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Spanish Schools (CRLA), Homestays and Mongering
https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=27286		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Curiousdude [ Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Spanish Schools (CRLA), Homestays and Mongering
I'm heading to San Jose for a week in April for the first time ever in Costa Rica. I will be a newbie to Costa Rica and am a brand new member of this wonderful site. I have been to the Dominican Republic to monger but never to Costa Rica. I like to mix mongering with Spanish study. Costa Rica certainly appears to be a much better place to study Spanish than the Dominican Republic. I did read up on the threads on Spanish schools, and particularly https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=17673 which was very helpful.

I think I have a specific question that has not been completely covered here yet.

I've registered to take a weeklong course at CRLA (Costa Rican Language Academy), http://www.spanishandmore.com/, for five hours a day of Spanish classes and for a homestay. I'm wondering if that is a bad idea, as of course I plan also to visit the MPs and also try to pull some chicas from HDR or some other places in the evenings. I see there are short stay places like Motel Eden (maybe like the cabañas in the DR), but will it be too crazy if I head home to my homestay for dinner, and then head out to monger at night?

The CRLA site says we will be given a key to the homes of our hosts and can come and go freely, but I don't want to get into trouble with them or put them ill at ease.

Maybe I should instead stay at a hotel. But I like the immersion concept, and that school looks great for me - certainly better than anything in the DR (I have sampled schools in Sosua and in Santo Domingo now, and they don't appear to be in the same league).

With the Spanish classes, which will run from 9 to Noon, and from 1 to 3 every day, Monday through Friday, during my 7 day-trip, and together with other freebies they offer from 3 to 5, such as conversation classes, dance classes, and a cooking class, I could easily be occupied at the school every weekday from 9 to 5.

Is it reasonable to assume I could then head home, have dinner with my host family, and then head out alone in a taxi to monger, only to return home to my homestay's place late each night? I wonder what you think. Perhaps I should reduce the number of hours of study, or just stay in a hotel instead.

Thanks in advance for any advice or help you can give. You guys have a great site here.
Author:  Ciaociao32001 [ Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Although I think a homestay would be very valuable, a hotel would give you much more flexibility. Homestays allow you to practice what you've learned during the day, but so would any time spent with a Tica.

OTOH, given the fact that, unlike most mongers I hang with, you actually will be doing something constructive during the day, you probably won't be staying out all hours of the night. Therefore, the hours you are available to monger coincide with the hour that venues such as HLH, NF, Idem and others are open. Thus, a homestay wouldn't cramp your style that much.

As far as what your homestay family would think, I imagine they would be fine as long as you are polite, respectful and don't hit on their 18 year old daughter.

Anyway, congratulations for having the foresight to mix spanish study with mongering.

Ciaociao
Author:  Curiousdude [ Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ciaociao, thanks for the help. I feel a bit reassured about my basic plan now. I suppose if it doesn't work out so well, I will be able to adapt as need be once I'm there - by reducing the hours of study, or moving out of the homestay into a hotel. :wink:

Oh, but I can't hit on the 18-year-old daughter? Damn! .....well, maybe I could try that right before I move out to a hotel. :lol:
Author:  PacoLoco [ Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Welcome Curiousdude, good to see you here.
My brief schooling at CRLA (my teacher was hot :twisted: ) was just 3 hrs./day, I usually walked to San Pedro mall for lunch then a taxi back to my hotel, while some other students went back for another couple hours of class. The homestay option really depends on you, your budget and your desired level of privacy. Some have done it and enjoyed it while others (like myself) consider chicas a priority and prefer a hotel. Seems I recall one guy not really being happy with the family they stuck him with. Here's a few more threads you may not have read yet-
https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6093
https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9231
https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14391
https://costaricaticas.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=25901

Instead of Motel Eden (30.00) for ST action there is also the Hotel Asia (8.00) or Hotel La Oficina (around 15.00) in addition to all the MP's. Be sure to get the gulch map off the homepage. Buena suerte!
PS
You can practice your spanish all night long with the DelRey chicas , who needs a family? :lol:
Author:  Curiousdude [ Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, PacoLoco! I already got the gulch map and I found La Oficina and Hotel Asia already, but I didn't know the price. That sounds great. I see one is around the corner from HDR/BM and the other is near the Zona Blue (HLH) and NF and other spots. Very good.

