Program Reviews

As a retired educator I carefully selected the language school I wanted to attend and I had high expectations. I was not disappointed with my choice of Habla Ya in Boquete. As a beginner I was placed in a class with no more than six students and given the materials I would need. I really appreciated my instructor Eduardo who used patience and humour to get the best out of his students. We were encouraged to speak in Spanish at all times but as Eduardo spoke English and French he was able to guide us along with clear explanations if we really needed them. The homework he assigned was appropriate and not too taxing. I liked the town of Boquete and timed my visit to take advantage of the Flower Festival and later the Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival. I also attended classes in Boca del Toro but the mountain atmosphere of Boquete was my favourite.

I had zero experience studying a second language going into the class but my profesora Eli made the class fun and relaxed. She was always super helpful and patient if you didn't quite get something the first time around. The activities the school organizes are always fun, particularly volleyball on the beach at sunset. I would also highly reccomend Chapo my surf instructor at the surf school mono loco. Habla ya also set that up for me and it was fantastic, Chapo, like Eli, made learning something difficult seem fun.

TRANSLATION:

A great school, with a friendly and helpful staff and a central location in Boquete. Eduardo is the teacher to ask. He is very patient, speaks great English and teaches to match each student's rhythm and background. I learned more Spanish in Edward's class than in the other two classes I took before. Eduardo is dedicated to his students, and very intelligent, funny and speaks English very well, so there is no misunderstanding!

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Una gran escuela, con un personal amable y servicial y una ubicación céntrica en Boquete. Eduardo es el maestro a pedir. Él es muy paciente, habla un gran inglés y enseña a igualar el ritmo de cada estudiante y sus antecedentes. Aprendí más español en la clase de eduardo que en las otras dos clases que tomé antes. Eduardo se dedica a sus estudiantes, y muy inteligente, divertido y habla inglés muy bien, así que no hay malentendidos!

Leidys Pitti is a friendly and attentive professor who delivered well-planned and well-paced lessons that ensured maximum comprehension. Her knowledgeable and experienced teaching gave us the confidence to carry conversations solely in Spanish. Her strength lies in her willingness to share Panamanian cultural norms and customs alongside her lessons. Her amiable nature and quick wit made the experience enjoyable and rewarding.

As part of preparations for a 3 month trip around Panama and Costa Rica, I have had the pleasure of learning a LOT of spanish at Habla Ya in Boquete. It has been a great experience and I also had a great teacher "Edwardo". Very good and pleasent teacher. It has been fun to practice my "new language" on the streets of Boquete. I have learned a lot of essential tools both with grammar but also useful phrases etc.

I took 4 weeks of group lessons in Dec 2016 before traveling around and I learned a lot for such a short time. My teacher was Eduardo and liked the style of learning a lot, we had a good combination of learning grammar, training conversational skills and doing homework to practice the days topics. Learning in small groups of 4 or even less people most of the time was always fun and our teacher always adapted to the skills and specific questions of each of the students. For me it was a great experience, and I can only recommend the hablaya school and especially the location in Boquete.

After a stay in Boquete in 2014 and 2016 I visited Boquete again in 2017. And once more I took Spanish classes at the Habla Ya Spanish School.

I booked 4 weeks of group lessons in advance and extended my stay with more private lessons. I got a promotion offer and got a free diving class in Bocas as I booked some time in advance.

For the second time I attended classes with Leidys Pitti. I was very glad that the school made it happen that I could join her class again. Within 4 weeks we finished one level and she gave me good advices for the upcoming DELE exams.

Everyone at HablaYa is really friendly and helpful and for me it felt like coming home this time. If you have any questions - no matter what kind of question - they are there to help you.

That is why I honestly want to thank everyone at HablaYa and especially Leidys for the wonderful time I had in Boquete.

