• Maps
• Arrivals
• Newsletters
• Rules Summary
• Registration form

RULES SUMMARY / ICLC HOST FAMILY PROGRAM

To maintain a good relationship with your Costa Rican host family throughout your study abroad program, please respect the following regulations. They were established by request of all host families participating in the ICLC Host Family Program, to preserve a comfortable atmosphere during your stay with them.

• It is unsafe and not appropriate at all to arrive home later than 10:00 p.m., during week days.
• Notify your host family if you will miss a meal, if you will be out later than usual, or if you will not be home that evening or night.
• Make sure you lock the doors of the house. Please do not forget that upon receiving the keys you become accountable for them. You are also responsible for replacing the keys and the corresponding new locks in case of loss.
• Please, do not leave dirty laundry in your bedroom and do not forget that you are responsible for washing your underwear daily.
• Due to climate conditions, it is customary in Costa Rica for people to take a shower daily. Please, observe this way of life as the bad smell could be unpleasant for those around you.
• Out of courtesy, do not arrange meetings or invite your friends or classmates at your host family home. When doing this, you make the family feel compelled to be gracious, to accept a stranger into their home.
• Please do not throw food in the garbage. The family will decide what to do with leftovers. Families will always offer the students what they usually eat for breakfast and dinner (lunch is not included). Please remember that families do not desire to change their food habits.
• Please do not use the telephone line to make phone calls in your home stay, because telephone service in Costa Rica is very expensive for both, international and local calls. You can always use a calling card but not at your home stay, please do it at ICLC or at a public phone.
• Please do not provide the telephone number of your host family to receive local calls. However, you are allowed to receive international calls, if it is at a proper time (never past 10:00 p.m.) and for a reasonable period of time (never more than half an hour).
• Drugs and alcohol are banned completely. It is absolutely forbidden to come to ICLC or to stay in the home of your Costa Rican host family under the effects of drugs or alcohol. If the effects of any drug or alcohol is putting your safety and the well-being of your Costa Rican family in jeopardy, this may cause your immediate termination as a student of this Institution, including cancellation of your host family program.

HOST FAMILY PROGRAM

Sonia Rojas is the person in charge of the host family program. If there are any doubts, concerns, or questions and you are having difficulties expressing yourself to your host family, please talk to her immediately. If for some reason you wish to move to another house, do not hesitate to inform her about it. Your host family is responsible for your breakfast, dinner and laundry service. They will also show you, the first day of class, how to get to the public transportation (taxi or bus) that you can use to get to ICLC campus every morning.

MEALS

They usually consist of typical dishes plus local vegetables and fruits. "Gallo pinto" will be served once in a while and it is a typical breakfast made out of rice and beans, combined with fresh chopped spices. If you have any dislikes or special dietary needs (e.g. low cholesterol, etc.), talk them over with Sonia or with your host mother. Please remember that lunch is not included in the host family program and that the two meals offered are not interchangeable. Out of courtesy, please notify your host family if you will be missing one of the meals, if you will be out later than usual, or if you will not come home that evening.

KEYS

Inquire about the house keys with your host family so that you may easily get into the house if no one is there.  Make sure you always lock the doors of the house. Upon receiving the keys you become accountable for them and you are also responsible for replacing the keys and the corresponding new locks in case of loss. You will be notified about it in writing, when receiving the keys.

LAUNDRY

Laundry service is included. You must ask your host mother where to place your dirty laundry, to avoid misunderstandings.(¿Dónde pongo la ropa sucia? / Where should I put my dirty cloth?). Find out if there are any specific days for doing the laundry in your host home. If you have dirty clothes, when you first arrive to your assigned family (because you have been at the beach or you have been traveling in another country), please take care of this specific laundry. You are responsible for washing your underwear daily. (¿Dónde debo lavar la ropa interior? / Where should I wash my underwear?) Please, do not leave dirty laundry in your bedroom.

NO OTHER GUESTS ARE ACCEPTED AT YOUR HOST FAMILY

Please do not arrange meetings with your friends or classmates at your host family home. If you are dating, you are not allowed to invite your boyfriend or girlfriend to come to your room.

DO NOT MAKE ANY TYPE OF MONEY TRANSACTIONS with the host family, to avoid misunderstandings or the consequences will be your responsibility.

TELEPHONE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE HOST FAMILY PROGRAM

The telephone service in Costa Rica is very expensive for both, international and local calls. Please do not use the telephone line to make phone calls in your house because this service is not included in the host family program. You can always use a calling card but not at your house. You are allowed to receive international calls at your house (for short periods of time), but never collect calls. Please ask your family to show you the closest public phone or use the service at ICLC. (¿Dónde está el teléfono público más cercano? / Where is the closest public telephone?)

DAYLY SHOWER

Because of the tropical climate, it is customary in Costa Rica for people to take a shower daily. Please, observe this way of life as the bad smell could, sometimes, be unpleasant for those around you. Your host family could be shocked if you don't shower daily. In Costa Rica, most people use a thermo heat system to produce hot water and you will notice that it is a little lukewarm. Please do not stay more than 20 minutes under the shower because the on-demand heating unit might burn out. Your host family will explain to you how the shower works (Por favor muéstreme cómo se usa el agua caliente. / Please show me how to use the warm water.)

Important note: Do not walk around the house in underwear before or after shower.

STAYING EXTRA DAYS AND RECEIVING INTERNATIONAL GUESTS

If you arrive ahead of time or decide to stay longer, the cost to stay with the host family is: $30 per night. Families do not work separate from the Institute, they belong to a host family program created to provide an excellent and supervised service to the students. That is why you have to make all arrangements through Sonia Rojas, the person in charge of the host family program.

If your parents or friends are planning to visit while you are studying in Costa Rica, they must be in a hotel, B&B or hostel accommodation.

ICLC Host Family Program has a legal agreement with each host family and its terms and conditions do not include visitors.

Accommodation  |  Conservation  |  Spanish  |  Tours