Blogging, tweeting, and writing is often a thankless job. I know this because I've been doing it for over two years for the Learning Experience blog, letting people know about my passion-finding all of the great learning vacations that are out there. The fact that I write gave everyone else around the offices at School of the World the convenient excuse to leave the School of the World blog up to me, but unfortunately I've been spread too thin to blog consistently. Every week I remind myself I need to sit down and write for this blog also, but the road to paradise is apparently paved with good excuses.
Since we know how much work goes into blogging, tweeting, and social media these days, we want to thank and reward those hardworking dedicated keyboard clicking travel writers out there that keep the world informed. School of the World is offering big discounts (and even free vacations) to travel bloggers and tweeters with established followings. The discounts are proportionate to the following or reach you have. So if you like the idea of tweeting or blogging from a hammock between surf sessions and yoga or photography classes, contact us for details!
Heads up School of the World fans! School of the World is partnering with the awesome online surf store Swell.com next week for a sweepstakes event through their website and blog. To enter you will just "like" both the Swell.com and School of the World facebook pages and submit a brief paragraph of why you should be picked. The winner gets a FREE one week program at School of the World (Surfing, Yoga, Photography, Spanish, or any combination of two). There will be a second prize (substantial gift certificate to Swell) for sharing the contest with your friends by re-posting on Facebook.
Good luck!
Getting great shots shooting into the sun requires switching over to the manual settings on your camera. You will be intentionally overexposing the photo and ignoring the internal light meter. The result is a warm, glowing portrait with a soft retro feel. What I like to do to get this effect is:
1. Set my WB (white balance) to around 5200K, a temperature ideal for skin tones and a "warm" photo.
2. Use a large aperture, like f/4 to f/2 (this will let a lot of light in and limit the depth of field, overexposing and softening the background).
3. Set the exposure compensation for +2 stops.
4. Position the sun directly behind the subject.
5. Set the shutter speed around 1/180 sec.
6. Take a few sample shots, adjusting the shutter speed until I get the right exposure for the subject.
7. That's it! The tricky part is keeping the subject between you and sun while you both move around to get the pose/shot you want.
Join us for a photography course or specialty workshop in Costa Rica to learn more great techniques like this.
Hello friends and family!
We are starting off the 2012 with some new features for our guests. In addition to our regular Surf, Spanish, Yoga, and Photography programs we will also be offering one-day "a la carte" workshops and tours that change from week to week. We have a new chalkboard wall outside the office where we post the upcoming week's tours and workshop options. We have used our pull with the tour operators to get the best prices in town for our guests. Tour options include kayaking, white-water rafting, crocodile river tour, stand up paddleboarding, ATV riding, canopy tours, and more. Our one-day workshops usually run about 2 hours in duration and are great supplements to our regular programs. The prices are very reasonable, usually ranging from $15 to $20 per person per class. Workshop options include Salsa dancing, Photoshop skills, surf balance training, yoga and meditation, capoeira, and more.
"When people look at my pictures I want them to feel the way they do when they want to read a line of a poem twice." - Robert Frank
Many of the students that come to our photography courses and workshops in Costa Rica are surprised with how much their photography improves in just the first few days of class. Photography is a form of storytelling, and learning new techniques is like expanding your vocabulary. Here are 4 simple tips that will improve your photography, even if you are using a basic point-and-shoot camera.
1. Sunset Photos
Sunsets are amazing, and something you will definitely want to try and capture to share with your friends. It can be challenging to get an image that represents the amazing colors you see, but here are a few tricks to help. If you are just photographing the sunset (landscape without people) and aren't getting the colors you want in your photo, try grabbing the light reading from a different area of the sky. Most point-and-shoots lock focus and light readings when you push the shutter button halfway and hold, so try aiming the camera at different areas of the sky, holding the button halfway to lock the light reading and focus, then returning to the original cropping or angle and pushing down the rest of the way to take the photo.
If you want a photo of people in the foreground with a sunset in the background, make sure to set your camera to flash. If it is on the auto-flash setting it probably won't flash (because it is reading the light from the sun) and your subject(s) will be underexposed (too dark), so make sure it is set to flash (usually represented by a lightning bolt symbol). You might have to experiment to find the proper distance between yourself and your subjects, but with most point-and-shoot cameras you want to be about 6-8 feet away from your subjects to light them properly with the flash. The flash will light up your subjects but not affect the sunset colors in the distance.
