SPECIAL SERVICES

WEEKLY ORIENTATIONS

On the first day of class, after students have taken their written exam, a CPI staff member holds an orientation to help acclimate the student to their new surroundings. Topics include cultural issues (customs and homestays) and safety issues as well as a general orientation to CPI - the schedule, classes, and the tours and extracurricular activities offered for the week.

BILINGUAL OFFICE STAFF

Whether your main objective is to learn Spanish or combine language study with a vacation our goal is to assist you with every aspect of your stay in Costa Rica. With that in mind each campus has at least two bilingual staff members (English and Spanish) available to attend to your needs while at CPI.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES

Transportation

CPI offers free airport transportation (from the airport and back to the airport after you complete your studies) and also provides daily transportation to the school for those students living more than a 25 minute walk from the school.

Bank Service

Once a week CPI provides bank service. We collect your cash or travelers checks in the morning and change them into colones. Please remember that you should come to Costa Rica with some Costa Rican currency (this can be purchased in the airport from which you are departing). If this is not possible, bring at least $20 in currency which you can change with a money changer at the San José airport when you arrive.

Mail Service

Three times per week CPI makes the trip to the post office; if you wish we can mail your letters and post cards for you.

E-Mail

The School allows you access to its e-mail account for a one time fee of $10; you may send and receive unlimited e-mail. If you need to access the internet there is an internet café in the nearby town of Heredia for those studying at CPI Heredia as well as a café in Santa Elena for those studying at CPI Monteverde.

Activities

In addition to the planned excursions explained below we offer weekly school sponsored activities. These include: Latin cooking classes, afternoon soccer matches between CPI and the local community, a weekly visit to the theater or disco, movie night and Latin dance classes.

TOURS COORDINATOR

Afternoon and week-end excursions are organized by on staff tours coordinators who are in charge not only of arranging afternoon and week-end excursions for our students but also of assisting students with all their travel arrangements.

Recent afternoon trips taken by Heredia students include: Irazu Volcano, Poás Volcano, the Orosi Valley, Lankaster Gardens and Cartago, a boat tour along the Sarapiqui river, a horseback tour of Barva volcano, a visit to the butterfly gardens in Guacimal and Sarchi and a City Tour of Heredia or San José. In Monteverde students may take a night tour of the Monteverde reserve, take the leap off of a 3 story platform into the tree tops on the Canopy tour, hike along the trails of the Santa Elena or Bajo de Tigre reserves, ride horseback through the fincas surrounding the rain forest, hike to the San Luis waterfall or visit the local hot water springs.

On the week-ends, tours are offered to various parts of the country: Cahuita National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, Arenal Volcano, Tortuguero National Park, Montezuma, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, the beaches of Guanacaste, and more. If planned tours do not interest you, our tours coordinator is available to assist you in making other arrangements.

GROUPS AND TOUR LEADERS

We can customize our programs to meet your needs. The School can help you design a program for special groups such as high school students, Spanish teachers and professionals in a variety of fields. For more information regarding special seminars designed for specific professions please reference the first page of this website.