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Accommodation |
1.
What types of accommodations do you offer?
We
strongly recommend that you stay with one
of our proven host families. Costa Rican
families or well-known for their outstanding
hospitality and friendliness. All LOGOS
host families have been inspected by us
and we only accept families that impress
us with their warm-heartedness and willingness
to do anything possible to make the student's
stay perfect. Of course, you will have a
clean room and will receive two meals every
day. And you will stay in a 100% immersion
environment where, together with your classes
at LOGOS, your Spanish will improve at a
very fast pace.
If you still prefer to stay in a hotel or
bed & breakfast please email us. We
will be glad to help you with finding an
accommodation that comes up to your needs.
[For more information
on our host families click here]
[To read what
our students say about LOGOS host families
click here]
2.
Can
I change my family when I am not satisfied?
Although
we have never heard of any student who was
unsatisfied with his/her host family, we
cannot obviate that this might happen some
day. In the unlikely case that you are not
happy with your host family please tell
us and we will make sure to accommodate
you with another family as soon as possible.
We will make sure that you have a clean
and nicely furnished room with a family
that is anxious to make your stay a very
pleasant time.
3.
Is the school close to my family house?
The
LOGOS Language Institute is located in the
center of San Jose , right on Avenida Central
and around the corner of the famous Teatro
Nacional. Some of our host families are
located in downtown San Jose as well and
are therefore in walking distance of the
school. The majority of our host families
is living in residential areas around the
city center and are within a short bus ride
(usually not more than 10-20 minutes).
4.
How do get to the school?
On
your first day of class, your host family
will show you how to get to LOGOS. Once
you know your why around you might decide
to walk to school. Or you can take a bus
or a taxi. Costa Rica has a well-maintained
and inexpensive bus system in San José
and the nearest bus stop is always within
a few blocks. Taxis are also low priced
and mostly easy to hail.
5. Will I get my own key?
6.
At what time do I need to be home?
You
are free to come and go whenever you wish.
Please just be polite and tell your family
whenever you stay out late, so they don't
prepare food for you, etc.
7.
Will
my host family take care of my laundry?
Absolutely!
Laundry service is included with every home
stay. Additionally your host will change
your blankets and sheets every week.
8.
Can I stay longer with my host family after
my courses are finished?
Generally
it is not a problem to stay with the host
families a little bit longer, but you will
have to check with the school's secretary
to make sure there are no scheduling conflicts.
So if you plan on starting your home stay
earlier (or leaving later) than the date
indicated when you book your homestay than
please email us and let us know.
9.
How does an average room look like?
An
average room contains a bed with clean linen,
a desk, a chair, a closet and a desk lamp.
Our families provide clean rooms and welcome
you to share the family areas (living room,
dining room, etc.) with them.
10.
Will I have my own bathroom with hot water?
LOGOS
host families have hot water showers and
some of them provide separate bathrooms
for our students. Usually water is heated
by an electric heating device with is part
of the shower head. Some of the homes have
a central hot water tank.
11.
How many students will stay in one family?
Can is stay with my partner?
We
try to place only one student per family.
Only families that have big houses sometimes
(especially during high season) accommodate
more than one student at a time. If you
wish to stay with your partner or friend
just email us after booking your courses
and we will make sure to find an appropriate
family for you.
12.
How much do you charge for the accomodation?
One
week of home stay with our proven and
well-chosen families is $127. This includes
seven days and six nights, two meals every
day, laundry service, a 100% immersion
into the Spanish language and a friendly,
warm-hearted family that will do anything
to let you have a perfect time.
[For more information
on prices and services click here]
|
Arrival
Information |
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1. Do I need a visa?
Upon
entry, each tourist is issued a 90-day tourist
visa. If you plan to stay beyond the 90
days, make sure you leave the country for
72 hours and then re-enter for a new 90
day visa or receive special permission/work
visa before you arrive. It's also a good
idea to have several copies of the picture
page of your passport with you when you
travel. If you are not a U.S. citizen, please
check with your Costa Rican embassy regarding
travel requirements as travelers from some
countries (China, for example) need to have
a visa to enter prior to arrival in addition
to their passport.
2. To who do I have to
communicate my arrival details?
Please
email your flight number, the exact date
and time of arrival and the city you're
coming from to mailto:karla@centro-logos.comat
least one week before your arrival.
