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COSTA RICA
SUMMER CAMP
SPANISH CAMP & VOLUNTEER ABROAD FOR TEENS
Summer Camp is an amazing experience where you discover a world of travel, language, and intercultural exchange. You are never too young to start exploring and the Summer Camp program in Costa Rica helps you begin your exploration abroad, uptick your Spanish language skills, and take part in international volunteering. Both the Spanish Camp and Volunteer Camp tracks provide safe and guided environments during your summer break.
Maximo Nivel’s Costa Rica Summer Camp in Manuel Antonio and San Jose is a full-immersion experience for teens between 13 and 17 years old. Participants choose from 2 focused tracks—Volunteer or Spanish Language—while sharing cultural activities, creative workshops, sports, adventure tours, and more together as a group. This unique experience helps you develop a better sense of the world and grow into a true global citizen. Maximo Nivel’s Summer Camp in beautiful Costa Rica is an experience you remember forever!
Why I Maximo Nivel
Overall, my experience with Maximo Nivel was amazing, fun, and educational. Both places, San Jose and Manuel Antonio, were a great experience. I loved all the chaperones and my host families made it easy to adapt. I made a lot of really good friends here and I have improved significantly on my Spanish skills. This program let me see the potential I have to learn new things and in progressing in my Spanish speaking.
The main experience I gained from this excursion was learning spanish which was very helpful for me. I decided to parttake in the trip because parts of family speak spanish and therefore I am now able to communicate with them easier. Another positive effect of this excursion was the fact that during the week we stayed in Costa Rica the group also helped in a very impactful social project, cleaning the walls in the city and helping to paint a school. This opened my eyes to the impact people can have on their environment and how people can collaborate to do great things.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
CHOOSE FROM SPANISH OR VOLUNTEER TRACKS
TRACK 1 — VOLUNTEER ABROAD TRACK
This track focuses on international community service and volunteering. Campers learn about giving back by getting involved at local schools and community-based projects. Work includes light construction, organizing activities with children, tutoring English, and other high-impact projects. Volunteer projects run for 3-4 hours each afternoon. An official certificate for volunteering is provided at the end of the program.
TRACK 2 — SPANISH LANGUAGE TRACK
This track focuses on studying Spanish in a fully immersive environment. Classes are led by experienced, certified native Spanish-speaking teachers. In the classroom, learners utilize a structured curriculum and Spanish conversation, so you naturally acquire the language through practice. Spanish classes run for 3 hours each afternoon. An official certificate with the Spanish level achieved is provided at the end of the program.
DAILY ROUTINE
Every morning, the entire group comes together to explore Costa Rica through activities like jungle ziplines, rainforest hikes, surf lessons, coffee and chocolate farm tours, salsa classes, cooking classes, and much more. After a catered lunch at the institute, the group splits into their respective Volunteer and Spanish tracks for the afternoon session. In the evening, you return to your host family for dinner and showers, and then get ready for the camp’s evening events. These activities include bonfires, night time jungle tour, Costa Rican BBQs, movie nights, games, quality time with your host family, and lots more!
Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse travel destinations on the planet and Summer Camp never disappoints!
ACCOMMODATIONS
During the Summer Camp program, you stay with pre-approved, middle class family-stays in Manuel Antonio and San Jose. Accommodations include shared rooms with 1-2 other campers of the same gender and similar age. In the family-stay, breakfast and dinner is included every day and lunches are catered in at the Maximo Nivel institute. Private rooms are available on request.
ABOUT COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is by far one of the most exotic places on Earth! The country offers unparalleled natural beauty, white sand beaches, rainforests, and a wide range of national parks. Costa Rica is located in Central America and borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. A chain of mountains—part of the Andean-Sierra Madre chain—runs the length of the country and separates the Caribbean Sea on the east coast from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast. Costa Rica has thousands of miles of gorgeous coastline and copious amounts of sunshine, which makes it the most inspirational learning environment in the world :)
Costa Rica is a very safe and democratic country. The country is one of the top international tourist destinations in the world and is recognized as the adventure and language learning capital of Latin America. With a population just over 5 million people, Costa Rica is a small country, but it has the most developed economy in Central America, and it is one of the leading countries in education and healthcare in the region. The local people (“Ticos”) are known for their peaceful culture and their friendly and helpful nature, and they are always ready to greet you with a smile, give directions to anywhere you need to go, and they love to help you improve your Spanish!
| Population | 5.1 Million |
|---|---|
| Geography | 51,100 km² (19,730 square miles). Costa Rica is approximately the size of West Virginia. The highest point is Cerro Chirripo 3,810 meters/12,460 feet above sea level |
| Capital | San Jose |
| Founded | 15 September 1821 |
| Currency | Colon (₡) U.S. dollars are accepted in all places of business and are available at most ATMs. Other currencies can be easily exchanged. |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Time Zone | UTC -6:00 |
| Map |  |
SUPPORT FOR PARENTS
The Maximo Nivel team is absolutely dedicated to safety and great client service. We understand it can be challenging to let your teenager fly off to another country. We pride ourselves on going the extra mile and ensuring great support for every parent!
Pre-Departure Support
The Maximo Nivel team is here to provide all pre-departure support:
− Where and how to book flights
− How to arrange airline assistance for unaccompanied minors
− Getting comfortable with the Spanish and Volunteer track options, and what to expect
− Understanding passports and visas
WHAT TO PACK
Before packing up and heading out to Summer Camp in Costa Rica, please make sure you and your family discuss what it means to be far from home and the importance of being a good ambassador for your home country while traveling abroad. We strongly encourage parents to be sure your teenager leaves their home country with everything on the list below.
NICHOLAS ‘NICO’ JONES
SUMMER CAMP DIRECTOR
Nicholas “Nico” Jones serves as the Summer Camp Director in Costa Rica. Born in Cusco, Peru, Nico brings a truly international perspective to the program, holding triple citizenship: Costa Rican, Peruvian, and American. He is fluent in both Spanish and English and connects easily with participants from diverse backgrounds.
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