"Esmail Bonakdarian" wrote in message
news:myDcg.8651$kR6.8394@trnddc05...
> I have about 3 or 4 weeks this summer that I want to spent in Latin
> America, studying Spanish and experiencing the land and culture of the
> place.
>
> Based on recommendations I think I'm down to two places at this point:
> Oaxaca, Mexico and Cuenca, Ecuador.
>
> I plan on homestay and regular group language classes during the
> week with some excursions on the weekend. I would prefer a place that
> is not *overun* with tourists, though of course there will always be
> visitors from other countries (like myself). I just want to avoid
> rampant commercialism and speaking English :-)
I was in Oaxaca last September to do exactly what you describe and there
were (obviously) plenty of tourists in and around the school, and it was
very easy to hang out with them and speak English but it's also quite
possible to break away from that scene and speak Spanish with the locals,
who, in my experience, seem quite willing to have a chat with anyone who
wants to talk with them in bars, at the zocalo, in stores, wherever. I
wouldn't worry about rampant commercialism in Oaxaca.
Oaxaca is a great base for plenty of day (and half-day) trips to places like
Yagul, Monte Alban, etc. It's also close enough to the beach that you could
probably make a weekend trip out of it.
> I've started reading about both places, and they sound nice, so if you
> have any more info on both/either it would be very helpful! Comments
> about homestay situation or recommendations for schools would be
> great!
I've done two homestays: one last September in Oaxaca and the other a few
years ago in Guanajuato. Both were positive experiences. If you don't speak
Spanish well enough to communicate the details of your arrival by phone,
make sure that the school does it for you so that your hosts know when to
expect you.
I studied at a school called Solexico. I picked it because it wasn't too
big, the prices looked good, they offered the flexibility I wanted in my
class schedule and they had extra activities like movie nights, cooking
classes, salsa classes, weekly school parties, intercambios, etc.
Wherever you choose to study, if you're not sure how many hours you want to
spend in class each day, I'd suggest that you sign up for fewer than you
think you will want/need. Schools are more accommodating to students looking
to buy extra classes than they are to those wanting refunds and lighter
courseloads. Not to mention that some instructors are willing to give
private lessons outside the school at rates lower than those you'd pay if
you went through the school, and there's no way of finding that out until
you enroll and start your classes.
Richard
|
|
|
|