Expert: Beatrice Blake - 8/18/2011

Question
QUESTION: I am looking for a true immersion experience for my ten year old kid when we visit Costa Rica for about a month.  I am not looking for a program designed for foreigners.  Rather, I would like my son to be able to join in with local kids at either a school or some sort of summer program where my kid will have a chance to hear and use his emerging Spanish. The closer I could be to him, the better (i.e. I would be happy to help with anything on site as a volunteer). I understand that in most of Costa Rica, school is in session during June/July/August. I know this is a tall order.  Any ideas?

ANSWER: Dear Liz,

One way to do it would be to check out the Cloud Forest School or the Monteverde Friends School in Monteverde. They might have summer programs, and Monteverde is a pleasant place to be. There are also English speaking people there, so your son might end up gravitating more to the English speaking people.

Do you speak Spanish? If so, you might enjoy Palmichal de Acosta,  a small town in the hills about an hour south of San José. You could rent a room with a family in the town, or you could stay at their community owned lodge, 4 kilometers uphill from the town, in the village of San Pablo. There is a small school in San Pablo that might be able to incorporate your son. If you speak Spanish, write Hernan Ramirez hernanramirez@racsa.co.cr. He runs the lodge, www.nacientespalmichal.com and has a son about your son's age that goes to the Palmichal school.

If you have any more questions, you could schedule a travel planning consultation with me by writing to beatrice@keytocostarica.com.

Hope this helps,

Beatrice
www.keytocostarica.com







---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you.  By chance do you have any connections to any schools on the Caribbean coast?  best, Liz

Answer
Dear Liz,

I am not familiar with IPED: http://www.learnspanishcostarica.com/beach-program.htm but they sound responsible.

Another idea is to contact Barry Stevens of The Bridge: www.elpuente-thebridge.org. He and his wife work with indigenous school kids there. Maybe your son could make friends with the kids they work with, or maybe you could help them out volunteering and they could direct you to the best place to learn Spanish in the Puerto Viejo area.

Please let me know if this works out: beatrice@keytocostarica.com

Best wishes.

Beatrice