Learn Spanish on a structured course
in Guatemala -
one of the most beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America. Absorb the language on a daily basis
while attending classes - you'll hear it all around you and speak it yourself
while shopping or socialising, and even on a bus or in a restaurant.
There is no better way
to learn a language than to live it, eat it, breathe it and speak it in
a Spanish-speaking community.
Our courses are based
in beautiful Antigua. This is a lively an
possibly the most beautiful town in Guatemala. It has amazing churches and
architecture in general, and everything is very colourful - including the most
unbelievable buses! Antigua is
generally known to be more beautiful than Guatemala City and is a very
popular destination with tourists who want to 'experience' Guatemala.
Antigua is the Mecca for learning Spanish in Central
America and we have some very good schools there. A description of some of
the schools is given in the next section to give you a taste of what your
time there will be like.
The details of the courses is given below.
Intensive Spanish Courses:
Choose from 4, 6 or 8-week,
Intensive Spanish courses. These are available
at: Beginner, Intermediate or
Advanced level.
You have the option of studying individually
on a one-to-one basis, or within groups
ranging from between 2 to 4 students.
Courses consist of 20 hours of lessons per week (4
hours per day).
Classes are held Monday to Friday, from 8am to 12pm
and/or 2pm to 6pm
Enjoy the benefits of studying alongside other
students from all over the globe.
Whether you decide to study a Spanish
course individually or amongst friends, you won't be
alone because each centre may host many groups simultaneously,
thus giving you the opportunity to interact
and socialise with others.
ABOUT THE SPANISH SCHOOLS
We have a number of schools in Guatemala where you can
learn Spanish. A couple are described below to give you a taste of what
your time there will be like:
The Spanish Language School, Antigua This
school is an INGUAT approved school. This
basically means that it has achieved certain levels of standards set by
the Guatemalan Education Department. Accommodation:
Accommodation in this school will most likely consist of private
room with a shared or private bathroom. Food will be
3 meals a day (except on Sundays) with access to
sufficient purified water, etc. Any special dietary needs can be
arranged. Hostel
accommodation can also be arranged if
you would prefer that, and host family accommodation is
also available
Courses Classes are held Monday to Friday, from 8am to 12pm and/or 2pm to 6pm.
In order to give you a better knowledge of the
Guatemalan culture, some recreational, cultural
and educational activities are included in this
Spanish programme.
Certificate of study and University Credits: At the end of the study period, you'll receive
a certificate for time studied. The School also
offers the ACTFL and FSI tests, which are
recognized as university and working credits in the USA and in Europe (
there may be a charge imposed by the School for
this service).
The Spanish
School APPE in San
Juan del Obispo San Juan del Obispo is a small pueblo on the
outskirts of Antigua. If you would like to escape the crowds in Antigua
and experience a glimpse of real Guatemalan pueblo life then
this course would suit you. Studying in San Juan
offers students the opportunity to truly immerse
themselves in the language learning experience.
APPE School chose this location because of the friendliness of the people
and also for its artists workshops.
Location: To the south and four kilometres from the city
of Antigua is the picturesque city of San Juan del Obispo in Sacatepéquez. It is named in memory of its founder, Francisco Marroquin,
educator and first bishop of Guatemala, San Juan is located at the base of
the Volcano Hunapú (Agua) and serves as a memorable land mark for its
beauty and awe inspiring views. The town is 1600 meters above sea level
and has a population of about 2,300 people. There are small shops,
pharmacies, bookshops and transportation services in San Juan.
The busses
from San Juan to Antigua run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from Antigua to San
Juan they run from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To the east of central park are a Barroque style church and a beautiful
Episcopal palace. From the north, you can observe the extensive and
marvelous Panchoy Valley where the conquistadors founded the very noble
and fair city of Santiago of the Horses (Antigua) in 1543.
The church and the palace were built in 1541 for Bishop Marroquin. The
palace was destroyed in the Santa Marta earthquake of 1773. It was rebuilt
in 1940 but the church is in tis original form. The park has also been
rebuilt. Now the palace is a convent for nuns from the Betania
congregation. There are four nuns living there and they are dedicated to
religious activities and the upkeep of the building.
ACCOMMODATION
Your accommodation will most likely be living with local
families and this enables you to really become totally immersed in the
local culture and gain insights into the way of life from the inside. Some
families are able to take more than one volunteer at a time, so it's
possible that you may be placed together with other volunteers.
Food will be provided and will consist
mostly of local dishes. One of the most enjoyable aspects of living and
working in a foreign country and culture is to enjoy the local cuisine,
and in Central America the food is very interesting and sometimes quite
exotic.
"The
family is lovely and the house is fine. The food
is sensational and changes every day so that we try alot of the local food. The meal times are
set at 7.10am, 12.45 and 6.40pm. Funny that it
is so structured, but they are fitted
inbetween classes,
etc., so it has to be done.
"My days up until now have
been 7.10 breakfast (cereal, pancakes, fruit, etc., it changes), classes
8- 12. Lunch is at 12.45 (chicken, soup, beans, pizza, tortillia, etc.).
In the afternoon there are activities to do or it is free time till dinner
at 6.40, then go out to a bar or to bed early as it is an exhausting
life." Rebecca Tilley
WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU:
As with all our destinations, the
Guatemalan culture and heritageis different to Anglo-Saxon cultures and this must be borne in
mind.
Self-reliance and independence are highly
appreciated in all our destinations and will help you to make the most of this
wonderful opportunity!
Once you have applied for a placement, we will send you a very
detailed Guatemala Information Book, as well as an equally detailed Safety Guide
- both of these will help to make your stay in Guatemala one that you will never
forget!
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you
have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend
their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets
enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air
ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour
to get a changeable ticket. We meet you at the airport regardless of whether you
make your own travel arrangements or not.
You'll be met at the airport by Lilian, our Guatemala Organiser, or one
of her staff. From the airport you'll be taken to your accommodation and
introduced to everyone. Within the next couple of days you'll be taken to the
school and she will ensure that you are well settled in.
We can also arrange your flight
dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling
around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!
VISAS:. In countries where visas or
immigration documents are required, we'll send you all the necessary forms and
information and make the process very easy for you.
To read about the extensiveSupport & Backup we provide
in our countries, please
click here.
"Antigua is absolutely
STUNNING. I cannot stress how stunning it really is. I
wish i could zap you all here just so you can see it for yourselves."Rebecca Tilley
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in Guatemala, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
