Located in the province of Puntarenas, on the pacific coast of Costa Rica, is the town of Quepos which is one of the largest coastal communities and once a thriving fishing port. Quepos is situated only 7 km's away from the Manuel Antonio National Park and is in the ideal location for students wishing to explore the national park. It's very popular with tourists.

Quepos offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean together with the aroma of the ocean, evergreen vegetation and an exquisite mix of comfort and adventure. Manuel Antonio was designated as a National Park in 1972, preserving more than 1,700 acres of land, almost 136,000 of ocean, a variety of 109 mammals and 187 different species of birds that inhabit its coasts and forests.

One of the most popular parks in the country, Manuel Antonio contains a charming combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. Its beaches are some of the most beautiful in the country, lined with lush forest, and the excellent snorkeling. The forest is home to sloths, iguanas, the rare and adorable squirrel monkeys and millions of colorful little crabs. And the trail that winds around Punta Catedral affords some spectacular views. The park is easy to reach, just south of Quepos.

Manuel Antonio has two beaches and both have beautiful white sands and transparent waters bordering the vegetation, which offers shade to visitors wishing to rest from the warm sun that always shines on the beaches.

Marine fauna and flora are abundant and varied, offering lovers of water sports such as diving or fishing, an excellent place to satisfy their ecosystem exploration and learning desires. Also, some times of the year you can observe whales migrating and dolphins playing with the boats.

Quepos is small but offers a selection of shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, and a good mix of foreign students and locals, which gives the town a cultural feel hard to find in other parts of the country.

It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad. Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.

Students fly into San Jose international airport and then catch a bus to Manuel Antonio, the bus trip is between 4-6 hours. It is also possible to fly to Manuel Antonio, approx. cost one way $50.00, students can arrange this upon arrival.
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Great beaches with relaxing nightlife.
Visit a true rainforest
Eco tours
Beautiful National park
Local wildlife
Many international students at school
Good School with great views
Academic credit available
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Located high on the hill just off the main road between Quepos and Manuel Antonio, our school offers spectacular views over the Pacific Ocean and beautiful green coastline. The school is surrounded by mature vegetation, palm trees and even offers a nature trail through the forest for a brief break time walk or to explore after classes. The school also offers a on campus butterfly farm and teachers will teach students all about the breeding of butterflies, starting from the egg on to the caterpillar then to the cocoon stage and finally the metamorphosis to the adult butterfly. Imagine yourself in a garden of flying colors, watching as they gracefully land on your shoulder, hovering around you as you walk through one of the most fascinating elements of our tropical rain forest.

The school occupies a two story building on the west side of the hill, it has 7 classrooms, can hold about 40 students and was founded in 1992. There is indoor and outdoor social area's and students will find close to the school all the facilities they need including cafes, bars, shops, banks etc. The school is on the main road linking Quepos and Manuel Antonio, so public bus transport is very easy to both towns and host families. Quepos is about 10 minutes and Manuel Antonio and the beach is about 5 minutes by bus.

The school offers limited organized cultural activities due to the huge amount of activities offered in the area, students normally arrange activities together or with the help of the school. Manuel Antonio national park offers a huge variety of things to do, hiking, explore on foot or horseback, visit the hot springs. The trails offer visitors the chance to walk a through tropical rain forest, watch for the amazing wildlife and Bird watching is a must.

Other activities available include, Turtle watching, surfing, snorkeling and diving, deep-sea fishing, white water rafting and canopy riding in the tops of the tree's, a fun experience. This school is ideal for the active student who enjoys nature, the beach and meeting new international travelers.
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Standard: 4 Lessons daily (20 lessons per week) Max. 6 students per class. Minimum program 2 weeks, no one week programs available at this school.

Our programs cater for all language levels from absolute beginners to the more advanced, include the use of course materials and provide a variety of options to enhance your program. To allow for more individualized attention, enrollment is limited to 35 students monthly. For more information please see Prices and Start Dates.

Each student will be expected to take a short placement test on the first Monday morning of the course (unless a complete beginner), to determine the students language level and ensure placement in the correct class. Lessons are usually held in the mornings, starting at 9 am, which leave the afternoons free for social or cultural activities, trips, workshops, short excursions or free time to relax or explore on your own.

Teachers are native speakers and many are University educated with years of teaching experience. They will help enhance your speaking, listening, grammar and general comprehension skills. They will also use interactive techniques such as role-play, games and perhaps videos to support lesson content. Current political, social and cultural materials are integrated to add interest and increase knowledge of the host country and culture. Homework assignments are given and students will be tested. If total immersion becomes a difficulty, we offer supplemental instruction in English once a week in order to clarify any doubts. For more information please see Course Outline.

Our school follows the total immersion methodology; therefore, classes are conducted completely in Spanish, the interaction with families is completely in Spanish and the textbooks used at the school are also entirely in Spanish. All the textbooks have been designed by the school and are patented and copy written with the Library of Congress in the United States for their uniqueness.

After classes are over for the day, our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, customs and everyday life. Our optional cultural and social activities allow you to make new friends among your new international classmates, experience cultural and social activities together, and also practice your new language skills in real life situations. In some cases, a small additional fee will be charged to cover local transport and entrance costs.

One day a week, students participate in a field trip that focuses on a social or environmental issue in the Manuel Antonio area or the town of Quepos. Also free conversational classes are always offered for students to practice before and after class.

At the weekend many students can arrange to take optional excursions to local cities or local places of interest. These excursions are slightly more expensive than the daily activities ($10-$40), as they are normally full day or full weekend excursions and could include (transport, meals entrance fees and even accommodation). If you are interested in sight-seeing by yourself or with other class mates, our school staff are more than willing to assist you with any questions you may have and help you book local travel or excursions.

NOTES: School is closed on all public holidays, private lessons and options can be added to any program, lessons normally last 50 minutes, you will be studying with students from around the world, lessons run from Monday - Friday , you will be expected to arrive early on the first Monday morning to take the placement test, a language proficiency certificate is available at the end of the program. Please see the program info and resource links, for additional information or please contact us.
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Host Family: (private room) 2 meals daily.
First night accommodation will be spent in a hotel in Quepos/Manuel Antonio.

Living with a host family is probably the best and most effective way to become fully immersed into the language and culture of your chosen country. All families are chosen after a careful selection procedure and are visited regularly by the school to ensure that high living standards are maintained. As many of our host families live in the surrounding neighborhoods, the trip to school, is usually not more than 20 minutes away.

Students have access to all living areas in the house and in most cases, will be expected to share the bathroom. All bed linens and pillows will be provided, however we suggest you bring your own towels. The family provides a laundry service.

Staying in a family is a truly wonderful experience and many students make lifetime friends with their host family. However, you should also have realistic expectations and recognize that an element of flexibility is required to adjust to the local customs and way of life. Your host family may not have the same comforts as your own home but you will always be treated as a guest and free to come and go as you wish.

NOTES: Airport transfers to the accommodation may be included or available (at an additional cost, please check price page), the Sunday night accommodation before your course begins on Monday, is included. All meals will be local custom and meal times may be different to what you are used to, however you are not obligated to eat all your meals with the family, just notify them when you will not be returning to eat at home. Our families are diverse with young couples without children, couples with children (of all age groups) and older couples with grown children who are no longer at home. Extra nights are available at extra cost. Please see the Accommodation link for additional information.
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