Professional Documents
Culture Documents
¡Bienvenidos!
Welcome to Academia Columbus and thank you for All of our schools are members of the “International
your interest in our immersion programs! Since 2000 Association of Language Centers” (IALC) and meet
we have offered quality Spanish language courses at international teaching standards. The high quality of our
our schools in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Mexico. Our schools is continuously verified through independent
programs will provide you with the ability to improve inspection.
your Spanish skills, get to know new cultures, travel
through interesting countries and make new friends Beside our language courses, we also offer internships
abroad. Our staff will do its best to provide you with a and volunteering opportunities in all three countries.
once in a lifetime experience. Explore new cultures, gain work experience abroad and
add a real highlight to your resume with an internship in
New Spanish courses begin every Monday of the year a foreign country.
in all schools for all levels, including absolute beginners.
You will improve your skills rapidly due to our mini San José, Quito and Playa del Carmen all offer a
group instruction with an average of three, maximum perfect setting for a language course in some of the
of five students per group. Our modern schools are all most naturally diverse countries in the world. Tropical
centrally located and offer a great learning atmosphere Rainforests, hundreds of national parks, stunning
in well-lit classrooms. beaches and coral reefs, active volcanoes, Mayan
ruins and the Galápagos Islands are famous all over
the world and will make your stay in Latin America an
unforgettable experience!
www.intercambio.com.br
skype: erickandregarcia
Service
Integrated Teaching Concept
All teachers follow a common teaching method, and the
Counseling and Support same course materials (from the Instituto Cervantes,
It is important for us to provide students with full among others) are used at all schools.
guidance and support. Our staff are always happy
to answer any questions. We can also help you find
a cheap flight, if necessary, or assist you in your visa
Qualified Teachers
application. All our teachers are native speakers and possess a
degree as well as several years of experience in teaching
Travel Arrangements Spanish as a foreign language.
We will send you comprehensive travel documents,
including important information and advice regarding
your language holiday and course location, together
with your booking confirmation. This will allow you
to plan your journey ahead in the best possible way,
i.e. make any necessary arrangements to meet
immigration requirements and arrange for money and
travel insurance. We will send you the address, including First Day of School
a map detailing the location of your host family or On your first day at school, you will walk the short
shared apartment, and the location of the language distance to the school together with your host family
school, as well as all further information regarding your or other students. Lessons will start following an
accommodation approximately three weeks prior to introduction by our school team. Students will be
introduced to other course participants, the school’s
administration and teaching staff. You will also be taken
on a quick tour of the school building to help you get
your bearings.
You will be picked up from the airport in Costa Rica and
Ecuador free of charge. Your host family or one of our
staff members will meet you at the airport holding an
Academia Columbus sign with your name on it. You City Tour
will be taken straight to your accommodation from the In the afternoon of your first day at the school you will
airport. If you are going to Mexico, you can book this be taken on a city tour together with all the other new
service at an additional charge. You will also receive a students. The purpose of this city tour is to familiarise
welcome pack containing further information about you with everyday life in a new country.You will be shown
how to sort out some basic things that will be useful in
your everyday life, such as catching a bus, withdrawing
money, shopping and visiting Internet cafés. We will
of course also take this opportunity to show you some
of the best sights in town, and show you where to find
skype: erickandregarcia good restaurants, bars and ice cream parlours.
IALC Member
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Activities
www.intercambio.com.br
skype: erickandregarcia
Cultural Activities
Our activities take place at least two to three times a
week, and form an important part of our philosophy:
learn and ‘live’ the Spanish language!
Movie Night
Like going to the movies? Come with us and enjoy a
movie in Spanish or with Spanish subtitles in a movie
theatre around town.
Excursions
In addition to our cultural program, all schools offer
exciting excursions to interesting destinations in each
country. Most excursions take place on weekends and
can be booked directly at school on a pay-as-you-go
basis.
Activities
the top of the pyramid and get a wonderful view of the
Yucatán peninsula.
Business
The requirements for a work experience placement (e.g. in marketing, accounting, sales,…)
are good knowledge of the Spanish language and an
internship duration of at least 8 weeks, in some areas Tourism
12 weeks. (e.g. in a hotel, with a tour operator or travel
agent,…)
In addition you are also required to at least do a two-
week language course (advanced level) or an four- Development
week course (basic knowledge) at our school. Absolute (e.g. in a national park, in the area of
beginners must do an eight-week course at our school. environmental protection, ...)
