Nestled between the surrounding mountains in Santa Ana, UWC Costa Rica is the first UWC to provide a bilingual education, with subjects taught both in Spanish and English. Structured around three core themes – environment, peace and Latin America – the College’s location plays an important role. Situated in the Central Valley, the College is surrounded by an enviably well-preserved natural environment – the focus of many of its service and educational programmes - and strongly reflects the country’s commitment to peace. Service activities include working with a local children’s shelter, visiting the elderly, volunteering at the Special Olympics, and working in national parks and SOS Villages.