COSTA RICA IMMERSION EXPERIENCE 
6-13 March 2024

Prepare yourself for Spanish immersion, cultural exploration, and lots of fun in the sun! 

• Cost: $1600
• Includes: Accommodations, food (at homestays), Spanish instruction/activities/experiences, and general guide/coordinator sorts of services, travel within Costa Rica
• Does not include: Cost of travel to or from Costa Rica. (Airfare from Seattle tends to be around $700.)
• Single supplement: $350
• Group size limit: 10

Payment may be made by cash, check, Bill Pay, P2P, Venmo, or credit card. (3% non-refundable PayPal fee added to credit card payments.)
$250 of your payment will be held as a nonrefundable deposit.



Registration for the March 2023 is currently full. Please contact us if you would like to be placed on the waitlist.





Please note that the focus of this trip is immersion in the Spanish language and Costa Rican culture, not sightseeing.

Itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrive in San José (Alajuela really) get settled
• Day 2: Tour and activities in Alajuela (a small and accessible city)
• Day 3: Travel north to San Carlos (Ciudad Quesada and San Vicente) and activities
• Day 4: Projects and activities in San Vicente (small farm community) and meet host families
• Day 5: Continue projects and activities in San Vicente and spend time with host families. Go to hot springs.
• Day 6: Travel to Playa Hermosa via Arenal volcano area and activities.
• Day 7: Hang out at beach and/or in town and activities
• Day 8: Head back to Alajuela or fly out of Liberia (NW airport)
• "Activities" means Spanish instruction, scavenger hunts, man-on-the-street interviews, hot springs soaking, coffee drinking, exotic fruit tasting, bus taking, latin dancing and other fun stuff. 
• We will take public transportation and students will be encouraged to sit next to Costa Rican nationals and strike up a conversation. 
• Some knowledge of Spanish required.
• Please contact us for more information.

What participants say:

"The trip that my wife and I made to Costa Rica with [Lengua Rica] took the two-dimensional Spanish we had been studying in the classroom and made it a three-dimensional language by giving it a cultural context. We would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to experience Spanish within the cultural context of those to whom Spanish is their native language. The richness of the language is embodied in the warmth of the people who speak it. "
---Bill B.

"There is a saying that 'the traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.' If that is true, the Lengua Rica trip to Costa Rica is not for tourists. The Lengua Rica trip is for people with a traveler's mindset looking for an authentic experience; for a cultural and language exchange. My thoughts and emotions were always active when I was in Costa Rica. I never felt like a passive outsider watching "others", even while on bus rides through the countryside. Instead, for a week, I was a participant in Costa Rican life."
---Kathleen O.

"I'd been studying Spanish with Lengua Rica for several sessions and was looking for a way to really intensely immerse myself in the language. The trip to Costa Rica was just the thing.  Ethan... designed the trip to maximize the amount of interaction we had with Ticos.   We stayed in a wonderful farm community in the mountains, welcomed with friendship, fresh and delicious food, and nonstop conversations in Spanish. By the end of this stay we were even making up puns and jokes in Spanish.  We also had the opportunity to see much of the northern part of the countryside, traveling by bus through beautiful scenery, conversing with our seat-mates in Spanish all the way. And our beach stay was a place where Costa Rican tourists go. Foreign   tourism is a big part of the Costa Rican economy now and it is possible to take a trip there without ever speaking Spanish or really talking with Ticos.  But with Lengua Rica, we were immersed in the culture, the language and the land.  It was a great week."
---Linda R.

"Thanks for a fantastic trip. Loved the conversations with José Manuel [the owner of Hotel Pacandé]—very charming—that man could get a sack of rocks to talk. He was sincerely enjoyable company and very patient with my rusty grammar. The couple of days in Alajuela—loved the market scavenger hunt... could have done more of that. The market workers were the most friendly ever. Thank you for the opportunity to step up with a task and get local with the locals. I adored the days we spent in San Vicente... Having to speak in Spanish with [the] entire family was a true treasure—they were so patient and helpful... I loved every minute of it. I treasured the gift the folks in San Vicente offered to welcome our group with open arms and tons of patience (the welcoming karaoke, tours, etc).... There's nothing to compare to living in someone's house, sharing their space, conversing in their language, and coming to a common respect and caring. "
---Kara S.