2. Camera Phone Magic
With the rapidly improving image quality of cel phones these days, even professional photographers are admitting that their camera of choice for snapshots is the Iphone. If you have an Iphone there are some great photography apps out there that can improve and enhance your cel phone snaps. Some of my favorites are Instagram, IDarkroom, PS Express, Photosynth, and Hipstamatic. Instagram and Hipstamatic give you retro filters to simulate old film style photographs, PS Express gives you simple editing tools, Photosynth allows you to take and stitch photos together for full 360 degree omnidirectional images, and IDarkroom is another editing program that offers a range of filters and adjustment tools. Experiment, experiment, experiment is the advice here.
3. Be Conscious of Your Backgrounds
One of the most important steps to becoming a better photographer is starting to seek out the best compositions, thinking not just about the subject but also about your backgrounds. Try a new angle with a more interesting or "clutter-free" background.
4. Be Aware of the Light Source
Light is the single most important factor in photography, so always be aware of the direction that the light is coming from and the relation is has with your subject. Also be aware that the time of day (and relative angle of light from the sun) is VERY important. Professional photographers shooting in natural light love the angle of light during early morning and late afternoon, since often mid-day sun is too intense and unflattering for portraits.
The most important thing to remember is keep shooting. It is only through experience and experimentation that you will improve! For more photography tips follow our blog or join us for a photography course in Costa Rica.
-Zach McDuffie
Costa Rica Spanish Immersion
Spanish immersion programs have always been a popular reason for traveling to Costa Rica. The locals are friendly and helpful, the weather is great, and there is no shortage of beautiful things to see and do during your stay. The majority of Spanish language schools in Costa Rica are still concentrated in the central valley, in the capital city of San Jose or in one of the surrounding urban centers like Alajuela, San Pedro, Escazu, or Heredia. School of the World was one of the first language schools to be located on the beach, and was the only school to combine Spanish school with surfing and other interests back when we started in 1997. Back then it was challenging to convince the language school travel agencies and study abroad offices at the US universities that people could learn AND have fun simultaneously! The truth that people learn and develop more when they are happy and having fun has always been a core belief for us at School of the World, and has proven to be a popular trend that has lead to the growth of learning vacation genre of travel.
Study Spanish and Learn to Surf in Costa Rica
Surfing and Spanish is just one of the combinations that we offer at the School of the World. Our Spanish language program meets the standards of US universities (you can even earn college credits for attending our program), but our small class sizes allow us to change the schedule weekly around the changing tides so that students can also enjoy the best surfing conditions at our local beaches. Our surf program is equally strong, and we are the only surf school or camp in Costa Rica that offers specialty balance training workshops in addition to regular surf lessons.
Spanish Immersion Programs
Spanish Immersion is a popular catch phrase in language study these days. Immersing yourself in a new culture and country whose native language is Spanish is a much faster way to learn. You get to practice every day with native speakers and learn practical phrases that are more commonly used in day-to-day interactions. Some people relate the term Spanish immersion programs with the highest level of intensity or time per day of language study. A lot of people that travel abroad with the goal of learning a language set extremely high goals or expectations for themselves, so it is important to be realistic about the challenge at hand. A common mistake is thinking that more class hours per day means faster learning. Some immersion programs offer 6-8 hours of class time per day, but we believe that to be unrealistic and frustrating for most students. We have found that for most people a well balanced day of language learning consists of covering new material for two hours, taking a break, then having a "language lab" for one to two hours (practice time including a range of activities from playing games, conversation practice, reinforcement exercises relevant to the day's material, excursions into town to practice, etc.). Language learning is a building block process, so it doesn't benefit the student to go faster than the time it takes to absorb the concepts and materials. We feel that our formula allows for a realistic amount of information to be digested each day and leaves you ready to take on new material the next day. We also encourage students to practice what they learn each day on their own. After class and study time our students usually take what they have learned and can immediately practice it around town with the locals.
True immersion (being completely cut off from your native language) is difficult in any school setting, since fellow classmates you spend out-of-class time with also speak English, and any destination with tourism will have locals that also speak English. The most important thing to remember is that you what you learn is directly proportionate to the effort you put in. Think of immersion study as a commitment to learning a new language and really experiencing another culture. Even Costa Rican locals that speak English admire the efforts of people trying to learn Spanish and are extremely patient and helpful. Speaking another person's native language is a great sign of respect and the best way to open the door to experiencing new cultures. One of the great things about being in a tourist destination is that we have Spanish speakers from a wide variety of countries here also, so in addition to Costa Ricans you can practice with Spanish speakers from other countries in Latin America.
