Cheapest and Best Place to learn Spanish?

Hello all,

I'm planning a yearlong trip to South America starting in October. My main goals are to learn Spanish fluently and dance (salsa and Afro-latin). I plan to go to language school for at least two months to get a good foundation and I'm wondering where the cheapest language schools are (including homestay) and the places least likely to have many other English speakers. I am very dedicated to complete language immersion.

I studied in Xela, Guatemala and would love to find a place that has comparable prices ($150/week for 4 hours of 1-1 instruction, homestay and 3 meals a day). Is that possible in South America?

My plan is to fly to Bogota because the 1-way tickets there are much cheaper than to other cities. I don't mind taking a bus to another country to find the right place to learn Spanish. I will be going to Bolivia later in my trip so I'm not that excited to go there in the beginning (though I know it may be the cheapest), but I could be persuaded if the price and location seem right. I'm loooking for recommendations for cities/towns and schools in Colombia, Ecuador or Peru, but any tips are greatly appreciated! Oh, and places where there is good dancing is also a plus- for me, that is salsa (cuban style if possible), Afro-latin and just a generally vibrant dance community with classes and clubs. I value Spanish immersion over dance though for the first half of my trip.

Thank You!

Heres ONE school in Bolivia: where there is one, there will be more.

http://www.bolivianspanishschool.com/in ... &Itemid=66

price: 140$ a week for 4 hours a day, individual instruction 210 for food and housing

Peru

http://www.wiracochaschool.org/socialinternship.html
individual instruction

a little higher, but in the range- This is only ONE school.

Argentina
http://www.iberospanish.com/

150 for 20 hours of group lessons

Ecuador-

* Only US $ 8.50 per hour
From June to August/2011


If you need to book less than 20 hours:

* Special price: US $ 9.00 per hour
From June to August/2011


From September to December:

* Only US $ 8.00 per hour!! (any number of hours)


Registration fee from September: US $ 20.00

http://www.simon-bolivar.com/spanish_le ... index.html

8.50 x 4 x 5 = 170 a week

Uruguay -- 25 dollars an hour for individual-

http://www.academiauruguay.com/cursos_y ... .php?id=13

Only one example..

Paraguay

Individual lessons, 11 dollars an hour

http://www.spanishcourses.info/spanish7 ... ees-EN.htm

Chile- 203 dollars a week for 20 hours of group lessons

http://learn-spanish-in-latin-america.l ... s.php?id=8

Columbia

Like Argentina

Venezuela
Like Argentina- group lessons only


I recommend the following, based upon personal experience:

no more than four hours a day, 5-6 maximum
after one month- take a two week break- you get brain meltdown, or at least i did.





So yes, you can do it, but you may have to travel to the poorer countries to do it.

Thank you, Tortuga Traveller. This is helpful.

Next recommendation, forgot it before:

Pay a week at a time if possible. This gives you the leeway to change host families without a cost penalty, or to leave the school early if it isn't to your satisfaction.

This post is relevant to my interests.

I was hoping to do something similar (except no dancing). But instead of home staying find my own apartment or something.

I was looking at doing this in Central America but if I could be close to do some trekking in the Andes it may make mroe sense.

I don't know about the best but try 'conversationexchange.com' its free & you can use skype