"IA Summer" - Learn Spanish through Cultural Immersion in Mexico

My time with Iguana Abroad was my first time in Latin America and part of a longer trip (visited Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas after Iguana Abroad and later went to Peru). This course has left me with so many beautiful memories, and located in one of the best places I saw on my whole trip. Cuernavaca, the location for the course is just so beautiful and somewhere I will definitely return to. To give you an idea, there is an amazing secret waterfall a short walk away from the city center that the course directors showed our group, also a park with a crystal clear river and a little lake with boats you can rent plus lots of other amazing parks around the city as well, and just really amazing trees and plants everywhere. And it is a beautiful city anyway. There is one of the oldest cathedrals in Mexico there, a palace in the city center, really amazing restaurants and cafes - even an ancient pyramid actually in the city! It was definitely important though to be on the course I would say as it was the directors who gave all the suggestions of the best places to go, and showed us around so well. Without them I wouldn’t have been so amazed by the city I don’t think. For example giving us WhatsApp groups to join where activities, events, workshops and those sort of thing are being shared. It was just really quick and easy to settle in and feel like I knew the city really well straight away. The accommodation (the private option one) was beautiful too with lots of amazing nature as well. There were tropical plants, banana trees, hammocks and a swimming pool there so was just super nice to hang out at. It was also really important to learn Spanish quickly before being on my own for the rest of my trip and the course helped me so much with my Spanish. I’m still not fluent but I started Iguana Abroad and my trip knowing almost nothing but ended the course feeling like I could ask for whatever I wanted and understand what people were saying to me a lot of the time. In just 4 weeks for me that was really amazing. I would highly recommend this course and I would love to return at some point in the future.

If you are even considering signing up to Iguana Abroad just do it!! I had the best summer of my life and I grew and learnt so much from it! I am so grateful to everyone who runs the course for making it such a memorable and lifechanging experience and I will never forget the friends I made on the program! The Spanish teachers were all really helpful and they always took the time to make sure that we understood the information. The house I stayed in was also amazing with views towards the volcano. Definitely recommend this program and I would do it again if I could!!

I found Iguana Abroad online and I was instantly attracted by the range of activities offered. The program offers a lot for the price as accommodation is included, as well as three hours of Spanish classes per day, immersion activities and travelling experiences on the weekends. You also get free airport collection when you arrive and free breakfasts on the course. I was really happy with the different locations available for the weekend excursions and the quality of the Spanish grammar and conversation-based classes offered.

One thing that really attracted me about the Iguana Abroad program was the choice of homestay and private accommodation available. I chose the private option and loved staying with Maru and Vito in their lovely accommodation! The room was private, spacious and comfortable, with a desk, bathroom and comfortable bed, with access to the pool, garden and gym. The garden had hammocks and was a perfect place to relax after class finished.

I also loved the options for authentic immersion events on the course. For example, when we did the cookery class, we went to the market together before the class and bought all the ingredients together which was really cool. Visiting the Mexican market and trying all the foods, speaking to the vendors and practicing Spanish was an amazing and memorable experience, followed by doing the cookery class and eating the meal afterwards! I also appreciated the 24/7 attention from the Iguana Abroad team who took care of every one of our needs. If you haven’t signed up yet for Iguana Abroad 2025, do it! It was an incredible Spanish course that was absolutely worth every cent.

Me and my friends were looking for programs to do in Mexico and after a lot of searching we found the Iguana Abroad course, and I am so glad that we did! Iguana Abroad was an awesome all round Spanish Immersion experience and a perfect introduction to Mexican daily life and culture! Studying Spanish in Mexico was such an enriching experience – the people you meet and the places you go were unforgettable, as well as the food, the music, the arts, the culture and the overall experience. I would highly recommend Iguana Abroad to anyone who wants to broaden their horizons and go somewhere outside their comfort zone in a new country. You won’t regret it!

I would 100% recommend Iguana Abroad for anyone interested in a Mexican adventure! The course was a perfect mix of learning, travel and socializing with new friends from the program. You take Spanish classes in the daytime and then do different activities in the evening – some planned by Iguana Abroad and others independently with the group. We did some really fun events when we were on the course including salsa dancing, a cookery class with a Mexican chef and a pyramid tour! Overall a great experience and a really perfect course for the price.

