Great thread - bookmarking.

Julies-

All good ideas here. I have done several of the schools being discussed.

suggest you might additionally contact langlink.com and have a personal conversation with them about your "learning profile" and see what they might recommend. I have been to their schools six (6) times and they have always been a great asset to me and have helped my skills grow.

Personally, I would stay away from "over-gringoed"locations.

Hi nonstop--

Can you tell me which of the schools being discussed you've been to and what your thoughts about them are?

I have done the langlink.com schools in Mexico in Cuernavaca and Oaxaca, Costa Rica in Heredia, Guatemala in Antigua, The "Activo" and the Anaconda jungle program in Ecuador.

I was EXACTLY where you were when I started looking for a school... EXACTLY.

The advantage of Lanklink is they can walk you through what they think may be best for you. They will set up your transportation for you in practically all cases(as will most schools). They have helped me "stairstep" my learning over the last couple of years.

No, I don't work for langlink or receive any personal benefit from recommending them and yes, I have also gone to other schools outside their network and there are certainly plenty of good ones out there. I have friends that have used them and all have been very pleased. Just my 2 centavos.

I highly recommend a great new school that recently started up in Catarina (one of the pueblos blancos above Laguna de Apoyo). It is called Spanish School Catarina (http://spanishschoolcatarina.com/) and is run by two very experienced Nicaraguan spanish teachers.

I have been to two spanish schools in Guatemala, one in Mexico, and one in Nicaragua. The teachers at Spanish School Catarina are without a doubt the best I have ever had, and are humble, friendly, and all around amazing people. The prices are great, they offer an above average variety of activities, and are truly committed to ensuring every student has a great experience.

I could go on for hours about how great I think the school is, but I think you get the point!

Nancy

Noted - thanks for posting!

P.S. Your post added the last ")" to the link and doesn't work so here it is again: http://spanishschoolcatarina.com/

Great thread. I keep thinking I will do this, and a few years ago had done quite a bit of research, settling on Quito. I hope you will post on your final decision, and they again after your experience!

Maybe this will prompt me to finally do this.

I hope you do, Toucan2 - I have loved every Spanish immersion experience I've had over the last 5 years and love the planning in between. I take a group someplace to study every summer in case you care to join me some year. Happy trails!

has anyone done this in San Miguel de Allende?

Knowing nonstop's extensive language school experiences, any suggestion he makes should serve you well!

That said, I have enjoyed CPI, Centro Panamericano de Idiomas, in Costa Rica twice. I always attend in the summer, which has some drawbacks (age of students being one), but the school is well managed, with heavy emphasis on vocabulary and verbs, and has an excellent staff. The location is easy, main campus is in San Joaquin de Flores, not a lot of English spoken there. It is close to the airport, 20 min., and close to the very interesting cultural town of Heredia. The town of San Joaquin is safe in which to walk around, easy to navigate on your own, etc.

My primary reason for recommending this school is the lovely family who have hosted both myself and my daughter on a number of occasions. Delsy and Victor Espinoza-Aguilar are just the best, both in their early 70's, with an extensive family nearby, all very helpful, polite, and fun to be around. I was their first student back in 2003, but they've had lots of experience since then! You can request a family, such as this one, based upon such a referral.

There are a LOT of good options out there. Every experience is, of course, unique. I wish you well in your choice and your experience. It's an awesome thing to do!

By the way, the Orosi area mentioned by Heather49 is a beautiful area of the country, a couple of hours from the airport, more in the country.

I might be interested in that down the road hopefulist!

I enjoyed studying on my own (and truthfully I can preserve the immersion factor better traveling sola) but traveling with a group in tow is wonderful, too. I've met some really interesting, fun people that way. I'm heading the last week-end in June 2010 for San Cristóbal de las Casas if anyone out there is interested (probably most of you already know that). It will be my 1st visit to México.

I have another question for this knowledgeable group...I'd like to go to spanish immersion school for a week in february..with my husband. He does not want to go to school but would tag along if I could find someplace near the ocean. Any suggestions for schools not in the middle of a gringoized city? We're thinking Mexico/Central American..not South America...I'd love any comments. Thanks!

EJ, I met someone who went to school in Merida. That seems like it should work for you.

You can search on www.123teachme.com , but take the ratings with a grain of salt. I've attended sister schools on Utila and in La Ceiba, Honduras and study on Roatán is also available. Not much immersion factor on the islands but, if you're husband is with you, you won't have much of that anyway. Here's the link for the Central American Spanish School with bases in those places: www.ca-spanish.com . Keep us posted!

Normally I would recommend Becari in Oaxaca. I won't this time, because as you noted it could be really hot. March and April are the hottest months of the year in OAX. I would look for altitude and further north to be a bit cooler. I don't particularly like Cuernavaca, but its packed with schools and tourism is down so much you can dictate what you want from a a school. Puebla is another thought as they have direct flight flights into there from the US as does Gunajuato into BJX which would be another possibility. In a pedagogical sense a week is a really short time. If you can possibly get more time it would be good. Likewise I don't think you should abandon all grammar. You can't use the tenses is you don't learn them. I think you will do the best with a balance between conversation and grammar. Have fun wherever you end up.

ejklionsky--try CPI (Centro Panamericano Instituto) in Costa Rica. They have a school in Playa Flamingo and you can stay at a lovely little resort near a nice beach. My husband and I went there two years ago and he did not attend classes the week we were at PF. We both took classes the previous week during our stay in Monteverde. The school plans great excursions as well.

We're going to the school Se Habla in La Paz (Baja, Mexico several hours north of Cabo). Anyone heard of it? Staying north of the city on a beach. Any must-dos in La Paz?

Have a great time and please post a trip report!