I may do the Monday-Thursday week option so I will have three nights completely free during my seven days there, and stay at a hotel after all. But the homestay option does seem attractive for a number of reasons. The difference between the cost of the classes with and without the homestay is only $130. That's not bad for a roof over your head for 7 nights, breakfast and dinner every day, and free Spanish practice with a real family....at least as long as the family is okay. Well, anyway, thanks for the help. I'm getting a basic plan in place, thanks to this site and your help.
Author:  Western [ Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
I agree that homestay can be a valuable addition to spanish classes but I have always opted to stay in a hotel for the freedom that it provides. You can always do a homestay if you limit your weekday activities to the MPs, etc. Most of the students leave town for the weekends and thus are not in the homes. You could always hotel it in the gulch on the weekend.

As a note, a girl in my class from Germany does not get much interaction from her family. Mom and Dad both work and there are always other activities that they are doing in the evening so dinner with Mom and a game with one of the K*ds is about all that she sees in a day. Kind of disappointing.
Author:  Curiousdude [ Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Western, for the advice, which makes a lot of sense to me. I've actually already had much the same thought as you about the weekend. I think I may change my plan from five days to four days, and perhaps reduce the hours as well, so that I would be in class only four hours a day, Monday through Thursday. Then I would have more time free in the afternoons and evenings and could stay in a hotel for the long weekend after that if I feel the homestay is not worth it at that point and/or if I feel I need to have the option to do toda la noche with a chica or two. I'll definitely stay in San Jose for my entire trip (which will only be a week long) and I'll definitely be hitting as many of the spots I am learning about thanks to you guys on this site.
Author:  CaptainCohiba [ Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:46 pm ]
Post subject: 
Enjoy, I've checked out that school and always had the same conundrum. I like to play at night and prefer a lot of privacy and didn't want to be disrespectful of the host family. Then again, it is a hell of an experience and the cost benefit definately plays to having the host family. I really wish I did this when I was younger like in high school or college. Man, who knew? I think I will take the time but I will do it in Colombia. Enjoy, and let us know how it went. One thing do it fast, b/c by summer all the schools will be packed with US college K*ds. I that is something you want to avoid.


PURA VIDA!
Author:  Western [ Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
Cap'n
Plenty of us here on the CRT forum have studied spanish in CR. I would imagine that there are similar schools and programs in Columbia. You do need to limit you week night activities in order to get your homework done and get enough sleep for the next day. Other than that it is business as usual! :wink:

I find that morning classes will occupy my days and still leave time for fun in the evening!
Author:  Rubmaster [ Fri Feb 20, 2009 11:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
I have taken classes at CRLA three times in the past and have taken advantage of the homestays. Since I was usually there for at least three weeks, I didn't feel too pressed to spend every free moment persuing my hobby. The first time I went I took the 5 hours per day schedule. For me, that was a bit too much class time. I now limit it to three hours a day, which is plenty, and leaves time to go exploring. As far as homestays, I always had a good experience. The families were nice and I could come and go as I pleased. As always - YMMV. I will be at CRLA the first three weeks in April and look forward to hooking up with some CRT members.
Author:  Curiousdude [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, everybody, including CC and rubmaster and Western again, for the latest comments. After synthesizing all of the advice I have received here, I have concluded that the Spanish school CRLA is a good idea, but I should probably limit the study hours to mornings only, given my other objectives and the intensity of the program. Also I should do the four-day option (classes only through Thursday rather than thru Friday) to lengthen the weekend, and get a hotel for the weekend, as the hotel will give me more freedom in case the homestay during the week turns out to be too restrictive or stifling. Well, guys, that's basically what I plan to do. I'll report back after my trip.
Author:  PacoLoco [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
Curiousdude wrote:
I'll report back after my trip.
Forget that, they have internet in CR we want live updates. :)
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