While not overly common, whale sharks are found in our waters off of Costa Rica. The best part about it, you never know where they are going to show up. We have had sightings at the Catalinas, Bat Islands as well as the diving in the Gulf de Papagayo.It is a great little dive site […]

A 2015 study by the market research company GfK Perú found that only 8% of people surveyed said they spoke English. Half of those English speakers lived in Lima and almost a third were under 25 years of age. From my experience living and traveling in Peru, the GfK Perú survey sounds about right. What […]

The country welcomes over 20,000 international students and offers hundreds of English-taught courses, particularly at universities in the popular student locations of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Do universities in Brazil teach in English? Are There Universities in Brazil That Teach In English? Brazil is a Portuguese-speaking country so most of its universities teach […]

Costa Rica has a happy future as one of the greenest countries on the planet.Every year, the U.N.’s World Happiness Report (WHR) announces which countries score the highest in the happiness index. For the past few years, Costa Rica has consistently ranked as one of the highest. Is Costa Rica the happiest place? The New […]

Central America is generally considered part of the continent of North America, but is often referred to as its own region.There are seven countries that are considered part of Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Is Central America a country? Central America consists of seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, […]

Nicaragua – Topography This plateau is broken by mountain ranges extending eastward from the main cordillera to within 64–80 km (40–50 mi) of the Caribbean coast. The mountainous central area forms a triangular wedge pointed southeast, rising at its highest to some 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Is Nicaragua flat or mountainous? Most of the area […]

President Arbenz planned to disrupt the power of UNFCO and the influence they had in Guatemala. The threat of communism spreading throughout Latin America gave the CIA the support to overthrow the Guatemala government without disrupting the United Fruit Company and their products. Why did the US overthrow the Guatemalan government in 1954? In the […]

Colombians are friendly and love to party. They mix play with their school and with their work. They are creative and social with one another. Unfortunately, so many families are poor that many children must work after school or drop out of school altogether in order to help support the family. What are some interesting […]

Dia de Finados takes place on November 2 every year in Brazil. This aligns with the Catholic holy day of All Souls’ Day, which is dedicated to honoring the souls of the faithful departed. It can be easy to mistake Dia de Finados with other holidays that take place around the same time. How does […]

Elementary school (ensino fundamental) Elementary school is mandatory for children ages 6–14. There are nine “years” (as opposed to the former eight “grades”). What is the school system in Brazil? The education system in Brazil is divided between 5 distinct levels or stages: pre-primary or preschool education, primary education, lower secondary education, upper secondary education […]

Here is a typical list of documents you can expect to be asked to provide: Your passport & your Brazilian partner’s ID. Proof of residence (you and your partner) Birth certificate (your and your partner) Proof of divorce (if you’ve been married before) How do you get legally married in Brazil? In Brazil, a civil […]

United States Recognition of Buenos Ayres, 1823. The United States recognized the Government of Buenos Ayres (predecessor of Argentina) on January 27, 1823, when Caesar Rodney was appointed as American Minister Plenipotentiary to that government. Buenos Ayres had declared independence from Spain on July 9, 1816. Who owned Argentina before it became independent? Spain colonized […]

In the 1970s and 1980s, during the military regime, Brazil had a secret program intended to develop nuclear weapons. The program was dismantled in 1990, five years after the military regime ended, and Brazil is considered free of weapons of mass destruction. How many nuclear weapons does Brazil have? Brazilian nuclear policy under Bolsonaro: no […]

There are many clubs and bars are located in this Central Pacific City. Just 90 minutes from the International Airport in San Jose, Jaco has always been the place to go in Costa Rica for those looking for nightlife on the beach. You’ll find dance clubs, live music and casinos lining the main street. Is […]

Bolivia, officially the Republic of Bolivia, named after Simón Bolívar, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil on the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina on the south, and Chile and Peru on the west. Which country borders Peru? Peru is situated in the western part of South America […]