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Do you hear silver bells ringing? Angels singing? Cash registers cha-ching-ing? Do you have someone in your life with a passion for other languages, a bad case of wanderlust, an interest in Spanish, or all three? How about you? Do you dream of getting away from the gloom of soggy boots and snowstorms? We know a place with tropical air and sunny beaches year round.

You've been dedicating yourself to your students all year. And as a Spanish teacher, you know that keeping up with your expertise in Spanish and Spanish-speaking cultures is a lifelong project -- and a lifelong joy.

The relationship between studying abroad and language proficiency is well documented in the foreign language literature (Brecht, Davidson, & Ginsberg, 1995; Collentine, 2004; Freed, 1995; Jochum, 2014; Schmidt-Rinehart & Knight, 2004; Segalowitz & Freed, 2004; Swender, 2003).

As an adult, you may wonder why you didn't take the time to learn Spanish when you were in school. It's not too late: Costa Rica offers some of the best Spanish language immersion programs for adults you can find. And in today's global society, there are more reasons to take Spanish than ever before.

If you live in the Northern hemisphere, you're getting ready to experience cold weather in the weeks and months to come. But remember, along with the sometimes whimsical changes of winter comes the opportunity to take a December vacation.

So you've renewed your passport. You've already picked the country where you're going to study Spanish. In fact, you've probably been filled with anticipation for weeks. Although there's always lots to do before you go on a trip, here are some basics that you'll definitely need to know before your arrival.

Have you ever considered learning Spanish abroad, only to worry that an immersion program in another country might be too overwhelming?

At the Costa Rican Language Academy, we pride ourselves on our immersive and successful Spanish courses available for study abroad students.

So you've heard about opportunities to study Spanish abroad in a warm, beautiful country like Costa Rica, and you're totally psyched. There's just one problem: you're also totally freaked out. The prospects of being alone in a new place and not understanding anything are definitely making you think twice.

You've probably heard that studying Spanish abroad is a life-changing experience, but it can be hard to decide if it's the right choice for you. Concerns such as how much you'll be able to learn, safety, and whether you'll feel out of place can have a big impact on your decision.