Having just returned from a vacation to Guadalajara and Guanajuato, I am now anxious to go to a language school in Mexico to begin to sharpen my Spanish. I am a beginner level 2 (probably). Unfortunately I can only be gone for a one week school. <BR>1. My research points me into either the NCRSA schools or the Spanish-Abroad schools. Any experience with either of these?<BR>2. I like the looks of the Spanish-Abroad schools in Oaxaca. either the Becari or the Solexico..Any advice?<BR>3. I plan to take advantage of the family stay program. Good idea?<BR>4. Would I be better off paying for the 1 on 1 instruction? Or is that too intense?<BR>5. some of the schools offer either a 4,5 or 6 session per day group program. I was thinking about the 6 sessions per day if I did the group classes. Would that be too much?<BR>6. I am a mid 50's businessman.. Should that have a bearing on what school I choose?<BR>7. I am not locked in to Oaxaca but the city appeals to me. I prefer to fly into a closeby airport so I am not spending all my time traveling the last leg on a bus. Any other suggestions as to cities in other schools that you think would be worth the look? thanks for the help.<BR>ns

www.tomzap.com has good info on Oaxaca - there's a message board there where you can ask the same questions of expats in the area.

I have been to language schools in Cuernavaca, Saltillo and Oaxaca. I keep returning to Becari in Oaxaca because I really enjoy the city and surrounding area and because Becari is cheaper and better than my other school experiences. Regarding home stays I have done them four times. My only bad one was one arranged by Becari in Oaxaca. I have been to Mexico 100 times + and this was the only time I have ever been sick- and I was really sick. I got talking to the maid at that home and she told me &quot;everyone who stays here gets sick.&quot; Nevertheless Oaxaca is definateley my choice. The school is good, and the surrounding culture fascinating and beautiful. As far as the home stay I don't know what to say. Six months after we stayed at the home where we got sick Becari placed me at another home and it was pleasant, inexpensive and great.

Nonstop, I have stayed in homes in Puebla and Oaxaca and have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences each time. Oaxaca is a wonderful city full of culture and history. I have used Becari numerous times to bring my Spanish students to Mexico. Overall, they were pleased with their accomodations. Not all got sick, but many did. On this forum there is some great advice on how to avoid don Montezuma. However, the street fruit carts and tacos al pastor in the Tlacolula market &quot;spn los mejores.&quot; Buena suerte!

SrFlojo: I didn't get sick in GTO or GDL. Why do you think your students got sick in Oax? Were they careless by eating on the street?<BR><BR>Dude: I had read somewhere that on homestays they always have purified water and they go to great lengths to help students avoid food that will cause them to get sick. Why do you think you got it in the home in Oax? Do you think that once in a homestay you just need to throw caution to the wind and not worry about it?<BR>ns

Nonstop - I would love to know which school you picked and if you would recommend it. Would you go back to that school or another? Was 6 hours enough? too much? How effective was program? Was there an intersting mix of ages/nationalities? I'm thinking I'd like to go to Oaxaxa to study - but might be open to a great program in another city. Thanks.

For what it is worth, I had planned to go to Escula Mexicana in Guanajuato until flight problems made it impossible. The people there are really nice. They were totally willing to set my husband and I up together, with a home stay with a private bathroom.

I would absolutely go for the home-stay! That would be half the fun. I was ready to ask if I could help with meal preparation!

j
yes, I chose the Spanish Language Institute of Cuernavaca and was very happy with it. I did the home stay and had a wonderful family. I went to school for 6 hours and there were approx. 60 students in the school. The school was very comfortable and very intense. I learned a lot and am planning to do it again next year. I ended up going with a friend of mine and we stayed with separate families so we would have a better esxperience speaking the language. He has since returned to the same school for another week. The only thing I can suggest is it is better to go for 2 weeks if possible. We were the only students in the school that were there for only 1 week. You just get going after a week and I think really need the second week to maximize the benefits. I recommend the school highly.