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[Incrediblelife]

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions of places to do spanish classes in Guatemala, possibly with a home stay? We're in Mexico at the moment, but will be heading down to Guatemala soon. Thanks!

[marc-patty]

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions of places to do spanish classes in Guatemala, possibly with a home stay? We're in Mexico at the moment, but will be heading down to Guatemala soon. Thanks!

The two main cities to study Spanish in Guatemala are Xela or Antigua. I chose Antigua as it has more restaurants and bars and it also has a warmer climate than Xela. Although Xela is less touristy and you would probably get to practise more Spanish there.

I visted 5 schools in Antigua and they were all very similar, offering one to one tuition with average or poorly trained teachers and a basic activity program. I started at Ixchel school and changed after a week because I didn't like the way I was being taught. I'm advanced level and didn't think the teacher could explain advanced grammar properly. I then tried a small group (4 people) class in Amerispan and the teachers were much better and trained by the Instituto de Cervantes in Madrid. They also do individual classes, but are about 40 dollars per week more expensive than other schools. Money well spent in my opinion. They also had a really good activity and social program.

Here's their web, but it's cheaper to book directly at the school after you have arrived in Antigua.

www.amerispan.com

Hope this helps,

Marc

[Caro!]

Jenn, I have friends from Guatemala and perhaps they may be able to help you with your spanish. Let me know for how long you would be there and were in Guatemala?

Caro!

[Incrediblelife]

Hey Caro! How ya doing???

We aren't sure when exactly we will get to Guatemala... John is doing his PADI diving certification right now in Cozumel and the weather is crap so he can't actually doing the diving portion just yet. So, we wait for the weather to improve. Then we will head to Belize for maybe a week, 2 weeks max. So.. I guess probably about beginning to mid Dec we should be in Guatemala? I am hearing good things about both Xela and Antigua for Spanish schools... I am almost leaning more towards Antigua since it is warmer. I have had enough of cold nights and would like to have a nice atmosphere to be in since we would be there for at least a few weeks doing classes. Definitely let me know what your friends say, or hook me up with them! Are they living in Guatemala right now?

Thanks a bunch for all the replies!

Jenn

[Caro!]

Jenn,

Sorry to hear the weather is crap!! Once you get to SA should be Beautifull since is summer don there. My friend's family lives in Guatemala city, so I don't know how useful this may be for you.
Anyways, I'd be able to help you once you get to Colombia, just let me know.

Caro!

[Jessica_CDN]

Jenn,

Definitely go to Antigua if you want a warmer climate. When I was in Xela a month or so ago it was really quite cold. Antigua is a beautiful city too so I´m sure you´ll love it...lots to do as well!

Oh....be careful when you want to go to Guatemala...a lot of language schools are closing for the holidays. The one I´m at right now in Venezuela is closed from mid'December until January!!

the best schools all have websites, so I¨m sure you can find one or two online to email and ask them about their hours - days.

[jazzkatten]

I Couldn´t agree with Kelcsmitty more! I, too, just finished studying three weeks of spanish here, and I´m acctually in the school while writing this .
The teachers here are really friendly and very proffesional! I didn´t speak any spanish when I got here and the school has really helpt me out a lot.

As Kelcsmitty explained the school arranges activities every day, which you can paricipate in if you like. Yesterday we had a guided tour through Xela, and today it´s salsa lesson, if I´m not mistaken . Nowadays, because the students requested it , we also play soccer at Saturdays; the sport is really huge here in Xela. Me, playing a lot of soccer in Sweden, naturally finds this awesome. Most people playing though aren`t that good, which makes it a lot funnier.

And as you probably know, Xela is a bit colder than Antigua, especially at the nights, but I haven´t met any person here being dissatisfied with Xela, and I couldn`t be happier with this city. From my own experience and from what I´ve heard Xela is so much more genuine than Antigua. Three days in Antigua are enough, but I´ve been in Xela for two and a half month now, and I just can´t get enough of it.

Go with CBA, I highly recommend it!

[jhongillian]

Beware Marco Tulio Coronado AKA el chucho
I recently travelled to Guatemala and I planned to study Spanish in school. When I arrived in Antigua, a man in the street suggested me a in a poor English a nice school, I trusted the man because he looked as an expert of the city. He took me with to the owner of the school "Antigua" who offered various services associated with my Spanish lessons. Of course, he offered an excellent price with one condition: pay for the four weeks at once. I paid four weeks in advance and the first day of school: surprise!
I found out that there was no such school, my Spanish classes would be on a street, under an awning. This man is a scammer, please beware of him, his name is Marco Tulio Coronado aka "el chucho" (dog) by his teachers. This person never appeared in this "school" and he never paid the teacher so I had to pay the poor girl who taught me spanish for a week. I asked other unfortunate students who studied with me in the street and they toId me the same story. Please do not lose your money in the school of the "chucho"

[tripumdiewelt]

To us Antigua seems to be the best place in Guatemala to study Spanish.
It is an affordable yet liveable nice town. Easy to get around to to enjoy. Partly already western standard. But try not to follow people who offer you something on the street. Better check on the internet for established schools or walk around the town and find them yourself or sit in any cafe in the center and read the brochures or ask western students who sit around just everywhere.

cheers
Biene and Holger