Hiking at Tenorio National Park, Costa Rica

Tenorio National Park is a beautiful natural reserve located in Bijagua, Costa Rica. If you're driving between Liberia and La Fortuna, the national park is right on the way on Highway 6 and it's definitely worth a visit! The hike is by no means strenuous except for the stairs leading down to the waterfall. The rest of …

Cost of Living in Bogotá, Colombia

In general, the cost of living in Colombia is very affordable for Americans. Like many countries, smaller cities or towns tend to be cheaper than larger, metropolitan cities. That being said, Bogotá is the largest city in Colombia with a population of 6.7 million people, and it's still extremely cheap compared to the cost of living in the …

Cerro Chato Hike in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Cerro Chato is a dormant volcano located next to the Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. According to arenal.net, the volcano has been inactive for 3,500 years and has an elevation of about 3,740 feet. The hike is beautiful but quite challenging, mostly due to the steep inclines and mud. It is recommended that only …

The Meddeas Program: Overview and Application Process

The Meddeas program is an English Language Assistant program in Spain that provides its participants with a stipend and training along with the chance to work as an assistant in a private school. Meddeas offers three levels of programs and participants list their program preference according to their education, experience, and background (i.e. - Did you study …

Taking a bus from Alajuela (San José Airport) to Liberia

Finding updated bus information online can be difficult, especially in countries where bus schedules are flexible. While Colombia typically has buses that frequently arrive/depart, I quickly learned that Costa Rica (being a smaller country) has more limited bus options between cities. For example, you can find a bus that goes nearly anywhere from San José, …

TEFL Course Weeks 2 – 5

I've made it to the midterm point in my International TEFL Academy course, and so far I've been very happy with the instruction, activities, and readings. Week 2 focused on created a student-centered classroom. We had to take a few different online tests to see what our learning styles and intelligences are, and then write how …

Relaxing day trip from Pasto, Colombia: Laguna de la Cocha

If you find yourself in Pasto, Colombia, you must make time to visit Laguna de la Cocha. Laguna de la Cocha is a serene lagoon situated just 40 minutes outside of Pasto, Colombia, in a colorful fishing village. Visiting the lagoon is a perfect relaxing day trip from Pasto. Just walking around the little village, you'll …

TEFL Course Week 1: Role of the Teacher

My online TEFL course through International TEFL Academy started this week, and as nerdy as this sounds, I was really excited to start learning! Apart from a weekend training I took back in 2012 from the Minnesota Literacy Council, I've never had much formal training on how to be an effective teacher. The plus side is …

Hiking Laguna Verde / Volcán Azufral

Laguna Verde Volcán Azufral is a breathtaking (quite literally, at times!) hike situated in the southwestern corner of Colombia, near the Ecuadorian border. The hike includes spectacular views of the surrounding landscape, a lookout of the green lagoon (laguna verde) from above, and a chance to walk down to the lagoon and over to the Azufral …

UCETAM Language Assistant Program in Madrid: Overview and Application Process

UCETAM (Unión de Cooperativas de Enseñanza de Trabajo Asociado de Madrid) is another Spain teaching program for Americans. According to their website, UCETAM: "...is an independent organization that was created in 1985 and now comprises 104 teaching cooperatives, Labor Societies, Foundations and Associations, which are arranged in a legal manner and joint ventures with Social Economy …