Spanish Ya

A great review from one of our students:

We spent 2 weeks at Spanish Ya in July 2010. In addition to studying Spanish, we also did the homestay with the Spanish school director. Our accommodations included one room with two beds, two fans, desk, & bathroom. We were there in the heat of the winter with lots of rain and humidity. The fans were a blessing as we are quite spoiled by our cool Pacific Northwest weather. Meals were on time and featured local Nicaraguan food. We asked for a restricted diet which was followed by the family. We enjoyed interacting with the family at the house. We got to hear fabulous stories from Alan who is a fisherman and were always entertained by Alancito (son) and his stories.

Our family included 2 adults and 2 daughters (11/13). We were all at different levels and had 1:1 teachers. The teachers were kind, patient, and quick to adjust to our needs. Our youngest daughter enjoyed her teacher's drawing and shopping excursions as she was new to Spanish and is a visual learner. My teacher adjusted to my need to write things down. My oldest daughter soared through and feels she has a big jump start on Spanish 2 for next year. My husband wanted to focus on medical Spanish, and his teacher was quite knowledgeable in this area. Overall, the Spanish instruction for our entire family was a wonderful experience. I can safely say I learned more in 2 weeks than I ever imagined possible. I am still not fluent but am motivated to continue studying!

The director of Spanish Ya, Yajaira, also worked with us to arrange volunteer experiences. This willingness really set her school apart from others. Instead of being hesitant to accept a family of 4 wanting to spend half time volunteering in the community, she jumped right in. She was able to secure opportunities for us that met our interests and skills. The volunteering included teaching classes in needle work and computers at the library, volunteering in the local public schools, volunteering on the mobile library, and volunteering at a clinic in town. Amazingly, our Spanish teachers accompanied us (and helped a bunch!) on all of our volunteer activities. The volunteer experience was the highlight of our trip.

There were several activities to choose from each week as well. While we did not do all of them, we enjoyed the company and help of one of our teachers on each one we attended. Our favorite activities were the ziplining at Da Flying Frog and the swimming excursion to Mango Rosa. Yajaira also helped us arrange transport to and from the school to Ometepe where we spent one weekend.

Overall, we feel the homestay and Spanish school was an wonderful opportunity for our family to learn Spanish and to get a feel for Nicaraguan culture. The experience was 100% individualized and customized to meet our expectations and needs. The hot conditions were a challenge for us, but at the end we were thankful for many things in our lives.