3. Will somebody pick me
up at the airport?
If
you stay with a host family the pick up
service is included without extra charge.
Please don't forget to tell us your arrival
details and we will make sure that your
host family will pick you up. You will see
them waiting for you after customs when
you step out of the building. They will
have a sign with your name or "Centro
LOGOS" written on it.
If you miss your flight please call us at
(506) 258-7021 and we will do our best to
have somebody pick you up at the time of
your arrival. In case that you arrive early
please wait for your pick up. If our pick
up does not show up on time, the driver
probably just got stuck in a traffic jam.
Please wait OUTSIDE for 20 minutes; if nobody
has shown up by then please call us. Please
do not take a taxi without informing us.
Thanks.
[To learn more
about our host families and home stays click
here]
4. What will happen when
I first enter Costa Rica at the airport?
You'll
arrive at Juan Santa María International
Airport in Alajuela, about 20 minutes
outside of San Jose . Your first stop
after getting off the plane will be at
Immigration. The flight attendants should
have given you two forms, one for Immigration,
and one for Customs. If you are only bringing
personal belongings into the country,
just write down "personal belongings"
on the customs form. The immigration form
asks for your intended address in Costa
Rica . Write: "familia LOGOS Spanish
Institue". Have both forms ready
along with your passport.
After
passing Immigration, you will arrive in
a hall with 2 baggage transport belts.
You should be able to find your luggage
on one of these. Occasionally this can
be difficult because several flights sometimes
use the same baggage transport belt. You
should be prepared to search around a
little to locate your luggage. If there
is too much congestion, baggage handlers
occasionally will remove luggage from
the belts. This means that if you don't
see your items on the belt they are probably
already on the floor.
Your
next stop is Customs. If you have two
bags or less you can usually just walk
on through. For those with more than two
bags there is an area where you must push
a button. If after pushing the button,
the light turns green, proceed on through
Customs. If the light turns red, you will
have your luggage examined. (note: Customs
can check any bag or individual they desire.)
After
passing through Customs, take the stairs
on the right which will bring you to the
airport exit (note: there is a conveyer
belt on your right-hand side to transport
heavy pieces of luggage upstairs). Have
your baggage claim tags ready because
the baggage handlers at the top of the
stairs will often ask to see them (you
should have received the tags from the
airline during check-in: they are normally
stapled onto your ticket envelope).
Finally,
you can step out into the light of Costa
Rica . The whole process should take less
than 30 minutes.
5. How can I pay in Costa
Rica?
You
need to change money and get Costa Rican
Colones. Some stores and bigger hotels except
major credit cards, especially in San Jose
. You should still change dollars at a bank
or withdraw money from an ATM with your
credit card. And of course we will help
you with that. You will probably not need
a lot of cash, but make sure to have some
coins and small bills with you to pay for
taxis and buses, food, etc.
6. What should I do if
my luggage is lost?
If
you can't find your luggage you have to
fill out a luggage claim form. Please tell
the waiting driver what has happened, maybe
he can assist you. In the unlikely case
that your luggage has not arrived, please
don't worry. Fill out all the necessary
papers and leave the school's address as
well as the contact information of your
host family. We will help you to get your
luggage and assist as your translator if
you are not yet fluent in Spanish.
7. Which day should I arrive
in San Jose?
Plan
on arriving on a Saturday or Sunday prior
to the beginning or your courses with LOGOS.
Plan to depart on the Saturday or Sunday
after your program has finished. If you
are going to arrive on another day of the
week please contact us in advance and let
us know, so we can plan on that together
with your host family.
8. How do I find the LOGOS
institute?
If
you stay with a host family you will not
have to worry about that; a family member
will bring you to school on your first day.
In case you're staying at a hotel you won't
have a problem finding us neither. We are
located directly on Avenida Central, the
Central Avenue . The LOGOS institute is
in the Galerias Ramirez, around the corner
from the Teatro Nacional. In case that your
hotel is in downtown we might be able to
pick up from the hotel. Just email us or
give us a call.
9. Is there anything I
should consider when leaving Costa Rica?
When
you leave Costa Rica you will be charged
a $17 exit tax. Apart from that you will
need transportation to the airport. If
you want we can arrange that for you,
otherwise you can take a taxi to the airport.
