Reviews of Personalized Spanish Language School Costa Rica

We are full time missionaries in Costa Rica. We attended a recommended school for our first 4 months of study. While we learned a lot about Spanish we did not believe our ability to speak Spanish was improving. We switched to Personalized Spanish 4 months ago and are delighted with our progress in Spanish. The learning atmosphere is great. We have had the opportunity to meet many students who have done 1 and 2 week programs and some month long programs. The length does not matter, it is the approach and atmosphere that lends to rapid and confident handling of Spanish. The entire staff does all they can to help. No matter the length you spend at Personalized Spanish you become family.

My process for selecting a school to study Spanish consisted of first choosing the country and then finding a program that would fit my profile of a retired executive wanting to learn Spanish as a second language. Oh, did I mention that I wasn’t interested in surfing, yoga, nightlife or teachers who would go easy on me because I am older. I was going to Costa Rica to learn Spanish…and nothing else! Once I chose Costa Rica (I had never been) choosing to attend PERSONALIZED SPANISH was easy. I looked at many schools and read dozens of reviews on many different web-sites. I found a common thread with the PERSONALIZED SPANISH reviews. After Skyping with Gaby and Dayla to answer my questions the decision was easy. Following are my thoughts.

Gaby, the director is everything that you read about and more! She has created a school in a home within a neighborhood that invites you to become part of a family. Before going to PERSONALIZED SPANISH my Spanish studies consisted of three continuing education classes at the community college (you get what you pay for) and studying on my own using the internet. I wasn’t talking much. I originally signed up for two weeks and after the first week I called my wife to change my return flight and I stayed three weeks! I had the same two classmates for the entire three weeks who were well suited to my learning style and goals, and I got the challenge that I was looking for. I also felt that my confidence in speaking out loud grew every day.

All of my professors had university degrees and they came prepared to teach. Classes started on time and someone was always around afterward to help me with any questions that I had. My private lessons were an excellent opportunity to give me the confidence to actually start talking out loud. The immersion experience was completely Spanish and the teachers were skilled in being able to get the lesson points across while keeping the immersion complete. Additionally, the school emphasizes the Tico culture. We had several interesting field trips into San Jose and other towns to learn about Costa Rica and to experience a very happy and proud group of citizens.

I chose to live with a Tico family. I was apprehensive at first because I am 59 years old, used to a certain standard of living and to having my personal space in my home. Somehow Gaby placed me with the perfect family! They were warm and welcoming, they invited me to their family gatherings, they didn’t speak a word of English and I ended up learning a lot about myself and what is really important in life…and what isn’t so important. I had my own room and bathroom, the house was very clean and I had an environment where I could be alone if I wanted, or I could join in with the family.

I loved Costa Rica, the people and PERSONALIZED SPANISH. I plan to return again this winter to continue my studies. I hope to bring my wife this time just in case my travel plans change again! Oh, additionally, I have continued studying with PERSONALIZED SPANISH through their on-line school. Same great teachers and content.

I spent 3 weeks studying at Personalized Spanish. I am glad I did. It's my first time researching into Spanish schools in Latin America. I chose it because 1) Costa Rica is by far the safest country to be and I wanted to travel with my family, 2) I wanted a school that specializes in teaching adult learners. I wasn't interested in surfing and other side activities that other schools offer. I just wanted to learn Spanish. The class size is between 1-3 people. 3) I wanted more comfortable accommodation and privacy. As someone who owns a house, I just couldn't live like a college kid anymore. I like my luxuries....
The school's teaching quality is excellent and beyond my expectation. I have had many Spanish teachers and have attended different programs in SF. I would say the teaching quality is sort of hit and miss in US. In Costa Rica, I've found Spanish teachers go thru much more vigorous training. The teachers at Personalized Spanish knew their materials and grammar points cold. They knew what English-speakers struggle with and how to explain in a way we understand. The program at Personalized Spanish was intense, but it was worth it. I spoke fluent Spanish now. I was happy with the results that I am taking online courses with them after I returned to the US. I highly recommend the school to serious Spanish learners.

I spent eight weeks in Costa Rica studying Spanish and learning about the culture of Costa Rica at Personalized Spanish in Tres Rios. Despite studying in Dominican Republic for 4 weeks and a week in Mexico seven years ago, as well as listening to a decent amount of Spanish in my job, I arrived with a few common phrases and having a working knowledge of only a few common regular verbs in the present tense. In other words, not much! I was hopeful but a bit leery of the progress I might make given achievement thus far.
I registered for the mini-group program which guarantees no more than 3 students in a class. Out of eight weeks my classes consisted of two weeks with one other student, one week with two other students, and the remaining five weeks were private sessions! Talk about personalized! Each day was individualized and flexible. I counted at least 25 topics that were covered during my lessons in addition to cultural information and conversational Spanish, as well as reading and writing. Homework was given on a daily basis and at times on weekends (ugh!) AND it was taken seriously. This program was work and fun at the same time! Imagine that in a school! All the teachers were professional and skilled and also speak English, although very little was used. This is a total immersion program! Although all the teachers were wonderful, I do admit to having favorites! If you are not comfortable with a situation, grouping or what you are learning, you can express your thoughts to the director who takes them into serious consideration.
I could not be happier with the progress I have made! Although I need a great deal more experience listening and understanding native speakers I am able to carry on a conversation that is understandable and people noticed my improvement within the first week. For this reason I would not hesitate to return to Personalized Spanish in the future and look forward to planning my return sooner rather than later. If you want a school where you know you will make substantial progress in a short period of time this is the place to go! Highly Recommended

