Cultural Orientation

in Costa Rica

Aside from our programs in Asia, on the opposite side of the globe, in a land filled with endangered wildlife, beautiful beaches, freshly ground coffee, and welcoming locals, lies Costa Rica – a must-see destination for nature lovers and adrenalin junkies. With such amazing sights, rich culture, endangered fauna and flora as well as a thriving economy, it has very quickly become a favourite for aspiring teachers and travellers.

Sunday, 27th November: In preparation for our cultural orientation in Costa Rica, our team headed off to pick up our new teachers from the airport. We brought them back to our home base in San Ramon, where they were welcomed and made comfortable. It was an early night for most, which we encouraged since we knew this week was going to take them by surprise.

Monday: We kicked off Day 1 with self introductions from the team and then by our new teachers themselves. We then ran through and collected everyone’s final documents for placement. We didn’t spend too much time on that because we had a local town tour scheduled. For the town tour, the teachers got to know more about San Ramon, since that’s where they’ll be spending their time for orientation as well as for the 3-week TESOL course starting next week. The town tour was very informative. We then had lunch and ended every day off with an English Conversation Club session. This is an online cultural bonding activity between our teachers and a group of Costa Rican teens and young adults.

Tuesday: Day 2 kicked off with our first teacher workshop. Here the teachers learn what is expected of them as teachers and how to navigate the ins and out of the work environment, no matter which city they end up in. After a great lunch, we had our very first Spanish class. These classes are mainly for beginners, but of course we cater for intermediate and advanced too! Again, we ended the day off with another English Conversation Club session. It was such a pleasure to see the teachers learn more about one another and get excited for the new path ahead.

Wednesday: One of the highlights of our Cultural Orientation, is the Coffee Plantation Tour. Costa Rica is known for its top-quality coffee. It’s extremely rich and versatile because of its ideal terrain and growing conditions. With its volcanic soil, high altitudes, and good climate, the coffee here is top notch and definitely a way of life, rather than just a beverage. After coffee, naturally comes the sugar! So off we went to visit a local sugar cane farm. There are almost three-dozen types of “sugar” cane, all of which are of the tall perennial grass variety. According to the most recent statistics, Brazil is the world’s leading producer of sugar cane, with India following in a close second place. Although the production of Costa Rica sugar cane pales in comparison, it remains a vital part of Costa Rica’s economy. After working up an appetite, we had lunch, followed by a presentation to explain the placement program, another Spanish class and good old English Convo. Club.

Thursday: We hit the ground running with a History and Wildlife presentation from the team. Then, the much anticipated Cooking Class. With full tummies, headed out to the National History Museum of Costa Rica where we looked at the history of what is the oldest democracy in the Western hemisphere besides the United States. Since its very first years, the Costa Rica National Museum has focused on scientific investigation, education, exhibition and defence of the country’s natural and cultural heritage. We hope this cultural orientation in Costa Rica has given our teachers new insight to the way of life of the locals.

Friday: On our final day, we visited an Animal Rescue Centre. Rescue centres in Costa Rica are dedicated to protecting and helping endangered indigenous wildlife. At these centres, the goal is to ensure the welfare of injured animals and help them recover from their physical and psychological wounds. Wildlife and nature conservation is a big part of everyday life in Costa Rica. After a very informative morning, we had lunch. Then, back to the hostel to pack our bags for an overnight trip to a nearby town, Jaco. There we had debrief, reflect on the past week and have our first introductory meeting on teaching theories and methodologies.