During your stay in Gandoca you will be hosted by a local family and will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in our culture, tradition and practice Spanish every day with your new family members.
During the program you will be:
- Supporting conservation projects such as the sea turtle project in Gandoca.
- Working closely with local organic cocoa farmers, supporting them on their farms and learning about sustainable and environmentally friendly ways to use the land.
- Engaging in group discussions about environmental conservation and culture.
- Participating in dynamic, interactive, immersion Spanish conversation classes to help you improve or learn basic language skills. These non-traditional lessons go beyond the typical classroom experience and get you out and speaking!
- Enjoying organized tours such as hiking, snorkeling, dolphin watching, a lagoon tour and a waterfall tour.
- Connecting with students from the elementary and high school and learning about the Costa Rican education and school system.
- Participating in a traditional cooking classes as well as in cultural activities and sports.
What does the program include?
- All transportation during your stay in Costa Rica
- Hotel
- Host family stay and meals
- Certified bilingual tour guides and leaders
- Tours
- Conservation projects fees* These fees are charged by organizations to ensure they are able to keep doing sustainable, high-quality conservation work.
- Spanish conversation classes
- Cooking class
- Assistance available 24/7 during your stay with us
This program is designed for junior high, high school and college students. A minimum of ten students and one teacher is required for junior high and high school student groups. A teacher is not required for college groups. You will have a certified leader from Gandoca to guide you during your entire program. Please contact us and we will customize a program that meets your interests and needs!
Itinerary example:
Week 1
| Day | Activities |
| 1 | Travel to the hotel from the airport and Orientation meeting |
| 2 | Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) tour, travel to Gandoca, meet your host family |
| 3 | Gandoca community tour, group discussion, Spanish class, sea turtle conservation |
| 4 | Work on organic Cacao farm, Spanish class and sea turtle conservation |
| 5 | Gandoca lagoon tour, Spanish class, sea turtle conservation |
| 6 | Cooking class, Spanish class, group discussion and sea turtle conservation |
| 7 | Work on organic Cacao farm, Spanish class and sea turtle conservation |
Week 2
| Day | Activities |
| 8 | Recreational activity with local elementary or high school, Spanish class, sea turtle conservation |
| 9 | Work on an organic farm, waterfall tour, sea turtle conservation |
| 10 | Lagoon tour, Group discussion, Spanish class, sea turtle conservation |
| 11 | Work on Cocoa organic farm, Spanish class, sport activity, sea turtle conservation |
| 12 | Closing discussion and activity |
| 13 | Travel to hotel in San Jose |
| 14 | Travel to the airport |