MANUEL ANTONIO, COSTA RICA 2014 Course Dates and Fees: January 20 February 14, 2014 February 19 March 18, 2014 March 24 April 18, 2014 April 23 May 20, 2014 May 26 June 20, 2014 June 25 July 22, 2014 July 28 August 22, 2014 August 27 September 23, 2014 September 29 October 24, 2014 October 27 November 21, 2014 November 24 December 19, 2014 Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica TEFL Course Fee: $1695 Accommodation from: $620 to $1250 Costa Rica is famous for the amazing diversity and beauty. The country offers everything from the rainforests, to coastal beaches, to the amazing Arenal Volcano. Costa Rica has been voted "the happiest nation on Earth". Pura Vida (The Pure Life) is the slogan of the country and the locals truly live by that motto. Students stay in Quepos (a small village near Manuel Antonio). The population of Quepos is 12,000. It is a small green town on the edge of the Manuel Antonio National Park. The National Park includes one of the best beaches on Costa Rica s Pacific Coast for swimming and snorkeling. The park is also equipped for short walks or full day hikes. Classes take place in a building with a great view of the ocean located two miles from the beach.the park is also home to a rare natural land formation called a tombolo which is a strip of sand that joins a former island to the shore. The park is a combination of rain forest and white sandy beaches abounding with flora and fauna. There are howler, squirrel and white faced monkeys, two-toed sloths, coatimundis, iguanas, over 350 species of birds and lots of other wildlife.
The TEFL Training Center: Our offices are designed with the needs of our clients in mind. All program participants receive excellent home base services and support from the local staff including: Orientation, walking tour and safety presentation Official program certificate Letter of recommendation Emergency contact 24/7 Free access to high speed internet, computers and Wi-Fi Free Spanish books and materials as well as Spanish language tutoring Free Salsa lessons and Tandem Conversation program Free coffee and tea at our on-site snack bar Teaching English in Costa Rica: Graduates interested in teaching in Costa Rica will generally find jobs in the capital, San Jose. San Jose sits in the central valley with a slightly cooler climate, forested and surrounded by tall mountains. Additionally, in partnership with Via Lingua Peru, many graduates are able to find jobs throughout Peru. For most Costa Ricans, speaking English is a way to get hired or move up the ladder in their jobs or careers. This means that many people need to know English, and there are many ESL jobs available. Food and Clothing:
Most traditional dishes in Costa Rica consist of rice and beans with other ingredients like chicken or fish and different sorts of vegetables, which is why they are really inexpensive.the most common dish for breakfast is Gallo Pinto which consists of rice mixed with black beans, served with natilla (sour cream), eggs (scrambled) and fried plantain. Costa Ricans usually drink a cup of coffee or fresh fruit juice with it.for lunch, Casados (beans, rice) are served with some sort of meat or fish and a salad, fried plantains, white cheese and corn tortilla. The difference between Gallo Pinto and Casado is that in Casados, rice and the bean are served side by side and not mixed. There is no typical meal for dinner, but another typical main dish in Costa Rica is arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) which can be served with different vegetables from the area like camote, chayote and yuca. Seafood is also common thanks to the country s proximity to both the Pacific and Caribbean. Small dishes before or in between meals are called Bocas, like black bean dip, chimichurri (tomatoes and onions in lime juice) served with tortilla chips or ceviche (fish/ shrimp with onion in lime juice). Tamale is a seasoned corn meal which is covered in plantains leaves. In the inside it has rice, beans, vegetables and meat. There are also other traditional sweet corn dishes like pozol (corn soup) or chorreadas (corn pancakes). Typical soups in Costa Rica are also very popular, such as olla de carne which is a soup with beef, potatoes, carrots, chayote, plantains and yucca, and the sopa negra, black bean soup. There are a lot of traditional Costa Rican desserts like arroz con leche (rice with milk). The rice is cooked in milk with sugar, cinnamon and other ingredients. Ensalada de frutas (fruit salad) consists of different pieces of tropical fruits, like papaya, banana, maracuya and many more. One of the most common desserts is called Tres Leches, a cake bathed in evaporated, condensed and regular milk with a whipped cream top. Climate: Although Costa Rica is a small country in terms of area, there is a lot going on here in terms of Costa Rica weather. With a climate that is diverse and varied, Costa Rica can be divided into several climatic zones, each of which are distinct and individual. Though generally classified as a tropical country because of its close proximity to the equator, Costa Rica has no real winter period, and the sun shines here throughout the year. With over 12 hours of sunshine a day, the sun rises at about 5 am and sets at about 6 pm consistently throughout the year. Costa Rica has a very casual dress code; formal attire is only used on special occasions, like receptions, dine-outs or cultural activities. Accommodation: Private host family stays are available in Quepos. This includes a private room, shared bathroom, breakfast and dinner. A 4- week private host family stay is $620. Hotel or Hostel arrangements can be made as an alternative to staying with a host family. A hostel stay would include a private room with no air conditioning at a backpacker hostel. The hostel we work with is located in close proximity to the school and has a kitchen available to the students as no meals are included. There is also a swimming pool. A 4-week private hostel stay starts at $750.
