By La' India S., a Teen Delegate participating in AmeriSpan's Coronado Independent Teen program

My experience in Costa Rica is ending. This is my third week and the opportunity to come to this country was more than words can describe. Today I went to a wonderful cafe with a friend that we adore. The food is great and the service is excellent. I had the best hot chocolate I ever tasted and we shared a dish. I can`t quite remember what the dish was called, but there are no words to described the delicious taste. It was asparragus wrapped in ham with cheese all over the top. On the side there were the best vegetables I ever tasted. A three year old that would not dare touch a piece of broccoli would love them! Afterwards, for dessert, we ordered and shared a strawberry crepe. It had ice cream and whipped topping with fresh strawberries. Again, delicious beyond compare. Here, in Costa Rica, they continue to surprise me with their foods. None of the foods that I have had so far had been what I expected and they are always amazing.We have already made plans to come back to Costa Rica in 3 years. Puerto Viejo and Coronado will be our first stops.

This week I had the opportunity to go on vacation with my host family. We went to Alajuela , a providence of San Jose. They rented a house along with their cousins. The house was beautiful. It had a pool with a jacuzzi, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a ping pong and pool table, and lots of pretty furniture. I was honored to have them invite me.We danced and ate, and I watched and laughed as my host father and the boys played ping pong. I feel so at home with my host family. I am very close to my host brother and host sisters. They treat me like another member of the family. Sometimes I forget that I don`t speak Spanish fluently and that I don`t live here because we communicate so well. We play the wii and uno and always laugh constantly, even at the dinner table. It is a perfect match.

On Saturday I toured Coronado and shopped for last minute souvenirs. It is so easy to get around here. Since Coronado is famous for the church in the center of the town, as long as you know where the church is you can basically find your way anywhere.While shopping, I brought a pair of flip flops that caught my eye. I just had to haved them. Also, the sales woman was great. She did her job perfectly. Always kept a smile and if I didn`t like something or if it was too much, she showed me the alternatives just in case there was something else I liked, but did not see before. I also found to children`s books for my little cousins. The story is in English and Spanish, and it was their favorite characters, Toy Story and Minnie Mouse. On Monday, due to a Costa Rican holiday school was closed. My friend Jessica and I decided to go to San Jose for the day. We had a good time except for the fact we got lost. Since taxis are extremely cheap here we caught one to the bus station that we couldn`t find since we are both bad with directions. We went to two Mercados in San Jose and walked around. I brought a necklace for my brother with a serpent on it and a shot glass for my dad. There was so much to choose from and a great variety. We also ate a typical Costa Rican dish called casado. Casado contains the following: rice and beans(arroz con frijoles), salad(ensalada), and a chose of meat. The meat could be beef(carne), chicken(pollo), fish (pescado), or porkchop (chuleta). We both still can not believe we are here, in COSTA RICA! So far it has been an incredible trip even with school at eight in the morning! Hasta luego

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Discover AmeriSpan's Coronado Independent Teen program

The school has a few drivers on staff that they use for airport pick-up and to bring students places sometimes. One of the drivers picked me up in Heredia and brought me to school. The school is located in the San Pedro neighborhood of San Jose, which is near the Universidad area in the northeastern region of the city. The most famous thing near the school is the Costa Rican President’s House. If you need to give directions, just say that and everyone will know where to go. 

The school is in a residential neighborhood that is quiet and set back from the main road. However, it is only a few minute walk to the main road where you can find shops, restaurants, and bars. There is also a large mall within walking distance. The school is a blue 3 story building on the corner. The classrooms and small and intimate with a table, chairs, and dry erase board. I sat in on a class for a while and there were only 2 students in the class and they were at a low/mid intermediate level. They were learning how to pair verbs with conjunctions through an activity involving popsicle sticks and creating sentences. The school also has computers for the students to use. There is a small fee per minute to use them and you can pay at the end of your program. 

The school also owns a 2nd building across the street that they use in high season. There were about 4 or 5 additional classrooms as well as a giant room used to hold dance classes and other activities for large groups. 

I also got a little driving tour of the University of Costa Rica campus. It’s a few minutes away, so there are lots of college-aged students there and places catering to them. 

Visit our website for more information about our Spanish programs in San Jose, or our College Study Abroad program in San Jose.