Global Leadership Adventures: Costa Rica – Spanish Service Adventure Recently Updated

Live in Cartago, land of volcanoes, beautiful nature and friendly Costa Ricans, and learn to speak the language from locals. These experiences enhance your language immersion, making sure you get plenty of practice and return home a more confident Spanish speaker. Finally, if you opt to stay for our Homestay Extension, you will live with a local family in a Costa Rican community for an extra week of language skill building as well as cross-cultural immersion. Find out more!

The GLA Experiential Language Curriculum™ integrates Spanish language learning into all aspects of the experience, allowing students to take away more of the culture, and also leave more behind. From community service to excursions and cultural events, language is given a new context. Spanish class will never be the same.

Community Service

In the face of increased tourism and development, you’ll volunteer on projects focusing on the social development of rural communities and the improvement of recreational spaces. Focus on the creation of community spaces in the rural town of Cartago. Develop projects in public spaces, including schools, that are in poor condition or abandoned. Through rehabilitating safe, community-friendly spaces, we are helping to reduce school dropout rates, enhancing the abilities of children, and supporting community development.

Immersive Learning

Enhance your language learning through immersive exchanges with the community: Every hour spent at a service site or on an adventure will push you to use your Spanish skills, creating a fun and intensive learning environment. Take advantage of home visits with local families, dance classes and cooking lessons conducted in Spanish. Learn the importance of sustainable development and discuss social and environmental issues that reach far beyond Costa Rica’s borders.

Adventure

In Costa Rica, all trails lead to waterfalls, tropical forests or unspoiled beaches—there’s no shortage of opportunities to get your adrenaline pumping! Zipline through the tall canopy trees of the cloud forest, go rafting down Pacuare River’s world-class rapids (21-Day Flagship Program only) and learn to surf with the locals. Experience wildlife up close, in daily life and on an excursion to Manuel Antonio National Park. For a taste of city life, spend a night in San Jose, complete with a tour of Costa Rica’s national monuments.