The Place for Learning spanish
Whether you “Hablo un poco” or “Hablo a-lot-o,” Xela presents the perfect home base for your language learning needs. Learning Spanish can be incredibly fun and rewarding for your personal and professional development. Let’s take a look at why Quetzaltenango is your best choice for expanding your language toolbox.
Why You Should Study in Xela
Xela is easily reached from Guatemala City, Antigua and Lake Atitlan. In a matter of hours you can go from the classroom to the beautiful Lago de Atitlan or the charming colonial city of Antigua. Of course Antigua and Atitlan have their own Spanish schools, but Xela stands out in a few specific areas. Antigua and Atitlan are absolutely breathtaking destinations, but for long-term Spanish study they leave a lot to be desired. Due to their touristy nature, it is very easy to get by day-to-day speaking English with the other travelers and even the people working in restaurants, cafes and other local businesses. In Xela, whether you are buying school supplies at a “papeleria” or getting your grub on at a “papuseria,” you will be honing your Spanish skills through repetition and real-life trial and error. Have you ever tried to practice your Spanish with a native speaker, just to have them switch to English? While that is likely to happen in Antigua and around Atitlan, it is unlikely to occur in Xela. Being the second largest city in Guatemala, Xela combines traditional and modern ways of living. Xela offers language learners the chance to truly immerse themselves in the culture of Guatemala in ways that Antigua and Atitlan simply can’t.
Xela also excels in the areas of affordability and quality of instruction. There are a lot of language schools in Xela, so competition is fierce. Schools have to make a strong effort to maintain quality teachers, implement effective teaching curriculum, and provide cultural experiences that will resonate with their students. The schools in Xela excel in these areas while maintaining price levels below Antigua and Atitlan for comparable quality of instruction.
Lastly, the type of Spanish spoken in Guatemala is simpler, clearer and more universally applicable than many other Spanish speaking countries. Spanish is a second language to many indigenous Guatemalans, which means most people speak more slowly and with less slang, making it much easier for language learners to improve without feeling overwhelmed. Now that you know why Xela makes a great destination for your language learning goals, let’s talk about choosing the school that is right for you.
How to Choose a School
Choosing your school is an exciting process, so don’t worry if you can’t find one right away that speaks to you. We recommend that you search around a lot before committing to any school by scouring the internet, checking social media platforms, and asking fellow language learners for their recommendations.
Things to consider when choosing your school are the cost (of course), hours of teaching per week, one-on-one vs. group instruction, flexibility of schedule, number of teachers and students at a given time, reputation, and the cultural activities and trips offered each week. Schools that are located closely to Parque Central are ideal, especially if you are considering a homestay since you will likely be living with a family close to your school.
Homestays
This is a very important question to ask yourself, and only you can truly know the answer. The goal of homestays is total immersion in your target language. Homestays present an amazing opportunity, but also bring about some challenges. Living in the house with a new family will give you a deeper look into Guatemalan culture and undoubtedly increase the rate of language learning. However, you may feel more restricted in terms of being out with your new friends, coming home late, or the timing of meals with your family. Based off observational research, language learners enjoy living with a host family for the beginning of their studies. Once students choose to study for longer periods of time (more than 6 weeks), they typically reach a point where they prefer to live on their own. Homestay experiences are positive overall and it is an amazing opportunity for first-time visitors to Guatemala and beginner language learners.
Resources
Here is an absolutely amazing resource for looking up Spanish schools all around Guatemala! Take a look at the schools that interest you most and compare them so you can make the best choice.