Living in Liberia, Costa Rica

I was warned from people in San Jose, Costa Rica, that it would be hot in Liberia, but coming from January weather in Kentucky, I took their advice lightly and expected Liberia to be a nice 75 degrees like the capital city. At the halfway stop...

Building my Spanish Skills at Estelar

I have had the wonderful opportunity to take intensive Spanish classes at Instituto Estelar! These classes have been everything a foreign language class should be: dynamic, challenging, full of conversation, and very fun. The staff and profess...

A Pura Vida Experience

My experience studying Spanish at Estelar has been all I hoped for and more. The colorful building has provided both a place to relax away from the Guanacaste sun, as well a sociable environment, conducive ...

My Spanish Immersion Experience

“Felicidades Carla, tu has completado Avanzado 5!” Those words felt like a weight off my shoulders when I heard them said, due to the fact that completing this level of Spanish had proved to be the most challenging yet rewarding exper...

My Spanish Obsession

We all know that there are some bad obsessions to have. In fact, the word obsession usually has a negative connotation. For example, it’s not a good idea to be obsessed over an ex who doesn’t think about you anymore. It’s not healthy to be consumed with havi...

My Experience Teaching English in Costa Rica

After ten years of doing Accounting in the states, I felt the need for a big change. I had previously lived in another country and was beginning to feel the need for a new culture and a new experience. I decided to try to teach English in a Spanish-speaking country, so that ...

Adventures in Liberia, Costa Rica

My plane landed at the local airport July 9th, 2018 at 12:40 pm. I was greeted with smiling faces and a welcoming “buenas” from every local that my path crossed;...

Spanish Immersion Program

Last week, I had the opportunity to take part in the Spanish full immersion program and it was a very rewarding experience. The classes consisted of people from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada, so it was a really interesting mix. Our teacher Caroly was absolutely am...

Tica Life: Total Immersion at Estelar

As an English teacher at Estelar Bilingue, I have met many international Spanish students that come for our Immersion Courses. I was curious how the “class in the AM and beach in the PM” lifestyle was for some of them and, fortunately, I h...

Costa Rica Living Expenses

Moving to Costa Rica was a huge adjustment for me financially. I was making good money back home, which allowed me to buy particular types of food, save money, and party when I wanted to. Things are different here, and it is harder to maintain the lifestyle that I lived back...

teach english in costa rica