Absolutely fantastic course. Everything was perfectly planned, went incredibly smoothly and I couldn’t be happier. I thought the Spanish classes at the campus were phenomenal and massively helped with my level of Spanish. The midweek events were an absolute blast - honestly enjoyed them so much. I loved them all, but perhaps the skull painting event on the rooftop terrace in the city center with the indigenous Mexican artist was the star of that show. So much about that event was just magical, especially talking to Ximena (the artist teaching us) in Spanish about the native Mexican language “Nahuatl” that her and her family use when they are together. I never thought my Spanish would be good enough to learn another language, even just a few words and phrases, whilst only talking in Spanish, but, after a few weeks on this course… It was! That was a really important moment for me.

Mexico is a beautiful country that I'd say everybody needs to visit at least once in their life, and Iguana Abroad did an absolutely perfect job of showcasing the very best that Mexico has to offer. There are some places we visited on the course, like Las Estacas, that is one of most beautiful places I’ve ever been to, but even some of the locals didn’t know about. The guys running this course seriously know what they’re doing, and know the area in and around where this course is located just unbelievably well, as I mentioned, even better than some lifetime locals it seemed. They always had suggestions of things to do, places to visit during our free time, and local WhatsApp groups to join to hear about upcoming events and workshops in and around the area. I was genuinely really impressed.

I'd happily give my honest 100% recommendation for Iguana Abroad and their courses, I couldn’t recommend the course that I did (the summer group course) any more - it was brilliant. I have even suggested to lots of my friends and family to sign up to one of Iguana Abroad’s 2025 courses in the new year. 10/10 from me!

As someone who’s been around Latin America a few times, I thought I had Spanish down pretty well – turns out maybe not really to be honest. Although I've trying to learn before, I guess I never really got to the level I wanted. So a few months ago I figured I’d give Iguana Abroad a go, and I'm so happy I did. From the moment I landed, everything felt pretty much effortless. For a start one of the much loved "two Harrys" came and picked me up at the airport and made sure I settled in comfortably – little things like that made a big difference to me I'd say.

I’d been to a fair few other places in Latin America, but Mexico was actually new to me, and Cuernavaca, where the program is, totally blew me away. It’s this beautiful, friendly little city that makes you feel like you're really getting a taste of Mexico. You won’t believe how perfect the weather is as well. Super good food, nice cafes, places to explore - I was definitely a big fan. Also, the Spanish classes were a game-changer for me. This program was different from anything I’d done before. The teachers were amazing, always encouraging me to talk and helping me practice in real situations.

By the end of the program, I was finally confident speaking Spanish and could understand things like local slang and cultural nuances that I’d never grasped before. But probably what really stood out was the immersion. The program went beyond just the classroom. We explored Mexico through excursions, cooking classes, and all sorts of cultural events that helped me connect with the language in a way I never could have imagined. From salsa dancing to historical tours, it wasn’t just about learning Spanish – it was about living it. This was what made Iguana Abroad different and better than the other options. I also met people from all over, and all of us with the same goal: to improve our Spanish and dive into a new culture, and this course was just perfect for that. I left the program with way more confidence in my Spanish and a ton of unforgettable memories and new friends.

Having traveled around Latin America before, I can honestly say that this program gave me a completely different experience. If you’re serious about mastering Spanish, this is the program that’ll finally break that language barrier. I couldn’t recommend it more!

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Iguana Abroad Spanish program for anyone who wants to learn Spanish in an interesting location, with amazing people and wonderful world-class teachers! I signed up for a 4 week course but I wish I had stayed for longer because I really wasn’t ready to leave after the 4th week (maybe next year?!). By the end of the course I had lots of friends in the city, my Spanish was so much better, and I was really enjoying the daily “Mexican routine”.

Mornings on Iguana Abroad are usually spent having a home cooked breakfast, either with your host family (if you are doing a homestay) or at the café near the school where Iguana Abroad provides a free breakfast for everyone. Then you go to the Spanish classes, which were always really interesting and informative. After our classes we would usually go into the town centre to go shopping, dinner in one of the restaurants or drinks at a bar. Some days we also went exploring other towns and villages outside of Cuernavaca after class. Mexico is so diverse with such a rich culture that you never run out of things to do.

The program was really well organized and I felt that it had a really good balance of Spanish learning and free time, so you are never bored and always able to improve your Spanish level in some way.

Ultimately, no matter what your age or background, I can promise you that you will have the best time on Iguana Abroad – don’t pass on this opportunity!