Jane Gantz
“Thank you so much! I hope you know how much I loved studying at Intercultura. To this day, after studying at language schools in Mexico, Spain, Perú, and Uruguay, Intercultura is the best school I have attended. It’s not only because the instruction is the best, but the administration is top notch. To this day, I always recommend Intercultura to friends (like Laurie Levine) who want to study Spanish!!!”
Jane Gantz (repeat student of many years) from USA
2018
Jake Fisher
“La experiencia mía en Intercultura me cambío la vida.”
Jake Fischer – Return Student
Annette L.
How can you go wrong when the school is literally on the beach. They even have outdoor showers, hammocks and changing room. You walk out the front gate and you are on the beach. Every day you walk to and from school on the beach. Sámara is a beautiful small beach town but has lots of restaurants and bars and is great if you want to try surfing. The school is very organized and has set levels for classes…every classroom has AC and a smart board. There’s wifi and free coffee, tea, filtered water and use of the kitchen and refrigerator…I had a great time and absolutely loved the beach!”
Annette L. from Switzerland
2018
Esie Jordan
“Studying in Heredia was so much fun. The Spanish teachers, the salsa classes at school, the food and the city energy was amazing. It felt like a calm, more intimate, sunnier town in London. I felt right at home. I visited the Samara campus too. It’s chilled and utterly scenic, right on the beach, really fun and dynamic teachers. Spending time in both places is great, I was able to practice the Spanish I learnt in such different environments. I’m so glad I experienced both campuses! I even ended up coming back to teach English here, had an amazing time and am so sorry I have to leave!”
Esie Jordan from UK
November 2022 to June 2023
Thomas Schoenrich y Christine Meyer
“Even though it has been a few days since we left Samara, I would like to thank you all again.
Our language course last week was a lot of fun and I think we have learned a lot that we can use on our trip through Costa Rica.
The school is very well organized and from the pick up in Liberia to our last course day, also with our mama tica, everything worked out perfectly. Many greetings to all.”
Thomas Schoenrich y Christine Meyer from Germany
2023
Britton Varn & Kids
I wholeheartedly recommend Intercultura for both adults and kids. Three of my kids (ages 12, 9, and 7) enrolled there for 12 weeks last spring and had a fabulous experience. We were at the Heredia campus for 9 weeks and the Samara campus for 3 weeks. My kids had very basic Spanish before we went (numbers, colors, shapes, etc.), but zero comprehension or conversation skills. Upon enrolling in school again here Colorado, my 7th grade son’s middle school evaluated him in Spanish, and his Spanish level is beyond what they offer in the three years of middle school classes. The teacher placed him at a 2nd year, 2nd semester high school level. And both my 2nd and 4th grade daughters were able to enter into a full-Spanish immersion elementary program here. My 4th grade daughter’s teachers says that her conversation skills are better than her peers who have been in the program for 3 years. All that’s to say, I was extremely pleased at the progress that my kids made in 3 months! We are hoping to return and attend classes at Intercultura on a regular basis. I attended there for a month when I was in college as well, and it was definitely a turning point for me in my conversation and comprehension skills.
As to the safety of the area, I would feel comfortable sending my own son alone in a couple of years. I was there alone (my husband had to stay in the U.S. for work) with four kids and never had any problems. If your son is responsible, he will do great. I trust the staff to take good care of the teens. Your son will learn a ton and visit some amazing places.
United States
January – April 2018, 3-month program
Nicole Head
Family & Kids Program – Samara Beach Campus: We absolutely fell in love with Intercultura and can’t wait to come again. We took classes for 2 weeks and all of our teachers were very thoughtful, engaging, and talented. I made giant leaps in my Spanish skills, but more importantly, my kids couldn’t get enough. My 9 year old daughter had been in a dual-language immersion school in the U.S. for 3 years and had never spoken Spanish in front of me. If I spoke in Spanish to her, she would get frustrated and ask me to please speak in English. After just one week at Intercultura, she was happily chatting with me in Spanish and asked me if we could keep speaking in Spanish together in the U.S.. She even got up in front of the entire school to read a poem in Spanish. My 7 year old son, who had been more comfortable learning Spanish, made huge gains, and he felt confident leaving my side to go into class every day. That was a huge surprise and definitely a testament to how well he bonded with his teacher. We loved the empanadas and casadas available for purchase during breaks, the excursions, and the cultural immersion classes/language practice available after school. We felt fully immersed in both the beautiful language and the culture of Costa Rica.
