BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello,

I plan to go to central america to study spanish this summer. I am leaning toward guatemala or costa rica (mainly due to price) but open to other countries. Is there any particular school that caters to all ages. I am in my 30's and feel I might feel out of place if everyone is in their 20's. I need to do this work my career, social work, and learn spanish as quick as possible. I know all the basics. Besides 123teachme, are there any other sites that can help me choose the right school?

Thanks

Hiya,

check out icads in costa rica. I had a great time there. Plenty of adults.

Will

Hi:

A friend of mine has operated a language school (Spanish and French) for several years in Jaco Costa Rica. I expect that students are of all age groups but you could ask for more information directly from Gilles at <citima@racsa.co.cr>. Jaco is a lively little town on the Pacific.

Try http://www.enforex.com/latinamerica-costarica-flamingo-beach.html in Playa Flamingo Costa rica, Rentals in Surfside, Potrero are pretty cheap. and the beach is 6 of 7 miles long. Good Luck, Pat

If you are looking in Guat you could do worse than Eco-Escuela in San Andres Guat. It is across the Lago from Flores in the Peten region. The town is all Spanish, they have homestays, and you will be completely immersed. It is cheap and good. They have a website, but I forget the name. It is in here somewhere.

I´ve used the place twice and I swear by it.

Good luck wherever you go.

D

And a note, I was just there ten days ago and there is no one there at the school You will have it all to yourself right now. The town is quiet and small and it is just generally a mellow place to cover the Spanish part of things.

If you want just to learn Spanish, you could do a LOT worse than Quetzaltenango. Some of the best schools there prepare you for the Spanish as a Second Language test, and its far preferable to the social buzz that is Antiqua.

All kinds of people go to Xela, and its not exactly a haven for the young, what with the dust, the noisy streets, and the general non-touristness of it all. It is overall a living Guatemala city that is both safe and full of Spanish speakers that require you to learn Spanish to get full enjoyment.

It is not a beach, but if you want to take a break, there are buses to Pana, where you can have a lot of fun in a nice place before returning to the grinder.

Late posting, but you never know on the Internet...

This is not popular on this board, but do not ignore Antigua. It is a beautiful place, and a comfortable place to just ease into all of what CA had to offer. It is safe, and it is fun. It is not as AUTHENTIC as Xela, but it is one of the best places you will ever be, if you give it time.

If you are a gringo in Antigua, everyone knows you are studying Spanish. Everyone will correct your grammar. (Weird, but you get used to it.) Yes, it is very difficult to avoid speaking English at the bars at night. You're still going to have to explain to your host family at breakfast why you were out so late the night before.

I loved Centro Linguistico Mayo, and have friends who would vouch for Christian Spanish Academy. (And you will meet missionaries everywhere in Antigua, gods bless 'em.) The respectable schools are all welcoming to people over 30. In fact, that might be a good way to determine whether a school is worth your while. If they're just into backpackers off the street, you probably don't want to be there. But this is another cool thing about Antigua: In 2 days, you will know whether you are out the right school. And if you're not, you can just leave.

Agree with Maryann. Antiqua may not be as authentic, but it is a good intro to CA, and you can make a lot of friends there that will stand you in good stead later. I know I did.

It is a beautiful city, unlike Xela.

Pay by the week, please!!

This way if you don't like it, you CAN leave.