Perks of joining a Spanish Immersion Program Abroad
With Hispanic individuals making up an estimated 28% of the US population by 2060, communicating in Spanish is more important than ever. That’s where participating in Spanish immersion programs abroad comes in.
Here are just a few of the perks of joining a Spanish immersion program in a Latin American country like Costa Rica:
1) You will learn to communicate in everyday Spanish.
You’ll acquire basic communicative competence -conversational Spanish. In fact, participating in a Spanish study abroad program with the right methodology gets you talking in simple phrases relatively quickly. You’ll find that being able to hang out with locals, make your way about town, and take care of simple business in Spanish will make your travel and vacation experiences all the more exciting and satisfying.
2) You will make international friends.
An established, reputable Spanish language immersion program attracts students from all over the globe. The Costa Rican Language Academy´s study abroad program, for instance, has participants from Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, and many other places — so you’ll have lots of opportunities to make friends and gain life experience while studying and traveling with people from all over the world.
3) You will stay with host families and learn the ropes like a local.
The very best Spanish immersion schools have homestay programs where their participants live with pre-screened host families. In fact, many participants claim that living with their host family is one of the most rewarding parts of their study abroad experience. Through their host family contact, students are introduced to local events, gatherings, and customs. They have opportunities to learn about the local culture, receive tips and advice about the best places to go, and frequently forge relationships that last a lifetime.
4) You will be the go-to Spanish speaker in your community.
When you get back to your home community, you’ll find that the skills you learned in your Spanish study abroad program will help you communicate with native Spanish-speaking individuals, families, and organizations within your home community. You may find yourself serving as a volunteer liaison between Spanish speakers and local organizations. Or you may eventually pick up a part-time job with a company that deals with both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking clientele. In essence, you’ll find that you now have a cultural and linguistic foundation that allows you to transcend the boundaries of your original social networks.
5) You can jump-start your career as a bilingual professional.
Lastly, studying Spanish abroad can be the first step towards becoming an expert in your chosen field in two languages. When students return from a total immersion study abroad experience, many times they decide to become fully bilingual. This means pursuing years of training to become a bilingual lawyer, health care practitioner, accountant, or other professional that works directly with Hispanic communities in the US in Spanish without the assistance of an interpreter.
At Costa Rica Language Academy (CRLA), we provide short- and long-term Spanish language programs that will start you off on your path to becoming bilingual. During your stay, you’ll live, learn, and have the adventures of a lifetime in another language and culture. And with CRLA’s superior instructors, unique methodology, and customized excursion planning, the sky’s the limit!
Please contact us at CRLA to find out more about how our Spanish immersion programs in Costa Rica can change your life.