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I must echo the comments of other participants who noted how well organized this program is. Everything was planned, from pickup at the airport by the family, to regular (short) meetings with Leslie and Rory to ensure that we all knew what was happening, to the classes and excursions. Although language learning is a long-term, ongoing process, it would be impossible for students participating in this program not to improve. All in all, my two weeks in Costa Rica provided me with an excellent learning experience.
Common Ground provides a well-organized and inclusive experience, from the classroom, to the clinic, to the excursions which range from beaches and waterfalls to coffee and chocolate operations. The classes are intensive, the visiting speakers informative, and the visits fascinating. The immersion of living with a family is just excellent–that’s where you can dive into the daily conversations that bring Spanish to life. I would highly recommend this program to anyone in or outside the medical community who would like to improve their Spanish in a humanistic environment among wonderful students–with Leslie and Rory adding helpful flexibility to make it a wholly successful experience.
Immersion is without a doubt the most effective way to learn a new language. Unsure how to achieve this? Common Ground is the perfect program to take care of all of the unknowns involved with foreign travel, education, cultural exposure, and anything else you might not know how to do yourself. Just sign up and show up! They guide you through the process and make it pleasant and exciting!
This program is extremely well organized and has been around for years, which has allowed the leaders to fine tune everything. There is very little actual preparation that participants have to do aside from what the program tells you to do. There were a lot of cool people in the groups, which made the experience all the more memorable. They offer weekend trips to help see more of the country. The Spanish language school is also well run and efficient. I would recommend this course to people who are willing to go out of their comfort zone to learn or improve their Spanish, and who want a structured component to their Spanish language learning.
I highly recommend CGI Immersion Program if you want to improve your Spanish. I loved the small classes, the day trips to see beautiful waterfalls and other local sights and the opportunity to live with a family. I can’t say enough how much I learned on this trip. Thanks to Rory and Leslie for all the pre-meetings and prep information to making sure we were on our return flight home. I plan to do this again next summer.
Common Ground International is a wonderful partner for Medical Spanish Immersion. The classes are challenging and enjoyable. All of the students I talked with were happy with their host families and motivated to participate in immersion. The excursions were interesting and helped to expand my knowledge of the Costa Rican Health System and the services provided to patient’s who are not eligible for coverage.
It was an excellent experience and would recommend it to anyone interested in improving their Spanish. The classes were fun and challenging and offered exposure to CR culture and the health system
I liked this experience so much, I came back for more! Thanks to everyone for such a good learning opportunity. Good clases at Lapa Verde, and fun trips with Rory. The other students were a delight to get to know, too.
Great spanish immersion experience. Excellent classes. Nice mix of exposures to CR medical system, public health topics and CR culture.