Schedule

Morning classes start at 9:00 a.m. and run until 12:00 noon. (Morning classes are usually devoted to grammar, oral exercises, new vocabulary, reading & discussion of texts, specific questions from the students and going over homework and working on problem areas.) Then there is a lunch break from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Afternoon classes are from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. (for students receiving 4hrs/day), from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. (for students receiving 5 hrs/day) or 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (for students receiving 6 hrs/day), and emphasize conversation and pronunciation.

After their Spanish classes the students participate in the afternoon cultural activities:

Latin dance classes (every day from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. and 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.)

Cooking classes (Wednesdays from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.)

Conversation classes (Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.)

All the classes (including culture classes) are conducted completely in Spanish. This is the ideal setting to improve your conversation skills and fluency. Therefore, we have designed our classes to ensure maximum student participation. Our Homestay program, afternoon conversation classes and the school's friendly atmosphere also provide additional opportunities for conversation.

In addition to activities and classes with the school, students may also participate in activities outside the School during their free time such as:

   Visits to museums and markets located close to the School.

   Night outings to local discotheques and dance clubs accompanied by our dance instructors.

   Night outings to restaurants, bars and theaters located near the School.

   Weekend excursions to beaches, rain forests, volcanoes and National Parks.

First Day of Classes

On the first day of class we require students to be at the school at 8:00 a.m so that we can make a short evaluation to determine their Spanish level (placement test). We also give them information, a student card with telephone number and exact address of the homestay (for giving a taxi driver), and general orientation.

On the first day of class the host family will accompany the student to the School and make sure that the student knows how to get to the school. (It is usually a short 10-15 minute easy bus ride. Students catch the bus about 1 or two blocks away from their homestay and it drops them off 1 or 2 blocks away from the school.**

Families will also return to the School in the afternoon and take the student back home after classes on the first day and as long as necessary until the student knows his/her way around.

** Public buses are very easy to use, very cheap (about US .20 cents) and they run every 10-15 minutes from 5:30AM until 11:00 p.m.. If students go out at night we recommend that they take a taxi home (taxis are also cheap: about US $3 - $6.)