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La Escuela Del Sol
Located in the beautiful and tranquil Montezuma, Costa Rica, LEDS is founded on the principle of self enhancement of the body, the mind and the soul.  It is a one of a kind educational vacation that begs to be remembered for the rest of your life. 
 
Our Staff
Our staff is incredibly eclectic, coming from Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Germany and the USA:

  

Jeremy La Escuela Del Sol Surfing, Spanish, yoga and poi school in Montezuma Costa RicaJeremy Levine
Founder, Director, Fire Dancing Instructor
Jeremy's the man behind the curtain!  He received his undergraduate degree in business at Syracuse University in New York and his MBA from the USC Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, California.  He learned fire dancing on the beaches of Thailand years ago and it quickly became his passion.  Through business school, he was able to find a way to keep fire dancing a part of his life while creating La Escuela Del Sol.  The school is something he takes very seriously and strives continuously to make the best it can possibly be. 
 
 
 
Spanish Abroad Teacher in Montezuma Costa RicaAndrea Hoyos
Co-Director, Substitute Spanish Teacher
Andrea is the coolest chick you know!  She is a native Spanish speaker who was born in Bogota, Colombia where she was taught to sing and dance at a young age.  She moved to Costa Rica in her teens and became famous on the hit show Buba, a Costa Rican sensation of a talent search which was similar to, but predated, American Idol.   All this while obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Graphics Design from the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica.  Andrea has taught Spanish for 2 years and often cries when her students leave.  She's a committed teacher that everyone misses long after they have left La Escuela Del Sol.

 

Rebecda Spanish teacher for college credit spanish abroad program montezuma costa ricaRebeca Quesada
Administrator,
Substitute Spanish Teacher
Rebeca Quesada will blow your mind!  She too is a native Spanish speaker who was born in Costa Rica and has seen the world many times over.  When she was a teen, her mother was chosen as Costa Rican Foreign Minister to Bolivia under the assignment of Oscar Arias (who would become the current President of Costa Rica) and was later sent to Portugal.  Having lived and studied in Europe for several years, she can now speak Portuguese, English, Italian and basic French as well as her native Spanish.  Years later, she moved to Montezuma and opened the first tourism company in town.  Her business, world and academic experience along with 2 years of Spanish teaching experience make her uniquely qualified to run our school as administrator as well as to teach Spanish when she is needed. 

 

Luz Spanish Teacher
Gustavo Merlino
Spanish Teacher, Surf Instructor
Gustavo teaches Spanish in his sleep!  He is a native Spanish speaker who was born and raised in Argentina, and has a great deal of passion and energy for discovering new people and places.  In Argentina, he tutored exchange students for several years during college.  As part of his studies at the Universidad Abierta Interamericana in Buenos Aires, he traveled extensively throughout Latin America, studying different cultures.  He also spent time on the school’s diving team (ask him to show you a flawless swan dive over our local 40 foot waterfall!).  In 2000 he graduated with a degree in Tourism.  That along with his great personality helps our students get the most out of their experiences in Costa Rica!  

 

Luz Spanish Teacher
Federico Segarra
Spanish Teacher
Fede teaches Spanish while he's awake!  He too hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina and has traveled almost the whole of North, Central and South America.  He finished college at the Universidad de Buenos Aires in 2005 and has been teaching Spanish for us since arriving in Costa Rica one year ago.  Fede is a huge soccer fan (what Latin American isn't?), a purple belt in karate (not sure if that's much of an accomplishment...) and makes bracelets in his spare time.  But more than anything, Fede loves to teach you to speak Spanish! 

 

Mauricio Surf Instructor Spanish, surf, yoga and poi School Montezuma Costa RicaMauricio Saborio Sanchez
Surfing Instructor

Mauricio lives and breathes Pura Vida!  Born and raised on the coast of Costa Rica, he picked up a surfboard at an early age.  Mau has taught surfing now for more than 15 years, the majority of which has been exclusively in Montezuma.  Ask him about how he practically discovered the surfing beaches nearby and he'll tell about a time when he and his friend Pablo were the only ones surfing in Playa Grande and Los Cedros, two of the staples of Montezuma's surf scene today.  He's not only a kick ass surfer.  He wins salsa dancing competitions in his spare time.  If you get to see Mau dance with our Spanish teacher/semi-professional dancer, Andrea, you're in for a real treat. 
 
 

Wagner Surf Instructor
Wagner Zamora
Surfing Instructor
Considering the success of one of his former students, Wagner might be one of the top tier surf instructors in the world!  Also born and raised in Costa Rica, Wagner has been surfing since childhood.  He too has taught surfing in Montezuma for more than 10 years.  He even introduced the sport to an 11 year old Montezuma resident by the name of Mattias Braun.  Today, Mattias is ranked the #3 surfer in Costa Rica and often wins international competitions.  Who knows, after 4 weeks with Wagner, maybe you'll be the next surfing champion!! 

 

Dagmar Yoga Teacher Hatha Vinyasa Style Retreats Montezuma Costa RicaDagmar Spremberg
Yoga Instructor

Dagmar will do your body good! After years in the European music business, she moved from Germany to Los Angeles in 1996 and began practicing and studying yoga.  After moving to New York, she intensified her studies and trained with certified Anusara teacher Elena Brower at Virayoga.  In 2001, she moved to Montezuma to begin teaching yoga.  In addition to teaching Vinyasa flow, recently completed an Anusara Teacher Training with Lois Nesbitt from NY.  She is a 500 hour certified E-RYT with the Yoga Alliance and an Anusara inspired teacher.  Dagmar believes that yoga is more than just bringing the foot behind the head.  It is about reconnecting and feeling good about ourselves.  It allows us to remember our own strength and beauty and re-align ourselves with something that is bigger than us.  She says, “Through yoga we can get out of the mind and into the body and heart.  Our goal is to create balance and remove any blockages that keep us from living with joy.  When we are living our truth and free from fear, we will inspire others to do the same.”  As a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC, she compliments yoga with her work as a certified Holistic Health Counselor.  Dagmar has been known to give classes in English and in German.  

 

  
Kristen Atkinson 
Yoga Instructor
Kristin is killer!  Her love for physical fitness started at a young age and has blossomed into a passion.  She was originally introduced to yoga as a relaxing, non-impact form of exercise.  She soon realized the truly transformative power of the practice and its logical connection to her work in the sustainability movement.  She has been teaching to all ages and skill levels since gaining certification in Costa Rica over 3 years ago.  Kristen's teaching style is based on the principles of "flow"; connecting breath to movement.  Her classes will build strength and flexibility, and invite students to access the spaciousness we all have available to us.
 
 
 
 Don William and Doña Vicky
General Managers of Hotel

 
 
 

 


  



Churra mascot of La Escuela Del Sol Spanish Immersion Program
Flaca, Churra and Tsunami
School Mascots, Fire Dancing Instructors