International Experiential Travel

Guided Costa Rica Experiential Adventures

Upon the return from her first trip to Costa Rica in 2005, all Ann could think about was “How do I get back to that wonderful country and those wonderful people?” After extensive research, planning and connecting with local business owners and fellow adventurers, Ann led her first “Wonderful Women” trip to Costa Rica in February 2006. Grounded in her extensive professional experience in strategic consultancy, organizational and program development, and comprehensive meeting design and consultation, Ann added an experiential travel component to her business.

Core to the development of the guided Costa Rica Adventures are three key elements:

• The People, the human element:  Participants connect and develop meaningful lasting relationships and friendships with the local citizens they meet and also with fellow travelers, making connections otherwise not possible in their day-to-day lives.

• The Land, the Costa Rica element:  Participants experience the amazing physical beauty and extraordinary and powerful biological complexity that is Costa Rica and its neighboring countries.
• The Moment, the Pura Vida element:  In Spanish, Pura Vida translates roughly into “Pure Life”, but in Costa Rica it means something more: full of life, this is living, excellent.  Trips are planned in such a way that participants are focused on the here and now- and as a result, become a bit more adventurous, a little less self-conscious, and often transport themselves in the adventure and start embracing the Pura Vida.

FIRST TYPE OF TRIP: 
Wonderful Women Adventure

In this creative extension of her consulting practice and the hallmark of her guided tours, Ann has combined her extensive knowledge of organizing successful and meaningful gatherings with her longstanding interest in international economic development and sustainability. By design, these trips include opportunities for environmental awareness and international giving, as well as for learning or practicing Spanish.

Ann’s Wonderful Women Adventure experience is a carefully structured itinerary of education, volunteer activities, short-term home stays, recreation, and relaxation, providing an in-depth and enriching experience for participants and hosts alike. Each year a new experience is crafted. 

For more information about the next Wonderful Women Adventure, contact Ann This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

SECOND TYPE OF TRIP:
Spanish Language/Cultural Immersion Experience (co-ed trip)

Ann’s Spanish Language/Cultural Immersion Experience provides a highly customized, deeply integrated approach to learning or improving Spanish.  This one-week trip consists of three to four days of one-on-one or small group Spanish lessons at a well-respected Spanish language school, paired with a local home stay experience in Tres Rios, a San Jose suburb. Whether participants are practicing Spanish while learning about the Costa Rican culture of growing and drinking coffee or having a conversation with their host family over dinner, this experience gives students an opportunity to learn or improve their skills while also learning about local customs and culture.  

The second half of this trip gives participants a completely different, but equally authentic view of Costa Rican life and culture by traveling to the Osa Peninsula, the southernmost peninsula. Whether participants are hearing the personal stories of local small-business owners or learning about the surrounding ecology during guided tours of the majestic natural beauty the location affords (especially Corcovado National Park), the second half of the experience gives students the opportunity to improve their skills in a unique “out-of-the-classroom” immersion experience.