"I liked the variety (not staying in one place the whole time). I liked not being a tourist..., I liked the time spent in San Vicente with regular families..., I liked traveling in a small group because of the fun, positive interactions among ourselves, the hot springs was super nice, I liked being pushed to speak Spanish more... and more. I also really liked riding the bus. "
---Ruth M.


"I have really been struck by what a nice balance it was to have had a few days in the city, a few days in the mountains and a few days at the beach. I am so pleased to have been able to experience several different Costa Rican environments, particularly given our short time in country. Extending the visit by staying at the beach for a few extra days was very, very, nice. When I got back I looked at a bunch of companies who do tours of Costa Rica, and almost all of them have a trip with roughly the same sorts of territory and itinerary. Every one of them is WAY more expensive. I really think we got a terrific bargain."
---Midge P.


"For me, the trip was perfect. Absolutely the best educational-adventure-vacation I've ever had. I was looking for something that gave me a sense of the real day-to-day Costa Rica (that is, as much of a sense as could be given in a week), and the design of the trip mirrored the pace of the country, and that worked for me. The design (i.e., the schedule of events, the structure of the experience) of the trip had a certain improvisational quality: things will come together when they come together, the bus will get here when it gets here, the fiesta will start when it starts.... a certain time-less quality that worked for me, because it fit the lifestyle of Costa Rica somehow. But the reason it worked for me is because my agenda was to experience what it would be like to live in Costa Rica because I've been thinking about moving there for awhile now. There was enough structure for me to know when we were going to start each day, and a general sense of what we were going to do. The rest was improv, and that was great. I loved Alajuela, and the Pacandé hotel. Loved the people at the Pacandé. I loved the walking through the mercado and asking about different foods. I loved eating as a group together and talking about the day and what we had discovered. I loved catching the buses to various places. I really liked my host family. They were wonderful. They were very nice to me, and the accommodations were perfect. Also, I really liked the hot springs and also the Hotel Huetares at Playa Hermosa. I think that was the perfect way to end the trip, at the beach resort. So basically, I am your most satisfied customer. It was a great, perhaps life-changing, experience for me."
---Frank L.

"I absolutely loved my trip to Costa Rica for Spanish language immersion as part of my educational experience with Lengua Rica. I had only just started studying Spanish a few months prior to the trip, but that did not detract from the value of the experience for me. There is so much that was great about the trip, from hanging out with Ethan [and his family], having the opportunity to experience Costa Rica from a hands-on, real life perspective and not as a tourist, getting to know my wonderful host family in San Vicente and getting so many opportunities to meet new people, see the beautiful country and practice Spanish. It was without a doubt the best introduction to a country and language one could ever get. I fell in love with Costa Rica, am very motivated to continue to study Spanish, and certainly hope I can return again on another trip with Lengua Rica."
---Val A.

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INDEPENDENT STUDY

We recommend:

• Reading real books in Spanish (picture books, chapter books, nonfiction books, what have you) from your local library. Visit the Timberland Regional Library System here.
• Tripulantes de la Lectura, a site maintained by the Mexican Department of Education, where you can access virtual children's books in Spanish for children 3-10 years old.
• WordReference.com, a great online Spainsh-English dictionary.
• Using Pimsleur language learning materials
• Free online courses available through the Timberland Regional Library System website: Pronunciator (similar to Rosetta Stone) and Muzzy (an animated film first created by the BBC as a way of teaching language)
• "Practice Makes Perfect" workbooks
• Listening to radio
• Listening to music
• Watching movies
• Watching Spanish Language Television
• Attending meetings of The Olympia Spanish Conversation Group
• Using flashcards
• Listening to podcasts like Coffee Break Spanish (Beginners), Radio Ambulante (Advanced and Advanced Intermediate), and others.
• Visiting and exploring the links and other resources on our Resources Page





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LOCATION




• In-person classes: 825 Legion Way SE, Suite C3 (around back). Free parking available in parking lot. If parking lot full, street parking available on Pear St. SE or 7th Ave. SE. Cost (8am-5pm): $.75/hour (Pay by Phone only).
• Hybrid classes: Students have the option of attending in person or via Zoom.
• Drop-in Conversation Hours are held via Zoom.


