PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This exciting four week program will change the way you look at the world forever! Members of the ASU group live in a typical town with typical families in Costa Rica and study Spanish in a language school that specializes in teaching Spanish to speakers of English. An ASU faculty member accompanies the group.     
 

THE LOCATION The group will live for three weeks in the town of San Joaquín de Flores, which is located in the Central Valley, just 20 minutes from the capital city of San José. Participants can travel independently by bus to San José and to the smaller city of Heredia (10 minutes) for shopping, museums, restaurants, and a variety of other cultural activities. For the fourth week of the program, the group will move to the mountainous, cloud forest area of Monteverde.

THE HOSTS

Each program participant will live with a host family in San Joaquín and in Monteverde. Host families are carefully screened and only speak Spanish. This is a unique opportunity and an unforgettable way to learn first-hand about Costa Ricans and their way of life.
 

THE SCHOOL Program participants will study for three weeks at the Heredia campus of the Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI), and then will move to the Monteverde campus of the same school for the final week of the program. Immersion classes are taught by Costa Rican instructors and include heavy doses of hands-on activities and conversation. Students are placed in classes at their proficiency level, and class size is limited to no more than four students. Classes meet for four hours a day on weekdays, with a leisurely break for students to enjoy typical Costa Rican snacks in a comfortable, tropical setting. Students may register for various ASU courses through this program and will earn 6 credits at the appropriate level.

EXCURSIONS AND ACTIVITIES

The program also includes escorted tours to allow participants to become more familiar with some areas of cultural significance. Guided orientation excursions to San José and Heredia help participants to feel secure in going there later on their own. Participants also take half-day trips to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and to Café Britt, which includes a very entertaining tour of a coffee plantation and processing plant. The sightseeing highlight of the program is a weekend on the beach at Manuel Antonio National Park, where you can also see a great deal of wildlife. Many optional tours are offered by CPI as well. Other cultural activities, such as classes in Costa Rican cooking and Latin American dance, as well as soccer games with local children, are also included in the price of the program.
 

REQUIREMENTS

Students with no prior Spanish study at ASU must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. All students must register for the appropriate level of class in the Spanish sequence at ASU.
 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? WHEN ARE THE APPLICATION AND PAYMENT DEADLINES?

Program price: $4,117* . This cost may be paid in installments. The payment schedule is as follows:

Some forms of financial aid may be applied to this program, so participants should see a financial aid counselor as soon as possible.

Contact the ASU Office of International Programs for additional information. This office will assist students in acquiring a passport and the ISIC.

*Cost is based on estimated fares for 12 participants and could increase or decrease slightly, depending on the actual airfare when tickets are booked.
 

WHAT IS INCLUDED? • Airfare and significant ground transportation in Costa Rica • A private room with a Costa Rican host family •ASU tuition for 6 credit hours • Two meals a day with the host family • Weekday immersion classes at el Centro Panamericano de Idiomas and all class materials • Cultural activities • Included sightseeing excursions: San José City Tour, Café Britt; La Paz Waterfall Garden, weekend at Manuel Antonio. Transportation, tour guide and lunch are included on all excursions. Breakfasts and dinners are included during the trip to Manuel Antonio.   WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PRICE? • The cost of a passport • Required health and evacuation insurance ($34)

• Daily lunch

• Additional money for things such as gifts and personal expenses

• Program price: $4,117*

*Cost is based on estimated fares for 12 participants and could increase or decrease slightly, depending on the actual airfare when tickets are booked.

FOR COURSE CONTENT INFORMATION  For additional information, contact Dr. Ruth Owens at 972-3481 or 680-8213 or rsupko@astate.edu.