Centro Panamericana de Idiomas (CPI)

As my last week at CPI comes to a close, I am very wistful. I truly love it here. I love the people. I love the landscape. Returning to Monteverde in the future is definitely in my plans. I feel a part of the community in just the two weeks I have been here. 

Monteverde means Green Mountain. The landscape is lush, green, and beautiful. The view across from campus changes by the minute, but it is always breathtaking. On clearer days, I can see the Pacific Ocean. Other times, the clouds dance through the trees or come rolling in above the mountains. 

Monteverde was originally settled by Costa Rican farmers. In the 1950s, a group of Quakers from Fairhope, Alabama, settled here. They left the U.S. to avoid being drafted into the Korean War and to avoid paying taxes that support the war. They selected Costa Rica because it does not have an army. The Quakers were the first people to realize the importance of the cloud forest was and to preserve it. They donated the land to create the Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve.

Santa Elena is a town with about 9,000 people. The people are gracious, friendly, and happy. You are greeted by each person you pass on the sidewalk. I ran into someone I had met just once before  , and he greeted me with a hug and asked me about my day. 

CPI Monteverde has a beautiful campus filled with lush gardens and many quiet spots to sit and relax. There are six fountains, a jacuzzi, an exercise room, games, and, of course, many classrooms. There are even two hammocks inside the building to relax and read in. 

Classes are held from eight to noon for the majority of students. Additional classes and conversational classes take place in the afternoons. So far, I have only taken the morning classes. Next week I will add an afternoon conversational class. I have had two excellent teachers, Yessenia and Flory. They change your teachers every week. The photo shows Flory and me.  

We have a break from 10 to 10:20 every morning. We are served some sort of Tico snack (quesadilla, empanada, bread pudding), along with a piece of fresh fruit. I always go for the snack plate with the pineapple on it. It is so juicy! 

Rolando is the fabulous event coordinator. He arranges our transportation and accommodations on all of our various excursions in the area. He shows such great care and concern for all of his students.

On the second day, I guess I caused a bit of a stir. I was missing and didn’t even know it. I went to my pick-up point for the bus. The CPI microbus came to pick us up, and I got on the bus with one of my classmates. Apparently, they had two buses and I got on the wrong one. I didn’t know there were two buses. Rolando called around to find me while I was already on my way to school. It all worked out. 

The last two days I walked to school. I loved it! It took about 35 minutes and I go up and down many steep hills, so I really get a workout. Yesterday I missed the torrential downpour by mere minutes. 

I have been blessed with a great family to live with the last two weeks. I was also able to attend two different family birthday parties. Granddaughter Mia turned four, and daughter Hillary turned 22. Mama Gloriana is transforming one of the bedrooms into an Airbnb. So, if you are planning a trip here in the near future, I can recommend a perfect place to stay! (Photo below: Gloriana, in yellow, and Mauren.)  

I will miss you Monteverde!