Odysseys Costa Rica

ODYSSEYS, under the legal entity of Intercultural Odysseys Costa Rica, is a civic, social and non-governmental organization (NGO) providing dedicated time and home stay accommodations with meals to writers and artists in all disciplines, whether emerging or established, from anywhere in the world. A working knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not required.

The ODYSSEYS standard accommodation includes meals with a private bedroom and shared bathroom in the home of a local host family. A private bath may be available upon request. Common living space (living room/dining room/outdoor areas) may be shared with other artists and the family. Housecleaning and laundry service with change of bed & bath linens are provided weekly. Internet is available in many of the homes, at a work station in the house, or by WIFI. Internet cafes are not usually more than a few blocks away.

Also suited for couples and single parents with children.

Work spaces are included in the home stay with a carefully selected host family. This includes desk and chair (adjustable when possible) for writers, and vertical and horizontal surfaces for visual artists who work indoors (usually in the context of indoor/covered outdoor garden spaces with adequate natural lighting).

When necessary certain requirements can be provided apart from the home stay, such as a formal studio for visual artists, or access to a piano at one of the local music schools, for composers: such requests must be made during the application process.

ODYSSEYS Costa Rica is based in San Ramón, Alajuela known as the "city of poets" and home to the hillsides of Las Musas (The Muses):

• only 1-1/2 hours from Arenal Volcano and Mineral Hot Springs
• 1 hour northwest of the numerous art galleries and museums of the capital city of San José
• and a quick 45 minutes from the lovely beach of Puntarenas with its Ferry launching dock to other exotic beaches.

Average temperatures run in the mid-70sF (25 degrees C) year-round.