I had a wonderful two week experience at Tico Lingo! The staff and teachers create a very welcoming atmosphere, and it was wonderful to meet people from all over the world at all stages in life and learning. Two weeks was not enough! I would definitely go back. The teachers were excellent, and there are so many opportunities to practice outside of the school. I highly recommend Tico Lingo!

I came to study Spanish at Tico Lingo on the heels of spending several weeks studying Spanish in Guatemala, so I wasn't coming in cold turkey to a Spanish immersion program. With that said, I had never visited Costa Rica before. During my time at Tico Lingo, I stayed with a local Costa Rican family arranged by the school - they were exceptionally warm and welcoming, and made sure to avoid speaking too quickly with me or using too many words unique to Costa Rica that I would be unfamiliar with. I arrived on a Sunday morning and my local "Tico" family immediately made me feel at home. They were all too happy to talk to me about Heredia (where the school is located), and introduce me to the area. My Tica mother, Jeannette, prepared breakfast and dinner for me every day while I stayed with them. Beyond making my life so much easier, every meal was quite honestly delicious and a chance to enjoy authentic Costa Rican food. Classes ran Monday-Friday, and come Monday morning my host family made sure I found my way to the school ahead of my first class. My teacher was Yóbeth, who I similarly can't say enough wonderful things about. I was in a class with 2-3 other students all at a similar language proficiency as myself (prior to arriving, every student takes an online language proficiency exam to help place you in the right class), and every day Yóbeth would give us materials to introduce a topic. These might be exercise sheets outlining the rules for a new tense or mood in Spanish, a short story or poem, or even a printout highlighting some local "Tico-isms". There was a nice mix of speaking, listening, reading and writing during each day (as well as some homework to practice). We also all had the opportunity to learn more about Heredia and Costa Rican culture in our classes, and Yóbeth took us out to a different location in Heredia on Fridays to mix things up and practice our Spanish outside the classroom. As for the school itself, we all received a welcome binder with information about Heredia, a notebook and pen, and some simple introductory Spanish phrases to help new students get around town. On the very first Monday, Chris - the owner - took all the new students on a walking tour around Heredia to show us the town and familiarise ourselves with the sights. Every day, the school ran events that students could sign up to participate in, with tours on the weekends running to some of the volcanoes and beaches further away from Heredia that Costa Rica is famous for and that are certainly worth a look in. Dani, who was the head of Student Services, was always around to offer advice and answer any questions we may have had. I never had a single bad interaction with either Chris or Dani - they were both always super happy to chat or offer recommendations, and made my time at Tico Lingo incredibly enjoyable. An immersion program is - at least in my humble opinion - one of the best ways to learn and increase your proficiency in a new language. Coming to study at Tico Lingo gives you plenty of opportunities to do just that in an environment that felt very welcoming and conducive to learning. Would happily recommend

I spent 5 weeks at Tico Lingo and can honestly say it helped my Spanish a ton! Chris and his crew run a great school and I highly recommend living with a home stay family. I spent time with 4 different teachers and they were all awesome. The classes are very relaxed yet engaging and the whole school has a very welcoming feel to it! I highly recommend Tico Lingo if you’re looking to improve your Spanish, meet some great people, and experience life in another country for a while.

Tico Lingo exceeded my expectations! The classes, the homestay, and the tours were excellent. My professor was fantastic. She had an excellent way of explaining things and a great sense of humor. She understood the strengths and weaknesses of each student and adjusted lessons accordingly. The class size of five students worked well, and it was interesting to learn with people of different ages and backgrounds. There was a good variety of materials and exercises. My homestay was clean and comfortable, and the family was very welcoming. Family members were very patient with me while we conversed in Spanish. The tours were well organized and a good value (whitewater rafting, volcano visit, mineral springs, coffee processing, chocolate making). Tico Lingo staff members are professional, friendly, and always willing to answer questions.

Tico lingo was such an amazing opportunity for me to study Spanish! All of my professors were welcoming and patient. The environment was conducive to learning and growing and I’m forever appreciative. I can’t wait to come back so I can stay longer.