Please contact us for more information.


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ADULT CLASS SCHEDULE

BEGINNING SPANISH (Hybrid)

Mondays 10am-12noon OR 6-8pm, Pacific Time.
REGISTER HERE.

NOTE: You can start with ANY Beginning course!

Mondays 16 October - 5 December	COURSE: AZUL
Mondays 11 & 18 December 6:00-7:00pm: BEGINNING DROP-IN CONVERSATION	DROP-IN CONVERSATION TOPICS: 11 December: La comida 18 December: Las mascotas
Mondays 8 January - 26 February (No breaks: Class WILL BE HELD on MLK Day and Presidents' Day.)	COURSE: ROJO
Mondays 18 March - 6 May	COURSE: AMARILLO
Mondays 20 May - 8 July (No class on Memorial Day, 27 May)	COURSE: CARBÓN

INTERMEDIATE SPANISH (Hybrid)

Tuesdays 10am-12noon OR 6-8pm, Pacific Time.
REGISTER HERE.

Tuesdays 17 October - 4 December	COURSE: CELESTE
Tuesdays 12 & 19 December & 2 January, 6:00-7:00pm: INTERMEDIATE DROP-IN CONVERSATION	DROP-IN CONVERSATION TOPICS: 12 December: Accidentes en la casa 19 December: La adopción 2 January: Los cumpleaños
Tuesdays 9 January - 27 February	COURSE: CAFÉ
Tuesdays 19 March - 7 May	COURSE: LAVANDA

ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE SPANISH (Hybrid)

Wednesdays 10am-12noon OR 6-8pm, Pacific Time.
REGISTER HERE.

Wednesdays 18 October - 6 December	COURSE: CONVOCACIÓN DE PALABRAS: CURSO A
Wednesdays 13 & 20 December 6:00-7:00pm: ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE DROP-IN CONVERSATION	DROP-IN CONVERSATION TOPICS 13 December: El feminismo 20 December: Las fiestas 27 December: Los restaurantes 3 January: El trabajo
Wednesdays 10 January - 28 February	COURSE: RADIO AMBULANTE
Wednesdays 20 March - 8 May	COURSE: SENDEROS FRONTERIZOS

ADVANCED SPANISH (Hybrid)

Thursdays 10am-12noon OR 6-8pm, Pacific Time.
REGISTER HERE.

Thursdays 19 October - 14 December (No class on Thanksgiving)	COURSE: SELECCIONES DE "FICCIONES" POR JORGE LUIS BORGES
Thursdays 6:00-7:00pm: ADVANCED DROP-IN CONVERSATION	DROP-IN CONVERSATION TOPICS 21 December: Los libros 28 December: La naturaleza humana 4 January: La música
Thursdays 11 January - 29 February	COURSE: ÍNTIMAS SUCULENCIAS POR LAURA ESQUIVEL
Thursdays 21 March - 9 May	COURSE: RADIO AMBULANTE




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DROP-IN SPANISH CONVERSATION HOURS



Don't want to lose your edge? Drop in, via Zoom, on our conversation hours!
These 60-minute sessions feature facilitated discussion and, occasionally, a game or two.
Cost: $15/class.


LUNCH HOUR DROP-IN SPANISH CONVERSATION HOUR Fridays 12:00 noon-1:00pm, Pacific (No class on 22 December) WINTER EVENING DROP-IN SPANISH CONVERSATION HOURS BEGINNING Mondays 6:00-7:00pm, Pacific Topics: 11 December: La comida 18 December: Las mascotas INTERMEDIATE Tuesdays 6:00-7:00pm, Pacific Topics: 12 December: Accidentes en la casa 19 December: La adopción 2 January: Los cumpleaños ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE Wednesdays 6:00-7:00pm, Pacific Topics: 13 December: El feminismo 20 December: Las fiestas 27 December: Los restaurantes 3 January: El trabajo ADVANCED Thursdays 6:00-7:00pm, Pacific Topics: 21 December: Libros 28 December: La naturaleza humana 4 January: La música

REGISTER FOR DROP-IN CONVERSATION HOURS Specify date(s)

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REGISTRATION FOR 8-WEEK ADULT SPANISH CLASSES

COST: $230-$260, sliding scale.The per-class drop-in rate is $35.

