Costa Rica Guide by Paul Glassman
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Schools in Costa Rica
LEARN THE LANGUAGE . . .
Learning Spanish will ease your way in Costa Rica, and enrich your life afterwards. Your whole living environment is your language laboratory, so chances are you'll pick things up more easily than at home.
What does it cost?
There are other countries where you can go to language school at a lower price than in Costa Rica, but many students prefer San José's low-key atmosphere and level of amenities, and the comprehensiveness of some of the programs.
A four-week package of study, room and two meals daily in a private home, and escorted trips around the country, costs $1400 or more. Instruction in small groups for four hours daily, without excursions, will run about $1000 for four weeks. (By comparison, these costs are approximately double those in other Central American countries, but you pay a premium for a more accessible culture).
Language Schools
Ask for referrals from recent students. Some travel agencies also offer study-and-flight packages.
Instituto Universal de Idiomas, Apartado 651-2050, Moravia, tel. 223-9662.
Instituto Británico, P. O. Box 8184-1000 San José, tel. 225-0256, info@institutobritanico.co.cr.
Centro Linguístico Conversa, Calle 38, Avenidas 3/5 (Apartado 17-1007), San José, tel. 221-7649, fax 233-2418. Courses are available in San José, and at a farm west of the city.
Forester Instituto Internacional, Los Yoses (P. O. Box 6945-1000, San José), tel. 225-3155, fax 225-9236, forester@sol.racsa.co.cr.
ILISA, P.O. Box 1001-2050 San Pedro, tel. 225-2495, fax 225-4665.
ICADS (Instituto de Estudios de Desarrollo Centroamericano), P. O. Box 3-2070, San José, tel. 225-0508, fax 234-1337 or Box 025216-826, Miami FL 33102-5216, has programs that combine language study with volunteer work in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Instituto Interamericano de Idiomas Intensa, P. O. Box 8110-1000, Calle 33, Avenidas 1/3 (no. 540), Barrio Escalante, San José, tel. 225-6009, intensa@wol.racsa.co.cr.
Instituto Shakespeare, Avenida 10, Calles 7/9, tel. 257-5238.
Latin American Language Center. U.S. contact: 7485 Rush River Dr., Sacramento, CA, tel. 916-447-0938.
Centro Cultural Costarricense-Norteamericano, Calle 37, Avenida Central, tel. 225-9433, fax 224-1480, ccrrna@sol.racsa.co.cr (P.O. Box 1489-1000, San José). Associated with the U.S. government. Features computer-assisted grammar-tuning, conversation partners, possible college credits. Facilities are rated excellent by readers, fees are slightly lower than elsewhere.
In addition, assorted colleges and universities in the United States offer credit courses in Spanish in Costa Rica. For more information, look at the postings at the Spanish or Romance Languages department at a large university near wherever you happen to be. The Universidad Autónoma de Centro América, tel. 225-5878, fax 225-2907, pre-arranges college credits in the United States for a number of its Spanish-as-a-second-language courses.
. . . OR NOT LEARN THE LANGUAGE . . .
One of the remarkable aspects of Costa Rica, for me, at least, is how many foreign residents do not speak Spanish, yet get along just splendidly. Over and over again, I've seen hotel owners, charter boat operators and retirees speak to their employees and associates and Costa Rican spouses in English (or French or German), and get exactly what they want.
It's not that the Ticos understand every word. Most can decipher little, if any, English. But the cultural differences between North Americans and natives are far fewer than in many other Latin American nations, where even fluent Spanish might be of little use in deciphering local ways.
Ticos can usually figure out what you want, even if you can't exactly express it, and they are almost universally willing to help a foreigner out. So if you don't speak a word of Spanish, and don't think you have much chance of learning any, just don't worry about it. You'll get by.
. . . OR GO TO SCHOOL . . .
The University for Peace, at Ciudad Colón, west of San José, offers masters degrees in human rights, education for peace, and communication for peace, as well as courses on natural resources. Most instruction is in Spanish, though exams may be written in English or French. For information, write to P. O. Box 199-1250, Escazú, Costa Rica.
Private institutions of higher education that regularly admit foreign students include:
National University, P. O. Box 217-1017, San José, tel. 231-5855, fax 231-7569. U.S.-accredited.
Instituto Centroamericano para la Administración de Empresas, P. O. Box 960-4050, San Pedro, tel. 241-2255, fax 243-9101. M.B.A. programs.
Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica, P. O. Box 6495-1000 San José, tel. 234-6262. Puerto Rican-accredited.
Universidad Internacional de las Americas, P. O. Box 1447-1002, San José, tel. 233-5304.
Friends World College, P. O. Box 8496-1000, San José, tel. 225-0289. Quaker-associated.
Universidad Autónoma de Centro América, P. O. Box 7637-1000, San José, tel. 234-0701.
ICAI, mentioned above under language programs, periodically offers seminars and conferences that include meetings with regional politicians. In the U.S., contact Consortium for International Education, P. O. Box 188882, Irvine, CA 92713, tel. 714-955-1700, fax 714-955-2945.
ICADS (Instituto de Estudios de Desarrollo Centroamericano), mentioned above under language study, has semester-abroad programs in ecology, women's studies, journalism, and other fields. Fees are $4000 to $5500, plus transportation.
The Organization for Tropical Studies, directly and in collaboration with various universities, offers courses in tropical biology, ecology and forestry at its research stations at La Selva and Wilson Gardens. Write to P. O. Box DM, Duke Station, Durham, NC 27706 (tel. 919-684-5774) or P. O. Box 676-2050 San Pedro, Costa Rica.
Biology programs at Monteverde are available through the Council on International Educational Exchange, 205 East 42 St., New York, NY 10017.
Other broad programs in humanities and the natural and social sciences are offered by American universities with campuses or offices in Costa Rica. Generally, you must be already enrolled in the university before you can take its courses in Costa Rica.
. . . AND SEND THE KIDS TO SCHOOL
Various schools offer English and bilingual programs, following a curriculum compatible with that of school systems in the United States, Britain, and other countries.
Among them:
The British School of Costa Rica, Rohrmoser, P. O . Box 8184-1000 San José, tel. 220-0131, fax 232-7833.
Colegio Lincoln, Moravia, tel. 235-7733.
Colegio Humboldt, Rohrmoser, tel. 232-1455.
Colegio Metodista, San Pedro, tel. 225-0655.
Costa Rica Academy, north of San José, tel. 239-0974.
Country Day School, Escazú, tel. 289-3588.
European School, Heredia, tel. 237-3709.
International Christian School, San Miguel de Santo Domingo, tel. 236-8362.
Marian Baker School, San Ramón de Tres Ríos, tel. 234-3426.
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