Tico Lingo Spanish School
Read all reviews for Tico Lingo Spanish School →
Amazing life experience ! Can't wait to go back !
Amazing life experience ! That's really what first comes to mind when I look back on my 5 week stay at the Tico Lingo school. To be honest, I already miss it ! I have smiled and laughed so much during my stay, while also feeling at times moved by the stories of each and everyone I got to meet. This experience has helped me rediscover a part of myself that had gotten swept away in the last years we've had. From day one when I walked in, I just felt at home. The school in itself is actually an old and gorgeous house that was renovated to welcome all the students in an intimate environment. It's the perfect casual setting to master a new language in small groups and to learn more about your colleague students coming from all around the world. The staff is so devoted and passionate, it's inspiring. And that's what makes this place so special. Yenifer, an amazing, sweet and hard-working woman responsible for all the student life at Tico Lingo, is just incredible ! She will go above and beyond to make sure you are living the best experience possible, while managing all the logistics around your arrival and your homestay with a Tica family. I think she's the heart of that team. Chris, the founder and director of the school, has this positive and contagious energy about him which makes you want to stick around, chat and learn more about his inspiring story and projects. I was impressed by his resilience and drive, always wanting to succeed in offering a school experience like no one else. Roberto, the Program advisor and first person I spoke to months before booking my trip, was just so helpful and attentive, truly determined to give me as much information as possible so that I could make an informed decision. I'm so glad he convinced me that Tico Lingo was the school I was looking for. And what can I say about my two professors, Kevin and Freddy : I just love them ! Kevin was my teacher for 5 weeks during the group classes and he is just a gem. So friendly, accessible, open-minded, funny and kind. He has this amazing ability to memorize everything about each student and their life stories, and to incorporate all those references in future exercices and exemples, making his classes so relatable. It's just a great way to engage with us and making us more invested in learning, speaking, and sharing. I will definitely miss my friend Kevin ! Freddy was my private teacher for about 20 hours of private classes throughout my stay. It has been a privilege to learn from this guy who is by far the most passionate teacher I have ever met in my life. With more than 20 years of experience in teaching both Spanish and English, Freddy is a grammar lover and a real professor in the truest sens of the word. Not only does he adore teaching and sharing his passion, but he is truly amazing at it. He knows his subject in and out and always has a clear answer to all your questions. I am really lucky I got to pick his brain during my stay at Tico Lingo ! Oh and I can't forget Yami, our cooking-class teacher and cleaning lady at the school, who is the definition of generosity. Every week, I took the cooking class with Yami, in part because her food is so damn good, but mostly because her smile and tenderness made me feel good. My boyfriend and I have embarked on a 3 month trip across Costa Rica and Panama, and while this project comes to an end very soon, I can honestly say that the highlight of my trip has been these 5 weeks at Tico Lingo in Heredia, learning so much Spanish and meeting amazing people with whom I truly hope to stay in touch for a very long time.