for a detailed verbal placement exam that was quite thorough, so I wasn’t surprised to find that I was perfectly placed in my group class with three other students who were very close to my skill level. Our instructor, Kevin, was funny and friendly. He pushed us to learn new skills and created a space that felt safe to try (and sometimes fail) when using those skills. He encouraged us to learn from those mistakes and to be less fearful of making them in the first place. Kevin kept us all on task for the most part, but he was also not afraid to let the conversation stray from the main topic and look for teachable moments from our daily experiences or even go down a rabbit hole of unique words and phrases. I looked forward to his class every morning—what a great teacher. We laughed with each other, we had successes and failures, and we made friendships that will last beyond our time together at Tico Lingo.

During my second week at Tico Lingo, I had private lessons every afternoon with Freddy. What a powerhouse that guy is! I have a PhD in English, and I especially love the mechanics and nuance of language. And I found a kindred spirit in Freddy, whose love of the Spanish language is inspiring. I was intimidated at first because he spoke very rapidly at our first meeting, and I was afraid I was in over my head. But he covered the material very clearly, sometimes saying things like, “this is very, very important, so I’m going to say it in English.” About 15 minutes in to the first session, I realized that I was keeping up just fine and that was a very empowering moment. I would have many of those over the next days along with a lot of enthusiastic fist bumps. We dug deep into the aspects of Spanish that are particularly challenging to me, and we had many conversations about nuance and intricacy. He pushed me beyond the limits of what I would have thought possible in one week of study. He not only taught me how to use certain elements, but he insisted that I be able to explain why in each instance. It will take me weeks to matriculate everything we covered, but he gave me new and exciting tools to improve and I look forward to using what I learned from him in that process.

Part of being ready to learn every day is being rested and well-fed, and I could not have asked for more from my homestay experience in that regard. The basics were well covered, I had a comfortable and private room, great internet, and a chair and desk for homework. But beyond that, I was touched by the kindness of my Tico family from the moment I arrived in their home. I arrived late evening on January 30th, and after just a few minutes of settling in, I was at the kitchen table with my family talking about New Year’s Eve. My host, Gaby, immediately asked me what my plans were for the following evening. When I responded that I didn’t have any because I didn’t know anyone but them in Costa Rica yet, she insisted that I come to her family’s NYE party at a beautiful house in the mountains that had a view of almost the entire central valley. A really special night that culminated with watching a skyline of fireworks from Alajuela to San Jose was just the beginning of an amazing stay. Every morning I got up to the best coffee ever, a big bowl of fresh fruit, and a filling plate of Costa Rican specialties. But the best part was becoming friends with Gaby. Sure, she helped with my Spanish, but mostly we just talked about our families, our pets, the crazy world we live in, and all of the food I hoped she would teach me how to make (spoiler alert-she did, and I now make a pretty mean Chifrijo!). Gaby’s family had many events during my stay, and it became understood that I was not only welcomed but encouraged (bordering on expected!) to attend. To say they treated me like one of the family is an absurd understatement; in fact, Gaby’s daughter-in-law had a birthday party the night I left, and multiple family members came by to say goodbye and express genuine disappointment that I would miss the party. They are very special people that will be important to me for the rest of my life.

And honestly, that’s the way I feel about the folks at Tico Lingo, too. It was sad to leave after only two weeks. I sincerely felt a sense of belonging there. Yeni gave me a hug when I was leaving, and when Chris realized I had left without seeing him first, he immediately pinged me on WhatsApp and expressed his disappointment in missing the opportunity to say goodbye in person. Those are examples of what makes Tico Lingo special. I know it sounds corny, but I stand by it and believe it to my core—I felt, and feel, a sincere sense of family with all of the folks at Tico Lingo, including all of the students I met there. It wasn’t some sort of factory school that simply wanted to cash my check. Teaching me Spanish was of the utmost importance to everyone there, but it was clear that they also wanted to get to know me as a person and provide an amazing immersive experience.

Finally, I know this is getting long and drawn out, but I need to say a quick shout out to Heredia, in general. It is filled with friendly people, and there are lots of little bars, coffee shops (cafeterias) and sodas (think little diner) to drop in to for some lunch, a beer, or a sweet treat and some coffee, and the people in them are patient and kind when you use whatever level of Spanish you speak. It is a great environment for practicing because there are not an overabundance of English speakers, but you’re looking for immersion, right? You will find that in the most welcoming of ways in this great city.

