Spanish Immersion in Costa Rica with The BUENO Center

2026 Program Dates
Friday, July 24 through Sunday, August 2, 2026

This program is open to adults ages 18 and older, and participants of all Spanish levels are welcome. Whether you are just beginning your Spanish learning journey or looking to sharpen your fluency through authentic conversation, the experience is designed to meet you where you are and help you grow from there.

Before arrival, each participant completes a short oral and written Spanish assessment. This helps the Tico Lingo academic team place every student in the class that best fits their current level, learning needs, and communication goals.

To keep the experience personal and academically strong, enrollment is limited to 20 participants. Spanish classes remain intentionally small, with no more than 7 students per classroom, allowing for more speaking time, more professor feedback, and a more supportive learning environment.

The program includes Spanish classes, homestay accommodation, cultural activities, local transportation, study materials, scheduled meals, excursions, and on-the-ground support from the Tico Lingo team. Participants also receive 24/7 communication support, with daily photos shared in the group WhatsApp chat throughout the experience.

Included in the program

24 hours of Spanish classes
Small group classes with native Costa Rican professors, focused on real communication and practical language use.

Pre-arrival Spanish assessment
A short oral and written assessment helps us place you in the class that best fits your level.

All learning materials
Everything you need for class is included.

Spanish speaking workshops
Guided workshops and activities help you practice natural, useful conversation.

Full-time Tico Lingo Trip Director
A dedicated Trip Director supports the group with logistics, questions, and daily coordination.

Pre-arrival webinar
Meet the Tico Lingo team, review important details, and prepare for the experience before arrival.

Airport pickup and drop-off from SJO
Round-trip airport transportation is included from Juan Santamaría International Airport.

Orientation and graduation celebration
Begin with a warm welcome to Heredia and end with a celebration of your progress.

9 nights of homestay accommodation
Stay with a local Costa Rican family within walking distance of Tico Lingo. Includes a private bedroom, breakfast and dinner daily, wifi, and laundry service.

6 afternoon cultural activities
Hands-on activities bring Spanish and Costa Rican culture to life through cooking, dance, local city tours, and more.

2 full-day excursions
Enjoy a beach trip and a whitewater rafting adventure.

Scheduled lunches
Group lunches are included on scheduled activity days.

Weekdays are designed to balance structured Spanish learning with real-life immersion, cultural connection, and time to enjoy Costa Rica.

Each day gives participants the chance to use Spanish in the classroom, around town, at home with their host family, and in everyday conversations.

Morning
Start the day with breakfast at your homestay. You might enjoy fresh Costa Rican coffee, tropical fruit, eggs, homemade tortillas, fried plantains, or gallo pinto, Costa Rica’s beloved rice and beans breakfast dish.

After breakfast, take a short walk through Heredia to Tico Lingo. Homestays are located within walking distance of the school, so the simple act of getting to class becomes part of the immersion experience.

Spanish Class
Spend the morning in Spanish class with experienced Costa Rican professors. Classes are practical, interactive, and designed to help participants speak with more confidence.

Lessons focus on useful communication, cultural context, vocabulary building, grammar in action, and lots of guided speaking practice. With small class sizes and level-based placement, participants receive the attention and support they need to make meaningful progress.

Lunch and Free Time
On scheduled days, enjoy lunch with the group at Tico Lingo or at a local restaurant. On freer afternoons, participants can explore Heredia, visit a café, grab lunch in town, rest at their homestay, or enjoy a little downtime before the next activity.

Afternoon Activity
Afternoons bring Spanish into motion. Depending on the day, participants may join a dance class, conversation exchange, cultural workshop, local tour, or guided activity led by the Tico Lingo team.

These experiences are designed to help participants connect what they are learning in class with the people, culture, and daily life of Costa Rica.

Evening
Return to your homestay for dinner and a slower, more local side of the experience. Dinner with your host family is one of the best opportunities to practice Spanish naturally, ask questions, share stories, and experience Costa Rican family life firsthand.

Housing
Homestays are one of the most meaningful parts of the BUENO and Tico Lingo experience.

To support true cultural and language immersion, participants stay with carefully selected Costa Rican homestay families in Heredia. Each home is located within walking distance of Tico Lingo, giving participants the chance to experience the rhythm of daily life in a traditional Costa Rican town while practicing Spanish outside the classroom.

Each participant receives a private bedroom, keys to their room and the front door of the home, wifi, access to hot water, laundry service, and a quiet place to study or relax.

Homestay families provide much more than accommodation. They offer daily opportunities for conversation, cultural exchange, and connection. Whether you are sharing breakfast before class or talking over dinner after a full day of activities, your homestay becomes a central part of the immersion experience.

Participants may request to be placed in the same homestay with another participant when space and family availability allow.

Meals
Meals are fresh, homemade, and an important part of the cultural experience.

Costa Rican food is simple, flavorful, and built around fresh ingredients like rice, beans, vegetables, tropical fruits, eggs, plantains, chicken, fish, homemade tortillas, and locally grown coffee.

Breakfast is typically served at the homestay and may include coffee, fruit, eggs, toast, tortillas, gallo pinto, pancakes, bananas, mango, pineapple, or other seasonal items.

Lunch is usually shared with the group on scheduled activity days, either at Tico Lingo or at a local restaurant. These meals give participants the chance to try both traditional and modern Costa Rican dishes while enjoying time together outside the classroom.

Dinner is served at the homestay and varies from day to day. A typical dinner may include rice, beans, chicken, fish, vegetables, soups, salads, pasta, or other homemade meals. Participants are encouraged to communicate their preferences and dietary needs so homestay families can support them as best as possible.

Tico Lingo can accommodate many diets and allergy restrictions with advance notice.

Ready to join The BUENO Center and Tico Lingo in Costa Rica?

Signing up is simple. Use the deposit payment link to reserve your spot in the 2026 Spanish Immersion Trip to Costa Rica.

Once your deposit is paid, your place in the program is officially secured. You will receive an email confirmation with your registration details, and the Tico Lingo team will follow up with next steps as the program approaches.

Because the program is intentionally small, space is limited. Each group is designed to offer personal attention, strong academic placement, meaningful cultural connection, and a supportive group experience from beginning to end.

Reserve your spot, get ready to travel, and prepare for 10 unforgettable days of Spanish, culture, connection, adventure, and pura vida in Costa Rica!