NO FEE on payments be made by:
• cash
• check
• Bill Pay
• P2P
• Venmo

3% non-refundable PayPal fee added to credit card payments.



PAYMENT BY CASH
To arrange cash payment, call us at 360.359.3751 or email us.

PAYMENT BY CHECK
Checks are also welcome and should be made out to "Lengua Rica."
Please indicate which class, day, and time you are registering for.
Include your name, phone number, and email address
Mail your check to:

DETERMINATION OF LEVEL

In order to determine in which level students belong, we talk with them over the phone or in person. We get a sense of their vocabulary and how well they put words together. It just takes a minute or so. In the rare event that we place a student in the wrong level, there is no problem if he or she wants to switch level. Prospective students are also welcome to sit in on a class with no obligation. Please contact us and we will arrange for you to do so.

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PRIVATE CLASSES

To arrange private class for an individual or a group, call us at 360.359.3751 or email us. Scheduling is flexible. Rates:

• 1-2 people $50/hour
• 3-6 people $60/hour
• 7 or more people $10/person/hour

"A challenging, yet safe, supportive, and FUN atmosphere."-- Cherie B.

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DESCRIPTION OF ADULT PROGRAM

"I think your teaching methods are fantastic!"--Jessicarae N.

Materials and content used in class are full of realistic, authentic language. Class activities address a variety of learning styles. We strive to create an engaging, fun, and relaxed atmosphere so that students enjoy themselves and are motivated to learn.

"Such a wonderful experience and class atmosphere!"--Seth K.

"Students are challenged to think deeper about ways to express themselves using Spanish. I was surprised at the advances I made in only a short period of time."--Jennifer Y.

Class size can be as small as six, but never larger than sixteen. There are four distinct courses at the beginning level and seven courses at the intermediate level. Courses at the advanced level vary widely from session to session depending on students' interests.

"If you are in Olympia this is the place to learn to speak Spanish: 100% Spanish -- it's the way to go. Ethan is a patient, innovative & entertaining teacher."--Sienna P.

We use traditional, popular, and original songs (check out our CD). In addition, students write their own songs, their own dialogues, perform role plays, read books in Spanish written for Spanish speakers and talk about them with their classmates.

"I have found it comparable to the excellent immersion language training I did when beginning Peace Corps in Central Asia. I am grateful to have Lengua Rica as a resource right here in the city of Olympia! --Rebekah O.

In our classes, we emphasize the importance of communication over perfection. Students are evaluated by comparing each individual with his or her own past work. We give students many and varied opportunities to demonstrate their progress so that they can see how far they've come and feel encouraged.

We feel respected, included, engaged.... A class that is... accessible for students with differing learning styles."-- Maureen C.

FREE TRIAL CLASS

To arrange to sit in on a free trial class, call us at 360.359.3751 or email us.

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ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE (Hybrid)

This level covers the gaps between our INTERMEDIATE classes and our ADVANCED discussion class. Students do weekly assigned readings (short stories, articles) and discuss them in class along with whatever other interesting topics arise. Grammar covered commonly includes the perfect tenses, progressive tenses, the subjunctive, the imperative, irregular verbs, prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns, preposition use, and the passive voice.

Advanced Intermediate courses feature readings on and discussions of a variety of contemporary issues, with supporting vocabulary lists and corresponding grammar units.

Please contact us for more information. Wednesdays 10am-12noon OR 6-8pm, Pacific Time.

