Program Reviews

I studied at Don Pedro de Alvarado Spanish School for 4 months in 2019 and I had a fantastic experience. My spanish improved remarkably thanks to the high quality of teaching offered. My teacher Maby was really fantastic, very kind and professional and she really helped me get to the level of spanish I wanted.

The classes take place in a beautiful garden. There is amazing local food to try everyday and also salsa dance lessons for those who are interested! The home stay was also a fantastic experience.

I really can't recommend this school more highly!

I really recommend this program to anyone wanting to learn Spanish, I had a really wonderful and enjoyable time learning Spanish. My teacher Dalia was a very skilled teacher, using different methods to teach me Spanish in the short time we had (5 days!!). After the 5 days of Spanish class with NO prior knowledge of Spanish I am able to communicate and practice with people all over Central America and South America which has GREATLY improved my backpacking experience! The homestay experience was also a great experience, my host family was very welcoming and accommodating. I was especially grateful to them for accommodating to my difficult dietary restrictions including vegan and gluten free! The family spent time cooking each meal for me and sitting down to eat with me which was really lovely. They took me out to an event with them and on my first night there their daughter me a mini tour of the town of Antigua. It’s really a wonderful added culture experience to stay with a local family while you are learning Spanish.

J'ai adoré mon expérience à cet endroit qui est tout d'abord magnifique et bien situé à Antigua, Guatemala. Les maestras Migdalia (Dalia) et Heidy sont formidables. Tout en étant sérieuses et concentrées sur le programme d'apprentissage, elles font en sorte qu'on se sente chez-nous à l'école et qu'on ait du plaisir. Les programmes sont faits sur mesure et sont très flexibles, en fonction de nos besoins. Des activités supplémentaires sont également organisées.

J'ai également apprécié le fait que l'école soutienne des jeunes élèves d'Antigua qui sont démunis ou qui ont besoin d'aide pour les devoirs scolaires. Nous avons partager quelques repas avec eux et discuter ensemble.

Ma famille d'accueil était toute simple, souriante, aidante. Mon logement était très propre et la nourriture très bonne, toujours servie à temps.

Enfin, je me suis toujours sentie en sécurité à Antigua quand je marchais en ville ou que je participais à des randonnées dans les volcans.

I would definitely recommend this program !

my 6 weeks in Don Pedro school was a really good experience. Thanks to my teacher Claudia, I can now have a conversation in Spanish! A lot of activities to discover the city of Antigua and a good project to support the kids who don’t have the chance of having food at every meals. Thanks to Elsa, every Tuesday and Friday we get the chance to eat a typical meal with the children. The family also give you the opportunity to live as a real Guatemala and to discover the local food
It’s a really good way to know the culture and the way of life of Guatemala. It’s an amazing country and you can travel all around from Antigua, it’s really easy. A lot of travel agencies provide the safe travel.

Thank you a lot!

I have studied 3 weeks at Don Pedro de Alvarado School and it has been a smooth and pleasurable experience from start to finish. Everything was taken care of, from arranging airport pickup to accommodation with a local family. I knew some Spanish beforehand, having lived for a little while in Spain, but wasn't really very confident. Within a week I was communicating all in Spanish without the need to ask "Habla ingles?" first thing after the greeting, as was my habit. Talking Spanish with a hosting family at the table everyday was also quite valuable. I opted for 6 hours a day, 4 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon. Had two different maestras, one for the morning, one for the afternoon, both great. In the afternoon you have an option to go on short excursions, if you wish, with your teacher. We visited several historic places, finca the cafe, macadamia, etc... It was quite interesting. All in all, a very nice experience.

I studied at Don Pedro de Alvarado Spanish School because I've retired and moved to Antigua Guatemala and I want to understand and speak the local language. The program used by the teachers at Don Pedro Spanish School really works, and with the one teacher to one student system, success is almost immediately attainable. I was able to communicate locally within two weeks, in simple terms. After four weeks of study I really felt confident about my newfound language skills. I studied for 6 hours per day. I stayed with a host family for the first two weeks, and then rented an apartment locally while getting to know my new surroundings. Antigua is a charming town, and it is fun to live here. Don Pedro Spanish School offers excursions every afternoon and little or no cost, and the teachers accompany their students on these excursions and encourage them to speak to local people in Spanish. The host families only speak Spanish during meal times, so there is plenty of opportunity to practice speaking and listening skills. I will continue to take Spanish lessons at Don Pedro Spanish School as I continue to find my feet and enjoy life in the warm climate of Antigua.

I spent 6 weeks at the Don Pedro School and enjoyed it a lot, the atmosphere, the two teachers I had (one morning and one in the afternoon for 2 hours), the instruction, and the activities. I started at a beginning level and felt I left not speaking as well as I hope to, but actually being able to converse and understand a lot. I will practice and study more while I'm home and may go back this spring. I stayed with a family and that was also a good experience, with 2-4 other students there too over the weeks. As a vegetarian I had no problem with the food. Also of note, I took 6 hours a day of class.