I am a big fan of PERSONALIZED SPANISH. I studied there for one week my first time, found it was so great that I returned six months later for two weeks, I’m looking forward to third visit. My criteria for a school to study Spanish were the quality of education, small classes, the responsiveness to my individual needs, as well as a convenient and safe location. At PERSONAL SPANISH I found all of them and more.

The School. I like that Personal Spanish is very flexible in terms of grouping students, and if necessary, creating customized curricula. The school does an excellent job of grouping students of similar abilities and all the instructors are terrific. On my second visit (knowing my strengths and weaknesses) the school created a specific program to meet my needs and requests which consisted of group and private lessons. Classes are small with never more than 5 students (frequently fewer) which allows for a lot of practice, which is which to me. It also allows the teachers (who are all great) to hone in on the specific needs of the students. There were mid-morning breaks where the students can get to know one another as well as other staff members. This creates a very congenial atmosphere.

Location. PERSONALIZED SPANISH is located in a suburb of San Jose, Costa Rica with easy access to downtown. The school will arrange transportation from and to the airport (at the student’s expense) which works very well. Many afternoons there are trips, usually with the instructors as guides to explore the sights of San Jose and nearby attractions.

Home Stay. I also wanted home stay. As a part of a gated community the school has arrangements with many residents for home stay for its students-which is great if you, like me, prefer the immersion experience that this provides. My experiences with my two host families were terrific. I ate breakfast and dinner with them--enjoying great typical Costa Rican food—and had many opportunities to interact with the family, and occasionally was asked to participate in some of their social activities. At the same time I had my own room and was able to be alone to do homework, study, read etc. PERSONALIZED SPANISH does a great job matching the preferences of the students and families.

Cost Rica is a very interesting country with many fascinating places to visit. It is known for its Eco-tourism- with rain forests, mountains, beaches, volcanoes, and much more. The school is very helpful in suggesting trips to these areas and will help with arrangements. ( Zip-lining was my thing.) The weekend is a good time for this and I suggest trying to incorporate this in your schedule. Also, San Jose is very accessible.

PERSONALIZED SPANISH is the ideal school for students who want a solid teaching program and excellent professors. It’s location in a suburb of San Jose allows for a broad exposure to local culture and the willingness of staff to help plan trips makes it an ideal vacation spot before as well.

The Personalized Spanish program is excellent. As an immersion Spanish language program, it is challenging and makes you think, but you learn a lot very quickly. Homestays with neighborhood families really reinforces language skills. The classes are very small, so the teachers are able to give lots of personalized attention. The teachers are all very personable, friendly and helpful. They obviously care very much about helping the students to learn and practice Spanish. In addition, the school offers daily culture sessions, which are fun as well as being educational. We learned a lot about Costa Rica, which made our time in the country much more enjoyable.

Personalized Spanish language school was perfect for me, an intermediate-level student very serious about improving my fluency and conversational skills. As the name suggests, the program is individualized to meet each student’s language goals at all levels.

In addition to the excellent professors, two additional attributes set this program above other language immersion schools that I have attended in Central and South America.

The first was the complete involvement and interest of the owner/director, Gaby Cerrate, in the daily conversations and activities of each student. She set a high standard for all of the employees there.

The second was the exceptional support and assistance by the administrative assistant, Dayla Arias, in coordinating plans for individual weekend excursions as desired by the students. She helped me with all arrangements, including interbus reservations, hotel reservations, and tour reservations for a long weekend in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Personalized Spanish offers a warm and professional ambiance for the serious Spanish student who also wants to experience the joyful Costa Rican culture.

As a high school principal, I've escorted and/or organized 5 trips to Personalized Spanish school for more than 50 students. Every student has had an outstanding experience- well-designed classes, interesting cultural activities, and positive interactions with their host family. I strongly recommend Personalized Spanish.

This is a great program for serious learners. The home stay is well managed and the teachers are excellent. My husband & I each learned a lot - at our own level and pace. We appreciated the individual attention and the genuine concern of the staff.

Personalized Spanish had beeen recommended by one of their former students. I would reiterate what has been said in earlier reviews. It was an excellent experience from the warm, welcoming staff, the excellent instructors, the very small class sized and the encouragement I received to 'go for it'. It was challenging but the best way to learm another language and I plan to return but for a longer period. I felt my listening and speaking skills noticeably improved as did my confidence in speaking and it was lots of fun as well.

I finished two weeks at the Personalized Spanish school at the end of May 2011 and I highly recommend it. The teachers were engaging, informative and very entertaining. They had specific lesson plans and homework, all of which help you advance very quickly. Almost all communications at the school are done in spanish. This helps you get into the proper mindset for speaking and thinking spanish all the time. . At least 3 days a week they schedule additional activities, tours, movies etc which serve to further reinforce all that you have been learning. They will also help you book weekend activities such as volcano tours, coffee plantations, etc.