The cost for that is usually $15. Please
plan on being at the airport three hours
prior to your departure.
|
Courses |
|
1. What types of courses
do you offer?
At
LOGOS, we specialize in very personal
and individual service. That is why we
offer a variety of different courses to
meet your needs. Our most popular course
is the INTENSIVE COURSE, which consists
of 4 hours of tuition per day, 5 days
a week. We do not believe in large groups
and long lectures, but in personal interaction
and intensive immersion; so the average
group size is usually kept to 2-3 students
per group.
This is also true for our SEMI-INTENSIVE
COURSES, which consist of 3 intense hours
of tuition a day. You might choose this
course if you need more time for sightseeing
or relaxing. Or if you want to combine
it with private classes.
A PRIVATE COURSE is 4 hours a day of one-on-one
tuition. This type of course should be
your choice if you want to learn Spanish
very fast or have very personal goals
(Spanish for Business, etc).
If you just have a week or two and need
to know the very basics of Spanish, for
ordering food, finding a place to sleep
and have basic communications with other
Spanish speakers, then you should go for
our SURVIVAL COURSE, which concentrates
on very practical Spanish. This course
will make you feel comfortable in the
Spanish speaking world within just a couple
days.
Not to forget: you can always add some
hours of INDIVIDUAL CLASSES to your regular
course to deepen your understanding and
become better at a faster pace.
Please
note that one hour of class at LOGOS usually
lasts 55 minutes. Other schools tend to
limit one hour of tuition to 45-50 minutes
maximum and still charge horrendous fees.
LOGOS does not believe mass service and
high prices but concentrates on giving
you all you need to have a great time.
[Click here for
a description of courses and prices]
2. Which levels are offered?
On
your first day of class we will interview
you to determine your language proficiency.
Unless you are a total beginner, you will
also have a placement test, so that we
can place you in a course with your level
of Spanish and language skills. According
to the official ACTFL regulations we offer
courses for the following 9 levels:
-
Beginner:
- Intermediate
- Advanced
[Click here
for more information on this topic]
3.
What are the prices for LOGOS Spanish courses?
Courses
at LOGOS start at only $35 per day, or $179
per week. We know that our prices are comparatively
low for the very high quality that we offer.
This is because our focus is not on making
profit. We want to serve you, our students,
and contribute to a better world.
For a complete overview of our prices please
click the link below.
[Click here
for a description of courses and prices]
4. How can I get extra
rebates?
5. What are the teachers'
qualifications?
Our
teachers are here to let you study according
to your specific needs and give you the
information to have success with Spanish.
To reach this goal LOGOS only employs teachers
that have proven to be reliable and professional.
It is very important to us that our teachers
enjoy teaching, show sincere interest in
other people and have good skills, not only
regarding the language but also regarding
personality. Additionally our teachers hold
university degrees and are trained by us
to guarantee the highest level of teaching.
[To read about our
100% satisfaction and money-back guarantee
click here]
[To learn more about
our teachers click here]
6. What is the teacher
pupil ratio?
Our
group classes consist of maximum five students
per teacher. However, almost all year round
we can manage to keep the group size at
2-3 students per teacher. If you take individual
classes or register for a private course
you will of course have a teacher for yourself.
[For
more information on this topic click here]
7. Is there a LOGOS teaching
methodology?
Our
main focus is to give you all you need,
to be there for you whenever you need support,
to give you an individualized service that
meets your very specific needs. To reach
this goal we concentrate on fun and interactive
classes and 100% immersion into the Spanish
language.
[To read more click
here]
8. Can I get a Certificate?
9. How long will it take
me to reach the desired level of Spanish?
That
depends on your existing knowledge and your
language learning experience. The more you
study the better it is. And the longer you
stay with us the better your Spanish will
be. Want a recommendation? Have a look at
your schedule and stay as long as your budget
permits. We are sure that you will love
it here in Costa Rica .
[Click
here to read more about about durations
and schedules]
10. What does my first
Monday at LOGOS look like?
On
your first day of class you should arrive
at the LOGOS institute at 7.45 am. Our director
Karla Leandro and our teachers will interview
you to assess your level of Spanish. Then
you will be assigned to a class and a time
schedule. Normally students can choose between
morning and afternoon classes. After a short
orientation the course starts. During the
break we serve coffee, tropical fruits and
snacks to give you a moment of relaxation
before the program goes on.