18 October - 6 December	COURSE: CONVOCACIÓN DE PALABRAS (A)	Each week Advanced Intermediate students will read material from the textbook Convocación de palabras selected for the purpose of inspiring thought and conversation. Material provided. There is an assignment for the first class. REGISTER HERE
10 January - 28 February	RADIO AMBULANTE	Students will listen to and read the transcript for episode of this all-Spanish podcast. Please contact usfor more info. Radio Ambulante is a Spanish-language podcast that tells Latin American stories from anywhere Spanish is spoken, including the United States. It seeks to bring the aesthetic of high-quality longform journalism to radio. In 2014, Radio Ambulante was awarded the Gabriel García Márquez Prize for Innovation in Journalism, the most prestigious journalism honor in Latin America.There is an assignment for the first class. REGISTER HERE
20 March - 8 May	COURSE: SENDEROS FRONTERIZOS	Over the course of 8 weeks, Advanced Intermediate students will read this ongoing, autobiographical story about the author's migrant farmworker family, and his adventures and misadventures growing up, working hard, facing predjudice, and pursuing the American Dream. There is an assignment for the first class. REGISTER HERE

Please contact us for more info.

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ADVANCED (Hybrid)

Advanced courses feature study and discussion of literature, film, and current events. Activities include continued review of the perfect tenses, progressive tenses, the subjunctive, the imperative, irregular verbs, prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns, preposition use, and the passive voice.
Students are asked to write a response paper related to the talk for classes 2, 4, 6 and 8. Please contact us  for more info.

Thursdays 10am-12 noon, Pacific Time


REGISTER HERE.

19 October - 13 December (No class on Thanksgiving)	SELECCIONES DE "FICCIONES" CURSO A POR JORGE LUIS BORGES	Cada semana, estudiantes avanzados leerán un cuento corto diferente de esta collectión por el celebrado autor argentino Jorge Luis Borges. (Lectura requerida para la primera clase. Favor de contactarnos para mayor información.) SYLLABUS FICCIONES CURSO A Semana 1 (19 octubre 2023): Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius Semana 2 (26 octubre 2023): El acercamiento a Almotásim (escribir una reflexión) Semana 3 (2 noviembre 2023): Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote Semana 4 (9 noviembre 2023): Las ruinas circulares (escribir una reflexión) Semana 5 (16 noviembre 2023): La lotería en Babilonia Semana 6 (30 noviembre 2023): Examen de la obra de Herbert Quain (escribir una reflexión) Semana 7 (7 diciembre 2023): La Biblioteca de Babel Semana 8 (14 diciembre 2023): El jardín de los senderos que se bifurcan (escribir una reflexión) PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND USE THIS VERSION OF THE BOOK FOR USE IN THIS COURSE. (If the link doesn't work for you, please contact us. REGISTER HERE.
Thursdays 11 January - 29 February	ÍNTIMAS SUCULENCIAS POR LAURA ESQUIVEL	A lo largo de 8 semanas, estudiantes avanzados leerán este libro que es una amalgama de autobiografía, ensayo, libro de cuentos y recetario de cocina por la celebrada autora de "Como agua para chocolate". (Lectura requerida para la primera clase. Favor de contactarnos para mayor información.) Usaremos esta edición: ISBN 8478951113. REGISTER HERE.
Thursdays 21 March - 9 May	RADIO AMBULANTE	Students will listen to and read the transcript for episode of this all-Spanish podcast. Please contact us  for more info. Radio Ambulante is a Spanish-language podcast that tells Latin American stories from anywhere Spanish is spoken, including the United States. It seeks to bring the aesthetic of high-quality longform journalism to radio. In 2014, Radio Ambulante was awarded the Gabriel García Márquez Prize for Innovation in Journalism, the most prestigious journalism honor in Latin America.

Please contact us for more information.

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KIDS' CLASSES

Our children's classes feature movement, games, singing, and fun! Currently, we only offer these classes as private group classes. Talk to your friends, form your own group, and we will arrange a custom class with you. Click this link for more information on our private classes.

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LENGUA RICA
Certified Spanish Language Instruction,
Interpretation, and Translation Services
P.O. Box 792
Olympia WA 98507
(360) 359-3751
info@lenguarica.org