
Our
families, all of which are carefully screened and accustomed to hosting
foreign students, live within the
area of the school so that students may either walk to class each day
or meet at a central location for morning transportation.
The host families are patient and extend
themselves to help our students learn Spanish. The family units are diverse
- young
couples without children, couples with children (of all age groups) and
older couples with grown children who are no longer at home. We always
do our best to accommodate the students' wishes concerning homestay requests.
Students
staying with a host family, are totally immersed in the Costa Rican culture
and have the opportunity to practice Spanish daily. The family
provides breakfast,
dinner and laundry service. With advance notice the host families can meet
special dietary needs, including those of vegetarians and vegans.
CPI can place students or a family
together in the same home upon request; however, because students tend
to learn Spanish faster
when
not in constant
contact with a friend/spouse (because of the tendency to speak in their
native language), it may be to their advantage to live in separate households.
The
standard of living of the host families are considered middle class by
Costa Rican standards. In general,
students find a simpler way
of life than to
which they are accustomed to, especially in Monteverde and Flamingo.
However, all of the homes
are clean and students have a room of their own.
Students are always a welcome guest in a homestay and
have a wonderful opportunity to practice the language, learn about Costa
Rican
culture and, in turn, share their culture with the family.