Spanish, Surfing, and Pura Vida in Costa Rica

by Anastasiia Johnson, January 2025

My first New Year in an exotic country under palm trees on a sandy beach—or how I treated myself to a three-week journey through Costa Rica, exploring national parks, practicing Spanish at Intercultura in Sámara, taking surfing lessons, and fully embracing the Pura Vida lifestyle

Spending an unforgettable exchange semester in Germany at the age of 16 divided my life into “before” and “after.” Once you try it, it’s hard to stop. My wanderlust later took me to a language school in China to study Mandarin during college, to a hotel in Antalya where I worked with guests from all over the world, to a Russian language camp in Minnesota where I counseled American kids, and finally to the University of Wisconsin–Madison as an international graduate student. Craving more immersive language experiences, I began searching for language schools in Latin America to hone my Spanish skills.

This trip was also meant to be a reunion with my mother, whom I hadn’t seen in 2.5 years while studying in the US. So, I let her choose the destination, and she picked Costa Rica—a country she had been dreaming about for decades. I just needed to find the right language school for me.

After extensive research, I discovered Intercultura in Sámara, a fantastic language school on the Pacific coast in the Guanacaste province, known for its centenarians. The school is located right on a sandy beach, surrounded by surf schools, trendy bars, and upscale restaurants.

Before starting my two-week course in Sámara, we spent an incredible week exploring other parts of Costa Rica. My husband and I first landed in San José and stayed at a boutique hotel overlooking the picturesque Vista Canyon.

The next morning, we picked up my mother from the airport, which was buzzing with taxi drivers trying to lure arriving passengers. Much to their dismay, we had already arranged a private shuttle, and our driver had been patiently waiting for hours. Once my mom arrived, our shared adventure began in Manuel Antonio, where we stayed at an Airbnb with countless monkeys frolicking in the backyard and scavenging in the trash cans.

It was our first time celebrating New Year’s without snowdrifts and fir trees but a pristine sandy beach and palm trees, colorful birds, sloths clapping their claws, and monkeys making babies in Manuel Antonio National Park, which we visited early in the morning on January 1st. What better way to start the year?

After several magical days in Manuel Antonio, we headed to La Fortuna—a place whose name means “luck” in Spanish. Ironically, it didn’t quite live up to it, as the volcano, our main reason for visiting, stayed hidden behind clouds most of the time. But even though we hiked through mist and rain and felt like frogs in a swamp at the Tabacón hot springs, the experience was still worth it. We just advise checking the weather forecast beforehand! Also, don’t forget to drop by the Maleku indigenous tribe and experience their warm hospitality.

Finally, we arrived in Sámara—a name it shares with one of Russia’s largest cities, which we found symbolic. The warm staff at Intercultura welcomed us and helped us settle into an apartment provided by the school for our first week. I took a placement test and joined a small class of up to six people, taught by María from Spain (teachers rotate weekly—interestingly, my second teacher, Iris, was also from Spain, though many are locals).

While my husband worked remotely in a hammock in the school garden (thanks to fast Wi-Fi) and my mom meditated on the terrace, I attended Spanish classes for four hours each day. The schedule alternated between morning and afternoon sessions, and the school offered extracurricular activities like yoga, Zumba, salsa, cooking classes, and beach volleyball. These not only helped us practice the language but also dive into Costa Rican culture. Zumba and salsa with Karol were absolute highlights—I fell in love with Latin dance thanks to her energy and talent!

In our free time, we enjoyed the beach, took surfing lessons, and went on nature walks and boat tours. Thanks to Xavier, our instructor from C&C Surfing School, my husband and I fulfilled our dream of learning to surf—and we stood up on the board on our very first try! The school offers discounts for all Intercultura students. We also got lucky during our snorkeling&dolphin and whale watching tour (it was the right season, and we saw whales for the first time in our lives!). We were constantly impressed by how much Costa Ricans (ticos, as they call themselves) value and preserve their environment.

When my family left a week early, I chose to stay with a host family provided through the school. Everyone’s experience is different, but mine felt more like a mix between a hostel and an Airbnb. My host, a 60-year-old mama-tica, lived just two minutes from the school and hosted several students at a time. Apparently, it was something she did for extra cast year-round. Every morning, she would cook us gallo pinto, a local dish with rice, beans, vegetables, and eggs. She would also cook dinners and chat with us about what we had learned in class. Our mama-tica didn’t speak any English, which was a huge plus for language immersion. Lunches were served at school by local cooks for a small extra cost—cheap but delicious—during the noon break.

During my those two weeks, I made friends from all over the world—Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, France, and the US. We participated in school activities, went to the beach, enjoyed karaoke nights, and watched sunsets and sunrises together. To my surprise, there were not only a lot of young people who had just graduated from high school or college and decided to take a gap year and travel to Costa Rica, but also many retired people.

On my last day, I took a final exam to assess what I’d learned and participated in a small graduation ceremony where our teachers gave us course completion certificates. I even gave a short speech in Spanish to thank my teachers and the school for the unforgettable two weeks.

I had never felt so sad to leave a place. I only wished I could have stayed longer. I can’t wait to return to Costa Rica and Intercultura one day!