Enriching Spanish Learning Experience in Guatemala

Attending San Juan Spanish School for 1 week during my time at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala was a lifetime highlight of both education and cultural experience for me. A dream of mine has always been to study abroad, as growing up I wasn’t afforded the privilege or luxury. I serendipitously discovered this school during my time at Lake Atitlan and fortuitously had a cold and thought it best to take courses for a week while I healed and rested. It turned out to be one of the best decisions and greatest experience during my time in Guatemala. My teacher Angela, is a local to San Juan and in addition to giving me personalized 1:1 instruction for 25 hours that week, she also gave me great local information, Guatemalan history, and cultural background on the area in addition delivered with the utmost kindness and patience. I learned more in this 1 week of spanish classes than I had in years of California public school Spanish education as well as a few college courses. For every student that attends San Juan Spanish School, local Guatemalan children receive proper nutrition, school supplies, educational resources and instruction with the proceeds so that your cultural experience is also benefiting the local population. The atmosphere is incredible with a personal hut overlooking the lake. Frequent visits from butterflies, birds, and neighboring chickens made the learning environment all the more perfect and enjoyable (I wish real school had been so!) If I could change anything, it would have been to stay longer at Lake and take extended courses as well as participate in the home stay program where you can live with a local family while attending classes. I had to opt out of this option due to my cold, but when I return I’d love to also participate in the home stay offering and heard nothing but good things from peers who had. I highly recommend San Juan Spanish school (or San Pedro Spanish School - they’re they same company) when you visit Guatemala. I can now confidently continue south on my trip speaking spanish with ease and comfortably navigating in a foreign language throughout the region. Thank you to Angela for being such a wonderful teacher and friend!