The family I stayed with was wonderful and they spoke spanish almost exclusively with me. They also invited me to join in with some of their daily activities if I had the time. It's difficult to express how friendly they were and all the efforts they made to make me feel at home . The meals were delicious and the house I stayed at had Wi-Fi so I could also skype home to my family and keep them updated as well as do homework research.

I studied for two weeks and traveled for two weeks. I should say that I have been studying spanish on my own for almost 3 years so my vocabulary was pretty good but I lacked the confidence to speak to others in spanish. My goal was to somehow gain that confidence and try to speak even if I knew that my spanish might be incorrect. I have to say, that everyone I spoke to seemed really pleased that I was trying and did everything they could to help me speak properly and with confidence. People on the street, in the buses, tiendas, sodas, tours, everywhere!! The people of Costa Rica are some of the kindest, friendliest and helpful folks you will ever meet. I could go on and on but suffice it to say that my month in Costa Rica will always have a special place in my heart, not just because of the beautiful sights, and the excellent school, but because of the people I met there who were so welcoming and friendly. Pura Vida!

My husband and I highly recommend Personalized Spanish to you. The small group instruction is tailored to the needs of the group. Class instruction is interesting and varied. The "coffee" break sessions are a great way to informally practice your Spanish and to meet the other students and staff. The office staff is very helpful. They went out of their way to help set-up weekend trips for us. We always found their recommendations and insights helpful. The afternoon cultural activities varied from cooking classes, discussions of tropical local fruits, visits to museums or theater, and city tours. The home-stay was the best that we have had. The family was wonderful. We had great conversations. The accommodations and the food were excellent. Overall we had a great three weeks!

I cannot speak highly enough about Personalized Spanish. I had exactly 4 weeks inbetween semesters in my graduate school program so I researched Spanish schools for months to try and find a school that would give me the best bang for my buck. My following semester coursework/practicum was going to be determined based on my level of spanish after returning from a spansh school so it was imperative that I choose my school wisely. After consistenly reading positive reviews about Personalized Spanish, I decided on them. They definitely lived up to their excellent reviews! Attending this school improved my spanish by leaps and bounds! I stayed for 4 weeks and it was worth every penny! In fact, I am already planning my next trip to return to the school to keep working on my spanish. I was so impressed with how professional the staff and teachers were and how they do everything in their power to keep you happy and to cater to your needs. The school itself is beautiful. The host family I stayed with was amazing and it provided me with ample opportunities to practice my spanish. The school also helps you organize weekend excursions if you are interested. I highly recommend this because they are relatively cheap and a ton of fun! The professors I had were all amazing. I had the pleasure of working with several different professors and every single one of them was outstanding. I never once felt embarrassed for making a mistake and they were all so patient! The biggest complement I can pay this school is that they provide such a positive encouraging atmosphere for their students. Everyone is so friendly, they all seem to really love their jobs, and it's just such an upbeat friendly environment; all very conducive for the stressful exercise of learning a new language. They really do a good job of putting you at ease, making you feel at home, and valuing your happiness. if you are REALLY looking to learn spanish then this is the school for you.

The word "boutique" fits this school perfectly. It is an immaculate, lovely, specialized school for any level of Spanish improvement. Earlier this month three members of my family and I spent a week there. We were all in different levels of competency and each of us was matched with a sublime teacher. Even when my teacher had to miss a day, he was replaced by another teacher exactly at the point left off. Each of us felt like we had the best teacher! The professors used a range of activities and techniques to keep the hours fresh. My sister and I took 2 hours one-to-one in the afternoon after 4 hours of small group in the morning. I am a beginner and she is more accomplished but we both felt the time went fast and we were glad we made that arrangement. All of us felt challenged and highly pleased with our growth. Gaby Cerrate and the rest of the staff were completely friendly and professional. They accommodated us in every way we asked. The school offers optional cultural experience in the San Jose area and we took in 2. Both were very well done. We were picked up at the airport without a hitch and we hired the same driver to take us back. Our host family is another A+ story. We couldn't have been more surprised or pleased to meet them and share their culture. They embraced us completely, the meals were fabulous and fresh, and we developed a quick but enduring friendship. I give my highest recommendation to Personalized Spanish in Tres Rios. It provides an outstanding value and we would have stayed longer but some of us could only get 1 week off from work. If I'm lucky I'll be able to return as early as this summer. Pura vida! (Costa Rica's favorite saying)

I had a wonderful experience at Personalized Spanish and highly recommend this school! I had Gaby and Sergio as my professors and they were extremely knowledgeable, organized and effective. Having the undivided attention of two teachers created an incredibly rich learning environment. The intensive Spanish conversation course that included culture, review of grammar and methodology was ideal for me. Everyone at the school were super nice and helpful. I appreciated the school's flexibility and also variety of activities that were incorporated in to the course. I will probably go back if the opportunity should arise! :) ¡Mil gracias!