So the bottom line is would I recommend Tico Lingo? Let me put it this way, since the moment I left, I have been trying to figure out when I can return. I can tell you it will be sooner rather than later, and I hope I will see you there, too!

I spent one week at Tico Lingo and it was great! The lessons with Freddy were interactive and so much fun.
Unfortunately I could not stay longer, but I learned so much in just one week, thanks to good teaching!
Yeni at the front desk was warm and caring and helped with whatever issue we may had and Chris showed us around in the city, giving us tips and information about Heredia.

The salsa lessons offered after school were great!

I had also booked a homestay and lived with Miriam, a lovely lady who made me feel at home immediately.
Myriam spoke a lot with me, always making sure I understood what she said. She cooked delicious meals and always made sure I got enough food as I'm a big eater.

I spent 4 weeks at Tico Lingo and I loved it! One of the greatest benefits of this program lies in the opportunity to join on any given week and stay as long as feasible. So you really have a chance to make this work with your schedule!
Another reason why I recommend Tico Lingo is their commitment to use only Spanish in class (with slight variations based on the group’s level). The students are invited to engage in meaningful conversation, encouraged to share opinions or even debate questions, all while keeping it light and funny. Don’t be surprised if you’ll be prompted to engage in philosophical discussions you might not have had even in your native language :)
And…Tico Lingo is a community of wonderful people—knowledgeable and fun teachers, kind and helpful staff, and adventurous fellow students! While it was great to enjoy the continuity offered by being with a core small group for the entire time, it was equally great to have new students join each week bringing some fresh perspectives to the class.
No host family in my case, but had a great rental condo so I was able to travel with my partner and pets :)

On your arrival someone from the school will pick you up at the airport then drives you to your family.
They had an evaluation prior to the start of the class so we would fit in the appropriate level.
4 hrs daily class of Spanish, lots of grammar and verbs.
Fresh coffee is always available as well as water and tea.
After class the option to salsa dance or do some yoga was available.
Cooking classes to learn how to cook a Costa Rican meal. And then eat it too!!
On the first day of school we got a guided tour of the city.

The host family was wonderful. Very kind and thoughtful. They prepared meals each day trying different fruits, main dishes and fruit juices. We ate together and spoke in Spanish.

The tour to Manuel Antonio was beautiful beside the rain, it rains a lot in Costa Rica. We saw monkeys and sloth, iguana and parrots.
A refreshing stop at the beach before heading to lunch. A long drive to get there but well worth it. Wish we had a guide from the park to explain a few things.

Ticos are so very kind and patient.
Loved every moment of my stay.

My wife and I completed 2-weeks of instruction and wish we had stayed longer. I made rapid progress in this immersive program despite this being my first-ever Spanish instruction. The instructors are sensitive to the learning needs of students. The administrative staff are responsive and helpful. We greatly appreciated residing in a homestay where minimal English was spoken and we practiced what we learned in class. We welcomed interacting with the diverse student population. We plan to return. Thank you Tico Lingo!

An excellent, and professional experience I had at Tico Lingo. From the staff, and learning, to a supportive host family.
A step in the right direction, for people wanting to learn Spanish.
Have taken Spanish courses on two separate occasions, with Tico Lingo. First one I did, I did not stay with a host family, and I wish I did. Even though it is not home sweet home, with a little bit of flexibility on the students part, living with a Costa Rican family will benefit the learning experience. It will put more value into learning Spanish by having a taste of the culture behind it.

I studied at Tico Lingo for just one week, but it made such an impact on me! Not only did I refresh my rusty Spanish super fast in individual conversation classes with the amazing Erick, but I loved staying with my host family and also made some fun friends along the way. We were able to eat lunch together several times, take cooking and dance classes, and even go on some excursions together. Yenny, Chris, and Robert really made sure I had everything I needed before I arrived, and I received prompt responses to any follow up questions I sent. It was a cheerful, fun place to study, and I hope to come back. My Spanish is so much more on track after that week and then putting it to practice on traveling around CR afterwards. I highly recommend Tico Lingo for its hands on, helpful touches and for great instruction!