11. How about the study
materials?
12. Is there a way to
prolong my stay?
Yes,
of course. Just go online and register for
another week, an additional course or week
of homestay. It just takes a minute and
you're ready for another week (or more)
in paradise.
[Click here to check
out our registration area]
13. Do you offer DELE
preparation courses?
14. Is there a satisfaction
guarantee?
|
Booking |
|
1. Do you offer a 100%
money back guarantee?
2. How can I pay for my
courses?
Our
online booking system will accept all major
credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American
Express, Discover). Your credit card statement
will show the words: PAYPAL *CENTROLOGOS.
As our online payment system is operated
by PayPal, you can also use your existing
PayPal address and password for the transfer
of funds or sign up for a new FREE PayPal
account within the payment process.
Tip: For extending your stay on site you
should still pay online, as the system will
remember you and not only give you the exclusive
online rebates, but also the lower rates
for extended stays ;)
[Click here
to read more about PayPal]
[Click
here to see how the system is rated]
3.
When should I book my courses?
It
is strongly recommended to book your courses
as soon as possible at least before the
season you wish to come to LOGOS begins.
As states we attach great importance to
personal service and therefore only accept
20 students at once!
[Click here to find
out more]
4. Are there additional
fees for last minute booking?
If
you are lucky and find an available spot
for a time that is convenient to you on
short notice, go ahead an grab it! We will
NOT you charge any additional fees.
5. What if I want to change
my course or dates?
If
you encounter any troubles to hold on to
the dates you booked, or desire to change
the type of your course with hindsight,
please send us an email and we will do our
best to accomodate your wishes! ...but please
be kind and let us know at least two weeks
in advance!
[Click
here to email us now]
6. Should I pay for my
courses online?
Definitely!
All our transaction are 100% safe, we gladly
accept all major credit cards, you won't
need to carry it all in cash with you. Even
more than that: by paying online you will
qualify for our 20% online rebate - and
remember: this is the only way to reserve
yourself a seat!
[Click here to sign
up now!]
|
Communication |
1.
Where can I check my emails and surf the internet?
We
are planning on purchasing new computers
with internet access within the coming months.
Until then you can use one of the many internet
cafes around the school to easily check
and write emails. Internet Cafes are very
popular in San Jose and you will find plenty
of them everywhere in the city. There is
one internet café opposite the school
and within 3 minutes walking distance from
the school there are two more that we can
recommend and they all offer fast access
and really low prices (below $1 per hour).
You will also have an internet café
near your family's home and some of our
host families even have a computer at their
home.
2. Where can I make phone
calls? Can I receive calls?
To
make a phone call you can use the phone
of your host family. Probably the best way
is to simply buy a prepaid phone card (you
can get them in one of the shops near the
school) and follow the directions on the
card. You can also use the card with one
of the hundreds of public phones located
all around the city. If you prefer using
your credit card or making collect calls
please also read the answer to the following
question. Please do not use your host family's
phone without a calling card, credit card
or collect call, as the fees are considerably
higher without these and Costa Rican families
often do not have the money to pay for long
international calls. Thank you.
You can receive calls at your family's home.
In urgent cases people can also call you
at the school's telephone number.
3. What is there to know
about making international calls?
To
make collect calls ("llamada a cobrar")
or credit card calls ("llamada con
tarjeta de credito"), dial 116 to
get the operator who speaks English upon
request. For person-to-person calls, dial
09 followed by the complete phone number
without pausing. After dialing, the operator
will ask you to whom you wish to speak,
and whether it is a collect call or a
credit card call. Dial 0-8000-114-114
for the AT&T operator; 0-8000-122-222
for the MCI operator; or dial 0-8000-130-123
for the Sprint operator. For collect calls
to Denmark dial 0-8000-451-045. For collect
calls to Germany call 0-8000-491-049.
The local phone company (ICE) has an office
in downtown San Jose where you can make
international calls 24 hours a day by
paying with your credit card.
|
Tours
& Trips |
1. What are the sights
of Costa Rica?
2. What is there to do
around the school?
3. Do you organize trips?
4. Which tour operator
do you recommend?
5. Which sports can i do?
6. Can you provide some
general information about Costa Rica?
|
Safety,
Health & Insurance |
1.
