Bethany KirkInterviewed in 2019
Before starting Instituto Estelar Bilingüe, Bethany worked for years teaching and directing in English language programs in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. She is from California where she taught English for ten years at various levels. She holds two bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Kinesiology, with minors in English and music, and a California CLAD teaching credential. Her Master’s degree is in English with a dual concentration in TESOL and Rhetoric & Teaching Writing. In her free time, Bethany enjoys reading, writing, traveling, exercising, and improving her Spanish.
What inspired you to found Instituto Estelar Bilingüe?
After many years of teaching and three years of directing language programs at other schools in Costa Rica, I decided to start my own school. My father, also an entrepreneur, encouraged me for a long time to do it, and after having a health scare, I decided that life was too short to not act on my ideas. A few friends agreed to serve on the board of directors, and I started a corporation in November 2010. I found a building in Liberia, Guanacaste and started fixing it up.
The business opened in January 2011, and the first English classes started in February with me as the teacher. I hired a receptionist to work when I was teaching classes. The school started growing, and by October I hired three English teachers. By the second year, I added the Spanish program, writing 15 coursebooks and hiring local Costa Rican teachers. My inspiration to keep growing this amazing project comes from the knowledge that my school helps a lot of people achieve personal and professional goals.
Describe a typical day at work.
I spend a lot of my time answering emails, setting up courses, marketing on social media, and meeting with students, teachers, and staff members to resolve issues and make things better at Estelar. I often give incoming student level tests, in English and Spanish, and I provide support wherever I can.
Why do you do what you do?
Estelar is an extension of me, and it has been an incredible life-challenge to shape it into what I want it to be. As it gets bigger, I have to work harder to communicate the core values of Estelar and ensure the quality remains high. I also am constantly working to improve the company based on feedback from students and staff. These are challenges that I truly love because they force me to exercise my creativity, efficiency, and determination on a daily basis.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part is when I get positive feedback from students or staff members about our programs. It gives me profound joy to know that people are benefiting from having crossed paths with the Estelar family, not only in their language goals but also in making new friends, volunteering, exploring Costa Rica, and developing their potential.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
Incredibly, I use all of my university degrees in directing Estelar! My degrees in Kinesiology and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) has helped me develop a very dynamic, communicative, physically active teaching methodology that I have passed on to my teachers. My bachelor's in Spanish has enabled me to develop our Spanish program and interact daily in Spanish. My masters in Rhetoric has helped me communicate better with everyone around me.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
My biggest challenge is to balance my professional life with my personal one. I am a workaholic, and I enjoy working long hours and getting a lot done. However, I need to take care of myself by exercising, spending time with family, and having time for myself. This year I have finally achieved more of a balance by hiring more staff to take the load off of me, and it is wonderful!
What are some current projects you are working on?
I am always working on a lot of things! Right now, I'm trying some new marketing strategies, some improvements around the school building, and a big project of having better, more user-friendly attendance sheets and communication with English students about their progress.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
I would tell my pre-travel self to travel as much as possible and to stay in one place for at least a year to really see the reality of the people and culture. My 12 years in Costa Rica have been an incredible experience that has made me into a more flexible, patient, happy person.
What makes Instituto Estelar Bilingüe special?
Estelar's language programs are highly structured and effective. Our methodology is communicative, so students are able to converse in the target language and experience progress. We treat our students and staff like family and do all we can to make sure they have a great experience with us.
Why should someone choose Instituto Estelar Bilingüe over competitors?
Our prices are accessible, our program is top-quality, and we offer an authentic cultural experience as Liberia, Costa Rica is not a normal tourist destination. We are close to gorgeous beaches, waterfalls, rainforests, cloud forests, and hot springs, and we are in a walkable, safe town where Spanish must be spoken. Liberia has an international airport just 10 minutes outside of the city, so it is easy to get here.
What hopes do you have for the future of Instituto Estelar Bilingüe?
I hope that we grow and continue to establish a positive reputation for being great at what we do. I want us to develop more volunteer and adventure opportunities for our students that are not costly or difficult to set up.
Are there any developments with your organization that you would like to share with us?
We recently expanded by building a second floor to our school. It is beautiful and offers 4 new classrooms and 6 more bathrooms. It also has a spacious area for our dance classes and graduation ceremonies, and we plan on developing a reading/media corner in the near future.
What makes Instituto Estelar Bilingüe easy to market to potential participants?
I wouldn't say it is easy to market our Spanish program because the competition around the globe is intense. There are so many great Spanish schools in amazing countries! We do, however, offer a solid, honest program that gets consistent positive reviews. Our location is key for people wanting an authentic cultural experience because Liberia is not touristy, and it is very traditional. Having English and Spanish under the same roof facilitates intercultural exchanges and meeting the locals.
What is the mission of Instituto Estelar Bilingüe and how do you continue to work toward it?
We are dedicated to treating each person as if they were our family and making them feel welcome and safe at our Institute. We promote intercultural relations and language mastery among our students, both foreigners and locals. We strive to live up to our name—stellar, extraordinary, the best!—and encourage our students to do the same by becoming bilingual, multicultural, and service-oriented in our community. Our motto is “Challenge Your Borders: Learn a Language!”
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
Every participant should notice a marked improvement in their ability to communicate in Spanish. They should also make beautiful memories exploring Guanacaste, meeting the locals, and volunteering with Club A, the non-profit that we support. Participants will make meaningful connections with their host families and possibly keep in touch with them and visit again in the future.
How do you help support participants?
We communicate constantly with them to get feedback and know their needs and wants. I try to be very accessible as the Spanish director, and I also act quickly to set up tours or make reservations. Students can contact me via phone or on Whatsapp any time of day or night and on weekends if they need something.
If you could participate on one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?
I would take our Spanish intensive program coupled with the homestay option to fully immerse myself in the language and culture. It's an awesome experience!
What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?
Students often ask if Liberia is safe, and my response is that yes, it is safe and walkable. As in any country, people should exercise caution at night and not drink excessively because this could put them in a vulnerable situation. People also ask if they can drink the water, and the answer is yes! Often students worry whether their host family can accommodate their dietary needs and/or wants, and I always assure them that our families are really great when it comes to giving students what they need.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Traveling helps people develop their personal potential because it challenges them in ways that staying in their comfort zone at home does not. People become more tolerant, flexible, and empathetic when they travel, and especially when they meet the locals and hear their stories. The more people travel, the more they understand global perspectives, which is crucial for achieving world peace.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
Learning a new language opens professional doors and develops personal attributes, such as perseverance and patience. Studies show that it increases brain health and empathy. Specifically learning Spanish makes it possible to enjoy traveling to many Spanish-speaking countries. It's the best obsession to have! And it's a hobby that can last a lifetime and make life richer.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
Research as much as possible before you go so that you know what to expect in regards to cultural norms, economic situations, and infrastructure. Make sure you know some basic phrases in the language spoken in the country so that you can at least ask, in the language, “Do you speak English?” before trying to communicate further. Don't assume that everyone speaks English!
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is when you interact with the people and gain a new perspective. A personal example of this is when I went to Cuba. Thanks to my ability to speak Spanish, I was able to learn a great deal about how the locals felt about their country and leaders. I avoided touristy places and read the local newspaper. I came away from that trip with a wealth of knowledge about Cuba and its people that I didn't have before.
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