Academic Programs Abroad & U.S. Travel Programs

Spanish Language and Culture in Costa Rica

Program Overview
This program is designed to enhance students’ Spanish communicative skills while fostering intercultural competence through immersive experiences. This course empowers Spanish learners by offering an opportunity to apply language skills and actively engage with Costa Rican culture. Through observation, comparison, and meaningful interaction with locals, students deepen their understanding of the language and the cultural practices, perspectives, and values of the host country.

Participants will engage in a blend of formal language instruction and hands-on cultural experiences, developing a well-rounded proficiency in Spanish and cultivating the global competencies necessary for effective communication and cross-cultural appreciation.

This program fulfills the 90-hour language immersion requirement for Spanish majors and PK-12 Spanish teaching majors at EMU. Students seeking PK-12 certification in Michigan must demonstrate oral proficiency in Spanish at the advanced-low level. Therefore, participation in this immersion program is crucial for students to develop the oral communication skills necessary to meet these standards.

Program Highlights

• High-Quality Instruction: Engage in interactive learning experiences led by expert faculty from both Intercultural Costa Rica and the EMU Spanish program. These sessions focus on strengthening your Spanish communication skills in dynamic, hands-on environments.
• Diverse Living Experiences: Discover both city life and seaside tranquility by staying in two contrasting locations. You’ll explore the vibrant, historic city of Heredia and unwind in the serene, tropical setting of Samara Beach.
• Excursions and Exploration: Dive into the rich natural and urban landscapes of Costa Rica with a tour of the capital, San José, and a weekend trip to Monteverde and the Arenal volcano, showcasing the country’s stunning biodiversity and cultural vibrancy.
• Cultural Immersion Activities: Participate in activities that encourage interaction with locals and provide deeper insights into Costa Rican cultural practices, products, and perspectives.

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Increase the cultural competency of participants and deepen their cross-cultural understanding of effective communication practices and ways of life in multicultural contexts through experiential learning and meaningful interaction with Spanish speakers from urban and rural areas of Costa Rica. 

• Demonstrate language proficiency growth and increased confidence in Spanish oral communication by engaging in authentic conversation with peers, instructors, and local community members. 

• Explain and evaluate how interactions and the experience of living in a culture different from their own contribute to the development of empathy, independence, increased tolerance for ambiguity, and the ability to solve problems. 

• Demonstrate enhanced career readiness by improving their language proficiency, cross-cultural communication skills, and global awareness. By engaging with diverse cultural contexts and gaining practical experience in Spanish-speaking environments, students will be better prepared to navigate international job markets, collaborate in multicultural teams, and apply critical problem-solving skills in their future careers.

Instructor Information
Marisol Garrido is a professor in the Languages department at Eastern Michigan University. She received the 2024 Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Faculty and Lecturer Award.

Financial Aid and Scholarships
Financial aid and EMU scholarships can be applied to the tuition and fees for this program. Additional scholarships available for EMU students that wish to study abroad can be found through the Office of Financial Aid. Scholarships specifically applicable to this program include