Bocas was definitely one of the greatest experience i had in my life so far. I stayed at isla colón at the house of a lovely host family for four months. Three weeks of that time I went to habla ya, where I got to know many nice people from all over the world . I made good friends, who joined me on the trips in and around bocas and Panamá. However also the teachers and over all the receptionist (!!!) were awesome. I could never forget how I loved going to school every morning and got that " Buenos días guapa " to my ears :) .
As I was there quite a long time compared to the other tourists I also made good friends with the locals. So I had the chance to learn spanish by talking to them and my host family . The rest of the time I worked in an hostel to finance all the traveling. We often went to the other islands and enjoyed bocas by day and night. I would say it became my home... and it still is when I think about that unforgettable time I spent there with these super relaxed and "cariñosos" people. ❤️

My stay in Panama was definitely one of the best experiences and choices yet.
After lingering in Panama City for 1 week and discovering Isla Bastimientos for another week, I started my 2 week Spanish Classes at Habla Ya Spanish School in Bocas del Toro.
Having been welcomed by César, the friendly director of Habla Ya's location in Bocas, I immediately felt at home. He gave us useful recommendations of good restaurants, nightlife, beautiful beaches, trips to do etc. The teachers at Habla Ya, especially my teacher Benita, are always in a good mood and assist you with any questions.
At Habla Ya being motivated to learn Spanish is easy in a relaxed, caribbean environment.
The classes are very small, only 3 students in my class which allowed us to advance rapidly and learn a lot in only 2 weeks. There is a good combination of learning serious grammar and being introduced to panamanian colloquial language and culture. Making friends there is easy in such a friendly and inviting environment among students.
Appart from the Spanish classes I made unforgettable memories in Bocas del Toro: hanging out at breath-taking beaches with friends, Catamaran Sunset & party tours, giant colorful starfish in cristal clear waters, adventurous boat rides around the beautiful islands, snorkeling trips, stunning nights with skies full of stars, monkeys hanging from palm trees, delicious cuisine, unforgettable nightlife adventures, open-hearted and friendly people, overwhelming botanical gardens.
If you love learning Spanish by the beach in a warm climate and making a lot of new friends you should go to Habla Ya in Bocas. It will be an unforgettable experience with many new impressions. Get a taste of the panamenian life-style! Hope to be back soon!

After a bit of travelling Latin America arriving in Bocas felt like coming home.
I got there by boat and first thing after putting my stuff in the hotel was going to Habla Ya where I was welcomed with open arms.

Habla Ya:
The atmosphere is open-minded and all people there have the same goal: Learning Spanish and travel. Making friends there is extremely easy and students and staff have a great, friendly relationship (Some you might even meet in your free time ;) ). From serious grammar and vocabulary learning to girl's talk (Kimberly! ;) ), cooking (Benita is the best chef!) and making fun while practicing Spanish, there is a great variety in the teaching / learning methods Habla Ya teachers are using, always considering the needs, moods and characters of the students. The groups are very small with (I think) up to max. 6 students. I was super lucky as for 3 out of four weeks there was only one other person with me in the group and the 4th week I was even completely alone, which meant 4h/day 1-1 lessons. Hence I learned a lot in a very short time. It was just great!
They are very flexible and helpful as well. After four weeks in Bocas and people constantly telling me how nice it is in Boquete, I decided it would be nice to experience the mountaneous region of Panama as well. The school checked if there is a class with my level available and made it happen that I could stay my last week there.

Bocas:
Bocas is a very small city and after a couple of days you realize you know already quite many people on the streets, because you met them at school,at your hotel, in one of the many bars and clubs or wherever else. There is a lot to do, from beaching, diving and surfing to clubbing or wildlife experience. Habla Ya supports with several guided tours (eg. the Katamaran tour or the Zapatilla tour of which both were just great) as well as offering Salsa classes and a lot of other options to spend your free time.

Boquete:
Compared to beach-style Bocas, Boquete is a little more quiet and temperatures are lower. You can hike the volcano or to several waterfalls, go rock climbing, boulder in a small canyon, enjoy the famous local coffee or just relax in a hammock. Overall people in Boquete enjoy the nature around them and are very active. My personal experience was that the first minute I arrived in Boquete, I met someone who I got to know in Bocas. It's amazing how fast you get to know the locals and make friends.

Until now I would count most of the people I met during my time in Panama as friends and I would love to go back rather soon.

If you decide for Habla Ya, it will be just an amazing experience! So have fun, enjoy yourself travelling, learning Spanish and experiencing the amazing panamanian lifestyle!