I really didn't know what to expect: two hours of classroom Spanish, plus two hours of "applied Spanish," plus an optional two hours of sea kayaking with a Tico guide? What I got was personalized and challenging Spanish lessons, which were organized and run by the Norwegian co-owner, Vigdis, and co-taught by a wonderful local Costa Rican woman, Marjorie. I was lucky because I was the only person taking Spanish at Bahia Rica at the time, so the lessons were especially well-tailored to my needs. But I think I would have loved them no matter what because Vigdis and Marjorie were thoughtful and patient, and because I had so many hours of conversation with Marjorie and other locals.
The guesthouse where I stayed is not for everyone: there are 250 steps from there down to the main house (although Vigdis and her husband-and-Bahia-Rica-co-owner, Thomas, are happy to provide rides back and forth), and the open deck merges with the jungle--there's no railing on the second floor. For me, it was as if I were living in the jungle, only a few yards away from howler monkeys and tropical birds. A couple of geckos took up residence in my room, and a frog lived in the open-air shower in the bathroom.
The sea kayaking with another local guide, Danny, was a good complement to the classroom time. I saw iguanas and stenosaurs, pelicans and herons, rooster fish and jumping eagle rays, eagles and frigate birds. We kayaked through a rock tunnel, explored an estuary, and stopped and met with local fishermen on the islands where they lived or camped.
It was a pretty magical way to study Spanish.
