Location
Costa Rica is situated on the narrow Central American isthmus directly north of Panama, with the Caribbean to the east and the Pacific to the west. The Institute The school is located in the colonial city of Heredia, approximately 20 minutes by bus from the capital city of San José. Known as the "City of Flowers," (reputedly more for its beautiful women than for its vegetation!), Heredia and its surrounding areas provide all the conveniences of a medium-sized city in an environment which has escaped, to a large extent, the normal urban problems affecting the capital. It is home to the National University, and an important cultural centre for Costa Rica. Furthermore, much of Heredia has managed to retain a typical Latin American "pueblo" feel despite increasing modernisation. The colonial church and it's plaza are still a favourite meeting place for Heredia's inhabitants, old and young. The school's central location within the city gives students easy access to transportation, shops and entertainment. At the same time, the tranquility and natural beauty of the mountains is only a few minutes away by taxi or bus. In the downtown area students are usually no more than a 5 minute walk from a variety of services, including: sports centre and olympic-size swimming pool, Internet cafés, gyms, bars, restaurants, discotheques, the National University's theatre and grounds, the International telephone office, clinics and travel agencies. The province of Heredia is the coffee-growing capital of Costa Rica, where one can still see loaded ox-carts bringing in the beans from the coffee plantations characteristic of the green mountainsides. In the rural villages you will witness a way of life very different to that of the cities, and see vestiges of the old colonial architecture once typical in the entire central valley. 

Transportation
Heredia's proximity to transportation hubs such as the airport and the central bus stations in San José make it an ideal base for your stay here. Easily accessible from the city are the nearby Poás and Barva volcanoes, and Costa Rica's numerous beaches and national parks. Thus, in addition to learning the Spanish language, you may thoroughly explore the country's natural wonders, world renowned for their beauty and biodiversity. 

The Programmes
The primary goal of the school is to teach you the Spanish language in a warm yet intellectually challenging environment. Classes at our city and beach campuses are conducted entirely in Spanish, providing students from all over the world with a complete and intensive learning experience. Our professors have advanced university degrees and teaching certification, and we are accredited through the US university system, offering undergraduate credit to those interested. In addition, you have the opportunity to come to know Costa Rica, its traditions and its rich cultural heritage by participating in our daily cultural and extracurricular activities. The quality of our programs is among the highest in Costa Rica and Latin America, as evidenced by our references: We have been selected to receive students from Duke University, the World Health Organization (WHO), Fulbright Commission teaching programs, the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), University of Washington, the European Commission, the Costa Rican Consulate in the US, Colorado University, Collège de Maisonneuve, HEBO (Holland) and more. 

Methodology
The Spanish programme uses a combination of immersion teaching methods centred around the Communicative Approach. Our aim is to enable students to really express themselves in the language. Instead of a traditional grammar program, classes are designed to provide balance between theory and practice. The course incorporates all aspects of language acquisition: conversation, grammar, reading, listening, writing, general comprehension and idiomatic expressions. In addition to formal textbooks, we use a wide variety of current materials: newspapers, literature, audio-cassettes, videos, advertisements, music, short stories and more. Classes also incorporate field-trips and out-of-class learning experiences by taking students to practice their Spanish in marketplaces, museums, buses, restaurants, and other areas where communication practice is a necessity. Thus classes remain interesting as well as educational!

Levels
Our core Spanish program consists of twelve different levels, from complete beginner through advanced. After these have been completed, students continue with six additional levels of high-advanced to superior level Spanish, which develop upon the literature used in lower levels and intensify work towards full proficiency in the various areas of language acquisition. Also covered at these levels are complex field projects, current events, linguistics, regional language usages and Costa Rican history. In addition, we have specialized courses for those who wish to study specific topics such as business, medical or media Spanish.