Escuela de la Montana

I visited the Mountain School while in college in 2012 after it was recommended to me by one of my Spanish professors. I spent a month in Guatemala, a week of which was at the Mountain School. I can't recommend the program enough--the tutors were incredibly supportive, my host family was so kind, and the program is clearly having a demonstrably positive effect on the community they serve. This is a unique and high quality program that is a great fit for anyone looking to expand their Spanish skills.

Studying Spanish at The Mountain School was a dream! I only stayed for one week but would have loved to stay longer, a few months would be ideal. The teachers are so caring and passionate. There is no doubt that your Spanish will improve. The school itself is a really fun and beautiful learning environment with tons of books and other students to practice with. I will definitely go back in the future! Their were people of all ages and backgrounds in our group. I would recommend the program to students, backpackers, retired people, families, kids, etc.

I learned tons of Spanish here. Everyday I received a helpful dose of homework, and the one on one lessons are quite awesome and efficient. All of the teachers are super fun and helpful, and make their lesson plan for YOU, not a place where they give the same boring routine to each student, they make sure you get the most out of your stay and of you abilities, when I came I was simply bad and not knowledgeable at spanish, when I left I could hold a ( simple) conversation with most locals. Highly recommend, 10/10! The meals were with host families also which was pretty awesome and everyone in the shcoolnwas super super super fun and nice, On of the teachers in paticular named tito was quite hilarious and fun, and made the whole experience better, also Rony another teacher there was a GREAT teacher.

There are lots of affordable Spanish schools in Guatemala, but the Mountain School is a truly unique experience and worth the trip. The Spanish language instruction is extremely good — the teachers have years and years of experience and can adapt to any level of learning. My teacher Maria Jose consistently challenged me and made sure I was growing and learning throughout the week. She gave interesting assignments that were exciting and challenging to complete. The grounds are very beautiful — the school has a big area of land with flowers, fruit trees, a koi pond, and mountain views. It is gorgeous and peaceful. They have books to take out from the library at all levels. I managed to get halfway through and Spanish language YA novel while I was there for a week. The school also places your learning in political context, which is extremely important in Guatemala. I plan to return for both the experience of living in the rural community, the companionship with other students, and the excellent Spanish instruction.

I attended classes here one week with a group of high schoolers. The teachers were well prepared and fun to work with. They worked very well with the teens and kept them engaged. We also learned so much about the culture and history of Guatemala from the talks and the activities. Time with local families gave us all a personal experience of life in that region and really added a great perspective to the students' overall trip. We enjoyed the cooking class, and our trip into town with our teachers was a great way to put our Spanish skills into practice. We also were able to speak with some locals who told us personal stories of their experiences during the civil war. We loved the afternoon we spent playing and talking with students from the local elementary school as well. I highly recommend this language school and hope that I am able to go back again someday.