Immersing yourself in a new language and culture is going to expand your mind, heart, and soul and the only prerequisites are an open mind and a positive attitude. Here is a video that we made here at School of the World a few years ago to help students learn some basic vocabulary. ¡Buena suerte y nos vemos pronto!
"A photographer gets people to pose for him. A yoga instructor gets people to pose for themselves." - Terri Guillemets
Praciticing yoga goes beyond inproving your physical flexibility and health, it also helps you center yourself mentally and spiritually. Costa Rica is a popular destination for yoga retreats and workshops, and School of the World has some of the best instructors in the country. In addition to great instructors, we also have a beautiful facility and the opportunity to combine yoga practice with Spanish, photography, and surf classes. In addition to our regular yoga classes we also offer specialty workshops that incorporate art, meditation, and nutrition with yoga.
September and October are low season months in Costa Rica. The waves still keep marching in, but the afternoon showers keep many tourists away. Ironically, sometimes it rains less these months than in the popular months of July and August. Bargain hunters can often find great travel deals or discount travel during this time. If you surf you know that the rain in the mountains means great sand bars and peaks at the river mouths, and afternoon showers make glassy sunset surf sessions. School of the World has a special offer this year for those of you that want to take advantage of the great waves that are still pumping this time of year:
With one full price program you can bring a friend to do the same program with you for just $100 more*. This offer is only valid on programs between today and October 31st. Certain restrictions apply and based on availability. Couples/ pairs share same room, same course options only. Questions? Email us at info@schooloftheworld.org
Swells are formed by wind blowing over an area of water, consistently in one direction until ripples or formed. Those ripples of circular energy roll along, gathering momentum and absorbing other ripples and growing until they finally arrive on a distant shore to spill that energy in the form of breaking waves. Living dreams are formed much the same way; an intangible force pushes you in a direction until you get organized, grow, and ultimately create something inspiring and beautiful.
My first trip to Costa Rica was exactly the same scenario that thousands of others have experienced. I was part of the backpacker brigade, ready to explore the beautiful little country’s beaches, rainforests, and volcanoes. I had everything but the kitchen sink on my back, guidebook in hand, and the meager Spanish vocabulary of a grunting cave man. I had an amazing time, as almost everyone does; I took at least fifty photos of the first monkeys I’d ever seen, witnessed the awe inspiring beauty of an erupting volcano, hiked to waterfalls in the jungle, met amazing people, and caught my first wave. More than 14 years have passed since that trip, but I’ll never forget it. Partly because it was my first big international adventure, partly because I get to constantly relive it through the excitement of so many travelers that come through the School of the World, and partly because I get asked at least 5 times a week “So what brought you to Costa Rica?”
A more accurate question would be “What brought you back to Costa Rica?” Like every young backpacker, that first trip I stayed until the last dollar was spent and went home to the reverse culture shock of what is referred to as “the real world”. I plotted my prison break from the rat race by working two jobs, saving every dime I could. Then one night I had a dream so vivid that I woke up and bought a plane ticket back to Costa Rica. It was a dream about…. waves… clean, beautiful, empty waves! It is amazing to me now that I can trace so much of my path and the paths of countless others to those images flashed on my subconscious mind that night. My initial plan, if you can call it that, was to spend two months learning to surf, learning Spanish, and making art. Two months flew by and I returned home, but just long enough to sell my car, give away my winter clothes, and get my dog Bimini! I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do for a living, but I was healthy, happy, and inspired in Costa Rica and that was enough of a start for me. Five months after that, with just $3,000 left in the bank, I came up with the idea that would become the School of the World.
The original concept for the School of the World was based in my curiosity about the world around me. My own desire to learn everything about life in Costa Rica grew into the idea to combine elements of a surf camp, language school, photography workshop, and yoga retreat. From its humble beginnings to the beautiful destination that it is today, the School of the World is and always has been a collective dream. In other words, it is what it is thanks to the people that have worked here and the travelers that have been here over the years.
As we continue to set the standard for creative learning vacations we want to thank you all for your support and we hope to see you in Costa Rica soon!
The photo is from the first day I took over the cabinas that we initially used for the location of School of the World, and I was painting over the old sign. I was in the common area where all of the students of the last 14 years have hung out and traded laughs and stories with fellow travelers.