A hotel stay would include a private room with air conditioning at a hotel located just 300 yards from the beach and located within a private reserve with hiking paths. There is also a swimming pool and breakfast is included. A 4-weel private hotel stay starts at $1250. Communication, Telephone, Internet: Direct-dial telephone service, facsimile, telex, radio and cable television are all available. Bilingual operator assistance for international calls is: 116, local information: 113, long distance information: 124. Internet cafes are available in most towns and hotels. It's not difficult to stay connected to your email account in Costa Rica. The main post office in San José and other major cities have public Internet access. These post offices have a 'punto.com' sign. RACSA offices also have Internet access in some cities. Cybercafés are popular and can be found just about anywhere. Travelers with a laptop and modem will find that hotels and some other locales (friend's houses and offices) have RJ-11 phone jacks. If you are traveling in Costa Rica frequently or for a long time, you can set up a local account at RACSA. Monteverde Cloud Forest Experience In this exotic adventure you will be able to visit a conservation project located near the Monteverde area. The Selvatura Canopy Tour will allow you to experience the Cloud Forest just as the birds do. Your adrenaline level is guaranteed to rise to its maximum on this tour. There are trails with walkways and bridges where you can observe the birds, flora and fauna from the hanging bridges as well as see one of the world's largest private insect collections in the learning center. Loras Turtle Nesting at Playa Ostional These beautiful sea turtles lay from 80 to 100 eggs each. They weigh over 100 pounds and are over 2.5 feet long. The Lora turtle may become extinct within the next 20 years if their rate of decline is not stopped. Although chances to see these turtles are possible at any time of year, the main season is from May to February with the peak in December. Seeing hundreds of turtles at night is very common. Photographs are not permitted after dark so we have afternoon departures so you may view the turtles at sunset as well as night time. Catamaran Sailing Tour
This is the classic tour and everybody loves it, including us. You sail outside of the Tamarindo bay where you will normally observe a variety of fish and sometimes even dolphins and turtles. The boat then makes its way to one of our local snorkeling spots for a close-up look at our amazing sea life.. You will sail back at the sunset time, enjoying the most beautiful sunset of Costa Rica. Special Offers: Via Lingua has announced the annual "Ernestine Moore" Scholarship Award to be offered to a deserving candidate in 2014 to any of the Via Lingua locations for a one-month intensive TEFL Course. Ernestine Moore was a lifelong advocate of education and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for children and young adults. Through her personal and professional advocacy in the field of Social Work and Children s Rights she had a lasting contribution to her field and all those around her. She lived and practiced Service Learning. The author of the widely adopted college textbook "Child Welfare and Family Services: Policies and Practice", Ernestine was a staunch supporter of Via Lingua and its dedication to global learning and multicultural understanding for all ages. Double-up discount Book together with a friend for the same course and you can both claim a 100 EUR discount on the advertised price. Offer applies to all course dates and locations. We can also arrange for you to share the same accommodation if required.