USA
July 2018
Camille Cumberbatch
Family & Kids Program – Heredia Campus: I cannot express the depth of our thanks to you and your wonderful team for the amazing experience we are having in Costa Rica and with Intercultura Costa Rica!!!
Our Mama Tica- Jeanette is an exceptional hostess! She is kind, considerate, helpful, generous and loving. We are very comfortable and happy staying at her home where she and her sons make us feel like family. We are all learning so much about the Costa Rican lifestyle and values system.
Joshua is thoroughly enjoying his class experience and loves the dancing and meeting other international students. He is learning plenty from his teacher Annia, whom he respects and values deeply. He is definitely benefiting from his sessions with her.
The overall service has been exceptional! This whole process was problem free and stress less which we deeply appreciated. The administrative staff at the school were always welcoming, hospitable and helpful. The Costa Rican people are truly blessed and are a blessing to others.
We extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to you and the rest of the Intercultura team and truly hope to return with more friends in the future to enjoy Pura Vida!!
Muchas gracias,
Camille, Mike and Joshua
July 2017
Marie-Claude Perrault
The Best Experience
”Intercultura provided me with an incredible and life changing experience. I was impressed with the quality of the teaching and the friendliness of the teachers. Everybody at Intercultura wants you to have a great time and an enriching experience and they go out of their way to ensure it. You will meet students from all over and feel you are travelling the world while being in Costa Rica. The family stay provides a great opportunity to get to know Costa Rican culture.
The school in Heredia is very conducive to learning. It has a beautiful interior courtyard which provides an ideal setting to meet other students while enjoying good coffee during breaks. As for the beach campus, it is absolutely amazing. Located in Samara, a small typical beach village, you will quickly feel at home and have countless opportunities to meet local new friends to practice your Spanish.
Don’t miss the cooking and dancing classes organized by the school: another chance to meet new friends, learn about the local culture and practice your Spanish. Make sure you keep some extra days to visit the amazing natural sites this small country has to offer: national parks, beautiful beaches, coffee plantations and spectacular volcanoes. Go and see for yourself why Costa Rica is also called the Switzerland of Central America.”
Maria S. – Pinkerton Academy student
This trip completely changed my life for the better. The experience was unbelievable and so much more than I ever could have asked for. The memories I made will travel with me for my entire life and I am so thankful.
The people were amazing, the chaperones were amazing, the trip was amazing. I cannot say one bad thing, it was worth every penny. Not only did my Spanish improve but my ability to speak up in situations did too. I became so comfortable in talking to complete strangers through the home stay and the intercambio. I also learned about the history of Costa Rica and a little bit about Peru because my teacher was from there. It was such a culturally enriching trip and I would not trade one second of it for the world. Not only was it educational in an interesting way but it was fun. Those two weeks were some of the happiest times of my life. Everything was just pure fun. It truly was a highlight of my life.
2016 Pinkerton Academy group, USA, at our HEREDIA CITY CAMPUS
USA
Francois Gauthier
…Una vez mas mi estancia a la escuela de Samara fue tanto agradable. La gente de la escuela (administración, profesores, personas por el mantenimiento) son realmente simpáticos. Fue para me muy agradable de conocer otra duena de la escuela !
Si Dios quiere, voy a regresar en Samara el ano próximo y espero que podemos vernos de nuevo ! Feedback from January 2020
“¡Buenas tardes amigas! Durante los tres últimos anos efectué reserva para Intercultural a este periodo del ano. Este año sera un poco diferente y desgraciadamente, no iré en enero a Samara…. Es un poco triste para me pero es la vida ! Otra vez indedudablamente !! Sé que voy a pensar a toto la familia de Intercultural en enero !! Habiendo pertenecido a Intercultural de Samara durante tres años consecutivos, me gustaría usted aporta mis comentarios y sugerencias que conciernen al conjunto de mis estancias.
La acogida del conjunto del personal durante todas mis estancias, la calidad de los cursos, la competencia de los profesores, todo es verdaderamente impecable y muy profesional. Discutiendo con otros estudiantes que siguieron cursos en otras escuelas de Costa Rica o en otros paises, comprobé que Intercultural de Samara verdaderamente era la escuela la más apreciada por la mayoría de los estudiantes.
El “homestay” fue para mí a cada una de mis visitas una experiencia muy agradable y verdaderamente estuve muy satisfecho. Las actividades propuestas durante los fines de semana y durante semanas son muy adecuadas y pertinentes…
Hasta la próxima mi amigas et salud à todo la familia de Intercultura!”
Francois Gautier (Paquito) – Repeat yearly student – 2013 to 2023
QC, Canada