You can of course also do a longer course at our school.
Medicine
It is also advantageous to participate in a work (e.g. nursing or work placement in hospitals (only
experience over a longer period of time (ideally three available in Ecuador and Mexico),...)
to six months), have prior experience in the relevant
subject area, very good knowledge of the Spanish Law
language, and having started a degree. (e.g. in a law firm or a legal department, ...)
Computer Science
(e.g. as a programmer,...)
Architecture
(e.g. in an architect’s office, ...)
Internship O Engineering
verview (e.g. in road
development,...)
building, infrastructural
1. Apply with co
ver letter and
2. We contact o resume in Sp
ur partner org anish
and companie anizations
s
3. We confi
rm further d
placement etails about
the internship
4. Begin lan
guage course
5. Begin in (min. 2 weeks
ternship (min )
. 8 weeks)
Costa Rica
San José
skype: erickandregarcia
Costa Rica
Costa Rica - ’the rich coast’; this is what Christopher Costa Rica is a breathtakingly beautiful tropical country
Columbus used to call this area so rich in breathtaking that attracts visitors all year round. Here you can
natural beauty. However, the country located between experience ’La Pura Vida’, as the locals like to call it.
Panama and Nicaragua has much more to offer than The high season is during the dry season which runs
just a stunning coastline. Despite its relatively small from December to April, but Costa Rica is definitely
size, which with 51,000 square kilometres is comparable also worth a visit during the ’Green Season’, because at
to the size of Switzerland, Costa Rica is considered an average temperature of 22 °C/75 °F, you can‘t really
one of the most diverse countries in the world, and is speak of bad weather, can you?
particularly exciting for all nature and adventure lovers.
The locals - also known as „Ticos“ - have a reputation
A third of the country’s surface is protected and of being very friendly, relaxed and welcoming people
large areas of the land have been declared national with whom you can easily practise your newly acquired
parks, many of which have not yet been explored. Spanish skills! They are very helpful and will always
Visitors to Costa Rica’s many national parks will have help you out with any questions or problems you might
the opportunity to discover a unique flora and fauna experience. Also ask them for their advice on the best
consisting of exotic wildlife such as birds, monkeys, places to go out, have a cocktail or go on a weekend
crocodiles, turtles, tapirs and jaguars. You can also trip! Costa Ricans also tend to pronounce quite clearly,
take part in a day or night trip to one of Costa Rica’s 72 making them easy to understand especially for beginner
volcanoes, ride across the Valle Central on a mountain students.
bike, explore the many waterfalls whilst rafting, or
take advantage of the ideal conditions for surfing and Costa Rica is one of the most progressive countries in
diving on the 1500 kilometre long Caribbean and Pacific Latin America, and has been free of political unrests
since the 1940s. It possesses a democratic government
and is one of four countries in the world that do not
maintain any armed forces.
Playa del
Carmen
Accommodation
Shared Apartment Host family
Many students live in our spacious shared apartments Another popular choice among our students is living
near the school. These comfortably furnished with a host family. Students who choose this option live
apartments each have two or more bedrooms, a living in carefully selected host families which are situated
room with TV and an adjacent kitchen, and one or within 5 to 20 minutes on foot from the language school
more bathrooms. The kitchen is fully equipped. The and the beach. Host families offer furnished single
apartments are cleaned and the bedding is changed and double rooms with breakfast or half board. Please
once per week, but we kindly ask that you bring your note the double rooms are only for students traveling
own towels. together.
All apartments are within walking distance (about 10-15 If you are coming with a friend or partner, you are
minutes) of the school. You can also get to the school by welcome to stay together in the same host family.
using public transport; this only takes about 5 minutes. Should you have any dietary requirements (e.g.
vegetarian, allergies, etc.), please state those on your
You may book a single room, double room or a room enrolment form, so that the family can prepare for your
with several beds, whereby there is a limit of a maximum needs as best as possible.
of four beds per room. You can book a double room or a
multi-bed shared room even if you are traveling alone.
In this case you would be sharing a room with other Hotel
students from the language school. This is a great way We can also arrange for you to stay in a hotel in Playa
to get to know your fellow students from all over the del Carmen. There is a range of hotels in different price
world. categories. Most of the hotels are close to the beach
and offer single or double rooms with the additional
option of air-conditioning.
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Teen Program
San José
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