Is San Jose safe? Should I worry about crime
in Costa Rica?
Costa
Rica is a very safe country, it is known
for its political stability within Central
America. Violent crime is almost non-existent,
especially compared to its neighbors but
even to countries with a high living standard
as the United States. You will mostly find
middle class neighborhoods and it is unlikely
that a student could get into 'the wrong
neighborhood' by accident.
2. What is the medical
infrastructure like?
Health
care in Costa Rica is excellent and there
are several ultra-modern hospitals with
English speaking Doctors (some are North
Americans) in the greater San José
area. You will get professional assistance
at the Clinica Americana (222-1010) or the
Clinica Biblica (257-5252, 257-0466) in
downtown San Jose. For emergency assistance
in Costa Rica, dial 911 or 128 for the Costa
Rican Red Cross. Make sure to leave a copy
of your itinerary with a host family member
with contact numbers for where you'll be
each day.
3. Do I need any vaccinations
to go to Costa Rica?
Although
nothing is required for entry into Costa
Rica, there are recommendations for precautions
when traveling to remote areas. If you decide
to take precautions in this regard, it's
best to do so 2 to 3 weeks before your departure.
Many passengers ask about Malaria pills,
but there are hardly any mosquitoes in San
Jose or on the popular tourist beaches.
There can rather be found in the rainforest
and along the rivers. If you intend to take
a river rafting tour or hike the jungle,
bring insect reppellent. Although we are
no doctors, we do not recommend taking Malaria
pills unless you are planning on being in
a remote or high-risk area. Please consult
your physician as well as the 'Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention' website
of the US government for the latest updates
when planning your trip to Costa Rica.
[Click
here to get to CDC's website]
4. Is the water safe to
drink?
Water
is safe to drink in San José. Local
authorities state that the drinking water
in Costa Rica is perfectly potable, however
we recommend that you stick to the bottled
variety especially in areas like Puntarenas
or Limón if possible just to play
it safe. Dehydration is definitely something
to be concerned about in Costa Rica, so
keep drinking plenty of water!
|
Miscellaneous |
|
1.
What should I bring for the stay?
For
school you will only need a pen and we
will provide you with everything else!
In addition to what you would take with
you for any trip, we would like to provide
you with a short check list, of crucial
things that we all tend to forget ;)
-
Sunglasses
-
Swimsuit
-
Beach towel
-
A hat or cap
-
Sunscreen
-
Insect reppellent
-
Light raincoat and/or umbrella
-
Sweater/light jacket
-
Long Pants: evenings can be chilly
-
Clothing comfortable for hiking, touring,
etc. (70-90 degree weather)
-
Hiking shoes
-
Day pack (fanny or backpack)
-
Your Passport or Birth Certificate
and 3 copies of whichever you bring
-
Driver's license
-
Credit card or traveler's checks
-
English/Spanish dictionary
-
A Costa Rican guidebook (Fodor's,
Lonely Planet, etc.)
-
Drugstore items (toothpaste, soap,
lotion, razor, etc.)
-
Sandals or FlipFlops
-
Camera
2.
How much money will i need?
It
really depends on what you intend to do,
see, buy, etc. You won't need any money
for your courses as everything is included
in our online fees, apart from some cents
for the buses in San Jose :) Only if you
wish to take additional private lessons
or want to stay only some days longer with
your host, then you might need some more
cash. You will find Costa Rica very affordable,
especially in comparison to Europe or the
US. To give you a brief overview over living
costs, a typical lunch costs around $5 at
an affordable restaurant and up to $15 at
a nicer establishment. Beer or mixed drinks
run about $2.00 per at a typical bar or
restaurant, and up to twice as much at a
nicer hotel or high-end eatery. Taxi fares
are very affordable compared to U.S. cities.
A short trip (2-3km) within San Jose or
at a beach town where taxis are prevalent
costs around $2.
Tip: Be smart, know the value of the colon
vs. your currency and purchase accordingly.
3. How do I stay up to
date?
We
provide our future students with our free
newsletter on a bi-monthly basis to let
you know about recent developments in
Costa Rica, but also some general information
and even an online Spanish trainer to
inform you about some useful expressions.
Don't hestitate and sign up now to stay
informed!
[Click here to
sign up now!]
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