BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello all,

I've come across some free time for the month of May (that's right..next week!) and a lot of sky miles. However, I have no time to plan/research. As a result, I was wondering if you could recommend a good place w/ a school where I could learn Spanish. I will literally go anywhere in South or Central America. Here are my only requirements:

1) Want it to be relatively warm- I know it will be complete winter climate in some places so I want to avoid that.
2) Want it to be a decent, fun city that is safe for a female traveler and where I will be with other travelers of all ages/backgrounds
3)I'm not really looking to rough it (dirty hostels, living out of a backpack, etc.) I just returned from a trip to India doing that so I really do want something comfortable and nice (where I can afford my own room/bathroom, electricity, clean, etc)

Please Please respond if you can help me out! And do recommend any schools by name that you may know of.

thanks so much!

Go to Guatemala! Classes run about USD $75-100/wk here and housing and accommodation are some of the cheapest in latin america. The city of Antigua is famous for its language schools, but because it's extremely easy to get to, it's been overrun by gringos and the flood of english-speaking services that follow us. Because it's entirely dependent on travelers for its livelihood, the town has little culture of its own. Still, if you want a cheap place to study during the morning and then spend the rest of your day meeting backpackers, you'll love it here.

But for more opportunities to speak spanish, I'd recommend you check out Xela (Quetzaltenango). It's a bigger city, less geared towards travelers, so it's easier to get the immersion experience while still living in a lively place with lots to do. Proyecto Linguistico is the best school in Xela in terms of quality of instruction. They've also opened a sister school in the mountains an hour away where you can get more immersion and exposure to typical Guatemalan living, but I've heard the teachers aren't quite as good as in town.

Wherever you end up, I hope you have a great time!

Panama has a language school in Bocas Del Toro...One of the coolest places on Earth...You should check it out!

G-day Jen102
I have studied Spanish in a couple of places and for you I would say that Antigua,Guatemala is the place for you. The school I studied at there is CSA. The place I stayed is Casa Ovalle a wonderful B&B very friendly and safe.The rooms are great and very very clean. tell them Leonard sent you.

leonard2

If you want fun, antiqua is the place. There are probably better schools in Xela for learning, but if you want a first time fun place AND Spanish, Antiqua is a good place.

Still, please, follow the curfew rules of safety for women alone. Antiqua is safe, yes, in the day, and when you follow the rules. At night, there is a time, 10,11,12, pm, whatever, when the streets belong to the darker elements.

The police there, well, best take care of yourself.

Mind you, I never had a spot of trouble in Antiqua, and I was there for a very long time, but I didn't go out at 3 am, either.

I didn't go to the cerro de cruz alone, or the other things that could cause trouble... ie,, carrying expensive cameras around, etc..

Ps. Only pay for the week no matter where you go, and please, please, take the shuttle from the airport to Antiqua if you can.

I also vote for Antigua, Guatemala. You will have just as much chance to speak Spanish here as anywhere else, you just have a choice. You are not forced to speak Spanish all the time due to that being the only language spoken here. You can also speak Yiddish, Italian, Japanese, German, French, or even English.

Don't worry about making a reservation at a school. Just come on down, look them over and choose the one you like best. T-T is right. Only pay for one week's instruction at a time. Then, if after a week or two,if you want to go to Lake Atititlan or Xela to study for another week or two you have the freedom to do so.

There are hundreds of schools to choose from. See 123teachme.com to look them over. Antigua is best for your first week. Then you might want to move to lake Atitlan to study in San Pedro. I went to the Cooperativa school in San Pedro and learned a lot in a very short time. I agree with those who say that your connexion with your teacher is most important. Ask for a change of teacher if the fit is not good.

From both experience and reading books and websites, i would say that any area you want to explore will have a spanish school not far away- decide where you want to go then look at the 123 website and see what is available. You not only get Spanish language you get exposure to the culture, politics and must-sees of the area.

I loved the Cooperativa school - highly recommended. Lots of photos with the travelogue linked below if you're interested. Happy trails!

I studied at Centro Maya De Idiomas in Xela/Quetzalteango. Lived with a family, studied for a month, and served as an interpreter for fellow travelers I met who studied in other places. Friends who studied in Antigua were challenged by so many English speaking people (they didn't have to speak Spanish). Xela, you will have to speak Spanish. Short weekend get away to Panajachel, weekend market in Chichicastenango, Fuentes Georginas Hot Springs is near by and there are Hot Baths near Zunil. I lived with a family and had one-on-one instruction for 5 hours a day. I do love Antigua but would personally choose to study in Xela.

Check them out: http://www.centromayaxela.org They also offer classes on Mayan Spirituality. Have a great adventure!

Escuela Minerva in Quetzaltenango is quite good, as are any number of schools.

Xela is where you go when you tire of being social with other tourists and are comfortable with just learning spanish, and being forced to use it in a less than interesting city, though there are great excursions FROM it.