Dundee Ranch Academy is located in what many have described as "the most beautiful country in the world." Costa Rica is just a short, direct 3-hour plane ride from many major US Cities. Dundee Ranch Academy has a "world class program in a world class environment," which combine to help instill a new sense of change and awakening in all who go there. Costa Ricans enjoy one of the highest standards of livings in the Americas, with free health care, public education and among the highest literacy rates in the world (92%). These humble, gracious people are, as a whole, highly educated, hard working, honest and caring. The setting is breathtaking, peaceful, safe, and a world away from the problems associated with the child's former environment. Established in 1991 as Dundee Ranch Hotel Adventure Resort, the program is 50 miles away from the International Airport, very near the town of Orotina and the Pacificport of Caldera. Dundee Ranch Academy is nestled amid lush gardens of tropical fruit trees, plants and flowers. Here, student's lives are forever enriched and redirected, not only by the strength of the program design and leadership, but also by Costa Rica's unique culture and environment. Bi-lingual teachers help students learn Spanish, which further enhances the process of change while adding an important educational language component helpful in their future. Large sections of Dundee Ranch are set aside as nature reserves, protecting the unique ecosystem and ensuring an educational experience in biodiversity and environmentalism that is second to none. Observing the abundance of wildlife - from the white faced or howler monkeys that forest in the treetops, to the scarlet macaws and green parrots that fly freely, one cannot help but gain a new perspective on nature and life. The drinking and washing water has been rated among the purest in the world, exceeding US standards for commercial bottled water.