Program Reviews

I had a great experience with my volunteering and my Spanish classes. Having Spanish every day was good practice for me and my speaking improved so much during my stay- especially as I lived with a local family who spoke very little English.
I felt like I knew what to expect as the team were in contact all the time in the build up and then we had orientation when we arrived.
My volunteering was really cool and I was able to get to know the young people quite well as I went for 4 hours a day Monday to Friday. I did feel like I was making a difference as the place doesn't get much support and they don't do many activities. So they enjoyed the crafts we organised and the English classes we did too.
I really liked Merida as a city as there is loads to do and the people are very welcoming :-)

Washington House is a great environment to learn. The facilities are bright and very welcoming just like the staff who are so warm and always willing to give advice. Each class is a different topic and we focus on different skills. The best thing about Washington House is the teachers who not only teach the language but also imparts typical slang words and Mexican culture. I have enjoyed my time at the school and I now feel more confident when talking to people in Spanish.

The school is easy to get to from all parts of the city. Merida is a fabulous city for groups, couples, families or solo travellers. There are cultural events every night, a thriving nightlife, food markets, artisan shops and it's so close to the beach. Not to forget Merida is so close to Chichen Itza, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, an important archaeological site built by the Mayans, which is about a two hour bus journey away. The locals are so welcoming and generous! This is a place you will not regret visiting.

I have really enjoyed my time learning Spanish here. I have gone from zero Spanish knowledge to feeling confident when out and about more quickly than I had hoped. I can now have conversations, do all the basics confidently and feel that I have a good platform to continue my learning and hopefully one day achieving fluency.

The staff are friendly and helpful and the school itself is shiny and new. It’s in a nice part of town and is easy to get to from all parts of the city. Merida itself is fantastic. There are cultural events every week and food galore. Plus the added bonuses of beaches and cenotes to cool off and you have an excellent place to study. Also, if you like art/theatre/music then Merida is a fantastic place to be.

Highly recommended.