SEPA Spanish Language School Students Prepare for El Veranillo de San Juan
SEPA Spanish Language School invites you to study with us during your summer and our winter.
SEPA Spanish Language School students from the Overland Program (based in the United States) are preparing for El Veranillo de San Juan (The Little Summer of St. John). This is a natural phenomenon that occurs each year in late June – early July, right in the middle of the rainy season (May to November). The heavy rains normally experienced in the warm evenings, suddenly disappear, giving everybody nearly three to fifteen days of bug-free summer weather. It can be compared to the sudden warming of the ‘Indian Summers’ experienced in the United States in autumn, after temperatures have dropped and leaves have started to fall.
Strangely enough, while the dry days occur in western Costa Rica, the rainy days increase in eastern Costa Rica, as if to balance the two out.
Spanish Classes and Homestay in Costa Rica
Costa Ricans generally make merry on or around June 24th, when La Noche de San Juan (The Night of San Juan) is celebrated. According to the Catholic Church this is the birthday of Saint John the Baptist – nearly six months before the birth of Jesus Christ, December 25. Those who choose to sign up for our Spanish classes and homestay program get the benefit of participating in this cultural event.
Two more veranillos occur during the rainy season: one in late July and another one in early August. They are referred to as La Primera Canícula (The First Dog Days) and La Segunda Canícula (The Second Dog Days).
Spanish for Travelers during the North American Summer
The beauty of these veranillos is that, even though you have a rainy season that lasts from May to November, you have a good chance of hitting one of these little summers if you travel here during the rainy season. But even better, during the rainy season, nearly every day starts out with gorgeous blue sky and sunshine. The rain traditionally falls in the late parts of the day and night, so you get your rain out of the way even as you sleep! Add to that the fact that the days still remain cooler than in the actual summer (low 70’s to low 80’s) and you have the perfect season to visit Costa Rica.
Have you considered bringing a group to learn Spanish faster? Check out our group classes!
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