Ratings and Comments for La Escuela Del Sol
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Student ratings for La Escuela Del Sol
Overall Ratings:
Evaluation from pdesouza1:
Evaluation from bsutter:
I can honestly say that my experience at La Escuela del Sol was one of the best experiences of my life. When I left for Costa Rica, I had taken some college level Spanish, but I could hardly say two words to a native speaker. When I returned home to the States, I was able to have full conversations with native speakers with ease. Plus it counted towards my foreign language require at UC Irvine. I went for the month long Spanish and Surfing program. I had never surfed before and I'll admit that I was a bit scared about going out there. The surf instructor Mauricio was one of the most laid back guys I have ever met. He taught me everything and in no time i was riding the big waves with ease. The beaches in Montezuma are nothing short of beautiful and I enjoyed getting out there everyday. All of the school staff were great too. The program director Jeremy Levine is a great guy. He helped me set up everything before I arrived and before I left. He even had me over to his house to watch Sunday night football. The teachers were great too. They never rushed over anything and took the time to make sure that I understood every Spanish lesson and worked to apply it. The classroom is outdoors on this terrace overlooking a river and the rainforest. It was such a great atmosphere that I didn't even feel like I was in class most of the time. The food in Montezuma is delicious and cheap and there is a plethora of eating options. There are countless outdoor activities to do and public transportation can easily get you to any of the country's larger attractions on the cheap. All of the locals are friendly and willing to help someone struggling to learn their language. Overall I had a wonderful experience in Montezuma. So wonderful in fact that I am hoping to return and live there after I graduate from college. If you decide to go, you won't be disappointed.
Evaluation from rebeccap:
I just finished up a month at Escuela Del Sol taking Spanish and surfing classes and I absolutely loved it. The staff is amazing; the teachers go above and beyond to help you not only with the program but also with adjusting to life within Montezuma. The Spanish classes were great, we had a good solid two hours of class time and then we would go into the community and practice with the locals. This made it very easy to get to know the people in town and also really helped to improve my Spanish skills. By the time I finished the program I had fallen in love with Montezuma and decided to stay longer. The teachers went out of their way to help me find a place to live and a volunteer position at the local elementary school. I highly recommend this school to anyone who wants to learn Spanish, the school is very supportive and has close ties to the local community.
Evaluation from Marty:
I just returned from 2 weeks of Spanish immersion and yoga classes. La Escuela Del Sol is set right in the jungle and near a beach. I went to sleep with the sound of waves crashing and awoke to the sounds of male howler monkeys accouncing their locations to other howlers. Great place to forget about the rat-race world and focus your mind on learning Spanish or just relaxing. Many thanks to Jeremy for making the process of getting there and leaving more-or-less seamless for me. To my yoga teacher, Dagmar, you had my body in positions I'd never imagined! As for accomodations - rooms were modest but sufficient. Just wish the rooms had little fridges - hence the 4 not 5 stars. But biggest thanks goes to my Spanish profesora, Andrea Hoyos. Because of you: ¡Mis labios podrán hablar Inglés, pero mi corazón anhela a hablar español! (My lips may speak English, but my heart yearns to speak Spanish!) ¡Ay de mi!
Evaluation from lahmcc:
Evaluation from BashaJoy:
I can’t say enough good words about Esquela del Sol! It was so well run. I went with my husband and daughter this past December and we all had a fabulous time. The classes were excellent. The teachers were super. The view was beautiful. The layout of the school/dorm was perfect. The school is just a short walk from town, where much of the action is. The food all around was delicious. We found monkeys nearby to look at. There’s a small waterfall next to the hotel and a spectacular one accessible by a nearby path. The ‘extra trips’ were out of this world (horseback riding on the beach, snorkeling, etc.)The people were friendly and helpful. The program was well designed and we all improved our Spanish! The yoga classes were inspiring and the views phenomenal. (Other friends took poi and surfing and enjoyed that.) The fellow students were great and we had our own ‘community’, which felt good. Jeremy and his staff were very helpful. We can’t wait to return.
Evaluation from drose:
I cannot begin to tell you what a wonderful experience La Escuela del Sol provided me during my trip to Montezuma, Costa Rica. When my best friend mentioned she had heard about this school and wanted to go there to learn poi, I decided to look into it. I did my research and soon thereafter I was enrolled in the program. Jeremy and Rebecca made sure to communicate every step of the way before the trip, which was beyond comforting. Once we arrived, they continued to go out of their way to help make this vacation practically perfect. The orientation on the first day covered everything i had questions about. Also, it introduced me to the other students at the school-- and that alone was great because from that point on, there was a big group of us always planning things to do together. They offered assistance and advice when it came to activities, and enabled me to take part in all the things I have ever wanted to cross off my "bucket-list"-- including hiking to a giant waterfall, snorkeling off a beautiful island, and horseback riding on the beach. The friends I met at the school were enrolled in classes that I was not (surfing and poi) and after many days of raving about their instructors, I went with them to watch. I was very impressed with how the classes were handled, and how quickly the techniques were learned. I will be recommending this school to everyone I know who wants to travel to paradise and have some help exploring it. Thank you to everyone at La Escuela del Sol for giving me the best trip of my life. Pura vida!
Evaluation from Rosellen:
Evaluation from sinsashon:
I hope you can help me a lot
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La Escuela Del Sol was one of the most memorable and fantastic experiences in my life. Having finished my first year at UCLA, I decided to study abroad over the summer to continue my study of Spanish. I stumbled upon La Escuela Del Sol, and was absolutely glad I did. I ended up signing up for the Spanish/Surfing lessons; by the end of the program I found myself speaking Spanish with ease and riding waves all by myself (I had never touched a surfboard before I got to Montezuma!). The adventurous spirit I developed there has continued to stay with me; I fostered a new sense of independence while there, traveling the country by myself during an extended weekend and seeing volcanoes, hot springs, waterfalls and much more. The Spanish teachers are kind and friendly, and the program director Jeremy was one of the most helpful people I've encountered. He helped facilitate my receiving credit at UCLA and helped with accommodations at Montezuma. Having surfed for three weeks straight, I ended up getting an ear infection sufficiently termed as "surfer's ear." I could count on Jeremy to take me to the closest clinic for care. That is the type of kindness I received from all the great teachers and people I met through La Escuela Del Sol. My adventures - well ... I'd say canopy touring, horseback riding to private waterfalls, rope swinging at waterfalls, hiking a volcano, walking on hanging bridges, seeing the amazing wild life, ATVing by the beach and through the rain forest, boating to a tropical "paradise-like" island, snorkeling, surfing everyday, and traveling via bus, taxi, ferry, taxi, bus, and taxi again to end up in La Fortuna where I spelunked a cave, rappelled a waterfall, saw an amazing waterfall, and spent time in one of the greatest hot spring resorts in the world ... well I'd say all of that was priceless... and I have the pictures to prove it! La Escuela Del Sol was an amazing experience for me, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking to learn Spanish and have some great adventures in one of the most beautiful countries of the world.