journeyer-ga,
While it’s difficult for any one person to say with guaranteed
certainty what the “best” place to do anything is for someone else,
here I will present you with the details of several excellent places
to study Spanish meeting your criteria.
I have traveled extensively throughout the country of Mexico, and
speak some Spanish myself. Because of my familiarity with this
country, I’m going to recommend some “immersion” style Spanish
language schools in Mexico that meet the criteria you have outlined in
your Question. That way, you’ll be able to contact several and make a
well-researched decision.
Not every one of them will appear at first glance to meet your exact
pricing requirements, but I think you’ll find that if you’re willing
to spend $1,000 USD per month for both of you on tuition, plus living
expenses (which in Mexico generally are quite modest), I doubt you’ll
have any trouble reaching an agreement with the managers of these
schools, even if it’s not the precise price listed on their website.
Most are used to dealing in terms of weeks or months, so you would
undoubtedly receive excellent rates if you tell them you want to study
there for a year.
Before we begin, here’s a link to a good, basic map of Mexico, from
EnchantedLearning.com:
[ http://www.enchantedlearning.com/school/Mexico/Map.shtml ]. Most of
the locations of the schools I list here can be found on this map.
Here we go:
1) Instituto Mexico-Americano de Cultura A.C. (I.M.A.C.)
[ http://www.spanish-school.com.mx/tutition.html ]
Location: Guadalajara, Mexico.
Overview:
“Spanish language learning here in Guadalajara, Mexico, is an
opportunity to be involved in intensive Spanish instruction. Our
institute is recognized as one of the finest Spanish language schools
in Mexico. In addition, the city of Guadalajara is known throughout
the entire country of Mexico as one of the most traditional of Mexican
cities. Afterall, it is the birthplace of Mariachi music and Tequila.
For students who are looking for Spanish language schools, our Spanish
language programs are backed up with over 33 years of experience in
language instruction and offer you the possibility of participating in
one of the finest Spanish language immersion programs available.”
Tuition: [http://www.spanish-school.com.mx/tutition.html ].
2) Habla Hispana Spanish Language School
[ http://www.mexicospanish.com/ ]
Location: San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico
Overview:
“Our team of highly qualified professors, with an average of twenty
years experience in teaching Spanish as a second language, has
designed a practical, dynamic, and communicative method to learn
Spanish in a spontaneous and natural way. All activities are in
Spanish with an emphasis on improving speaking and listening skills.
With the interaction of language, culture and society, learning is not
confined to the classroom.
Each one-month term includes 80 hours of intensive Spanish in a
classroom of 10 students maximum and 40 hours of seminars, working
groups, and guided tours of San Miguel.”
Tuition:
[http://www.mexicospanish.com/tuition.htm ].
3) Experiencia:
[http://www.experiencia.com/ ]
Location:
Cuernavaca and Tepoztlan
Overview:
“Experiencia: The most innovative and efficient intensive method
for learning the Spanish language. All levels of Spanish instruction
begin each Monday throughout the year. Each group class will include 5
or fewer students of the same Spanish level and placement will be
determined in a personal interview on your first day of class.
One-on-one classes available.”
Tuition:
[http://www.experiencia.com/courses.html#prices ].
4) CETLALIC (Centro Tlahuica de Lenguas e Intercambio Cultural--The
Tlahuica Center for Language and Cultural Exchange)
[http://www.cetlalic.org.mx/ ]
Location:
Cuernavaca and Tepoztlan
Overview:
“CETLALIC (Centro Tlahuica de Lenguas e Intercambio Cultural--The
Tlahuica Center for Language and Cultural Exchange) was founded in
1987 as an alternative school, integrating intensive study of Spanish
language with experiential cultural learning and analysis of
contemporary issues. At CETLALIC, you'll learn Spanish in a friendly
atmosphere while expanding your knowledge of the region's cultural,
socio-economic, and political realities, making connections between
your own country and Mexico/ Latin America today. Our Spanish language
instruction is demanding. Paulo Freire's methodology is applied to the
teaching of Spanish as a second language and students contribute their
insights and ask the questions necessary for critical analysis. All of
our teachers are native speakers with professional and special
training. CETLALIC is accredited by the Ministry of Public Education
(State of Morelos, Mexico). Living with a Mexican family is an
integral part of our program.It provides a unique experience to learn
about the people, their food and their customs, as well as an
incomparable opportunity for students to practice and refine their
Spanish language abilities.We offer homestay options for our gay and
lesbian students.”
Tuition:
[http://www.cetlalic.org.mx/fees.htm ].
5) OLE Spanish Language School
[http://www.ole.edu.mx/ ].
Location:
Queretaro, Mexico
Overview:
“Travel to Mexico study and learn Spanish in a familiar atmosphere, in
a safe and colonial city, with flexible group programs or tutor
classes in a unique spanish language school. Travel to Mexico and live
with a Mexican family, get yourself totally immersed in a new
adventure!
Spanish language learning in Queretaro, Mexico will make you feel at
home, OLE Spanish Language School, a private owned school founded
since 1996 with the objective of meeting new people from all over the
world. Our main goal is to teach the Spanish language to foreigners,
to share our traditions and to grow our OLÉ family with everybody that
wants to join us.
Learn to speak Spanish or improve your Spanish language in OLE Spanish
Language School, the only specialized school in the teaching of
Spanish to foreign students in the city of Queretaro, Mexico. Come and
learn Spanish in the beautiful colonial city of Queretaro, located in
the heart of Mexico.
Our Spanish language programs are backed up with a special designed
Spanish teaching method as a second language. In order to meet
students special needs, we have designed 12 practical and dynamic
programs to learn Spanish which are open to students of all levels and
ages. Classes start every Monday; this allows students to study for as
little as one week at a time or to continue with classes over a period
of months.
All activities are in Spanish; in this way you can improve speaking,
reading, listening and writing Spanish language skills. We offer a
wide variety of cultural and extracurricular activities in order to
facilitate the immersion with the Spanish language, the Mexican
culture and society.”
Tuition:
[http://www.ole.edu.mx/ ].
Okay, I hope this representative list of Mexican immersion Spanish
language programs assists you in deciding what you and your wife would
or would not like to do.
As a final resource, here’s a site dedicated to allowing prospective
students to search through their database of immersion Spanish
language schools by various criteria, including country, tuition and
quality of instruction:
[http://www.123teachme.com/ ].
Google search strategy:
Keywords,
“spanish language school in mexico”:
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=spanish+language+school+in+mexico
,
“immersion Spanish instruction Mexico”:
://www.google.com/search?q=immersion+Spanish+instruction+Mexico&btnG=Google+Search&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off
Note: that “.mx” in the web domain of a URL is the designated internet
country code for Mexico.
Good luck and have fun on your adventure!
Sincerely,
omniscientbeing-ga
Google Answers Researcher
P.S.: !Buena suerte, amigos! |
