www.costaricatesol.com - ITA Costa Rica

Accommodation in Costa Rica

During the course

Basically there are 2 types of accommodation options while you take the course.

Homestays

All of our families are wonderful and welcoming people who are
looking forward to housing you. Usually the home consists of an elderly couple with their kids and grandkids that pop in to visit. Ticos have a very strong sense of family, so don’t be surprised if the family visits on a daily basis. This can seem strange for North Americans whose family visits only occur when the kids need money or clean laundry. Getting to know the extended family is a very rewarding experience for our students and allows them to get a head start on building up their social circle.

Your Tico mom will also stuff you full of delicious Costa Rican cuisine.
Three hearty meals, plus freshly made fruit drinks will keep you smiling and ready to learn. If you are a vegetarian or have special dietary needs, don’t worry at all. Your Tico mom is used to making all types of eaters happy.

Meeting all these Ticos will also allow you to practice or learn Spanish during the month. Most of the Ticos in these families speak very little if any English, which forces you to jump in with both feet. If you are stressed about not speaking any Spanish, don’t worry. Again our families are used to dealing with all levels of Spanish from their guests.
Cost: $550/month

Piamonte Bio Park

Piamonte is a mini bio park, consisting of trails, ponds, waterfalls, a river running through the property. There is also a large 3 bedroom house where students stay. Each student rents a single room, and shared the facilities with whoever else happens to be renting the other two rooms. The house is equipped with a big kitchen, three bedrooms, washer and dryer and two bathrooms each with showers. Here are some things to keep in mind prior to booking:

It is 30 minutes by bus from the school plus a 10-15 minute walk to get to the bus stop. The walk is also uphill (downhill in the mornings), so it is a bit of a workout. However, we can put you in contact with taxi drivers who you can call to take you up and down if necessary.

It is also a 15 minute walk from the nearest town (where you catch the bus), so it is isolated from civilization. It is completely safe, gated with the caretaker and another family living in other houses on the property, however if you need to be around lots of people, towns, bars and so forth, then this is not the place for you. Piamonte is a one-of-a-kind experience, and gets amazing reviews from nature lovers and those looking to get away from it all.

The buses also stop running around 10:30pm. So if you are the type that likes to stay out late, you will need to take a taxi (around $8) to get home.

Here is a link to their website to see photos (although looking at the photos, they don’t do the property justice)

http://www.costaricaecotrails.com/piamonte-ecolodge/galer%C3%ADa-de-fotos/

Who you will be staying with:

Piamonte is only rented out to our students. Once a student rents this property, it becomes solely available to other students in the course. You will be staying with a maximum of 2 other students (in the very rare case with their spouse) It is a first come first serve basis for the master bedroom (with bathroom/ shower).

Piamonte lets you see and experience the tropical paradise of Costa Rica without traveling or even leaving your back yard. If there was an ocean nearby, the property would rent for $2-$3000 dollars per month. Our students get it for $600 per month.

After the Course
As you live in Costa Rica, you should be trying to spend around $250-$300 per month on rent. If you find a place to stay for less money, great!! That means more play money. If you have a great place but are paying $400, you might find yourself stressed to make ends meet, or working more hours than you want. Usually to pay $250 you will live with a roommate. Roommates can be fellow teachers that either work at your new school, or acquaintances of these teachers. Another great way to find roommates is to look at the tones of postings on bulletin board of a University. This way allows you to live with a Tico, practice your Spanish and get all the cultural benefits that come with living with a local.

However, before students get too involved in where they are going to stay after they find a job, they should first focus on finding a job. It doesn’t do a teacher any good to find a great apartment and then find out his school is 2 hours away. Therefore you will need a temporary place while you look for a job. We can help you find a TEMPORARY accommodation while you look for a job and your permanent housing.