Total Immersion Away from the Tourist Crouds

After three weeks in Carrillo Puerto with Na'atik I did not want to leave. My Spanish teacher was amazing, adapting the curriculum to fit exactly my level and the types of Spanish I wanted to learn (including bringing in guest speakers). My host family was truly amazing, welcoming me in like a new member of the family and being infinitely patient with my sometimes halting Spanish. And Carrillo Puerto was the perfect place to learn Spanish with very few people who spoke English and incredibly friendly locals who were open to having long and detailed conversations about anything from their families, to the history of the Mayan people, to Mexican politics. People were so friendly that I had several great conversations that were started by nothing more than saying "hello" to a stranger on the street - this gave me tons of chances to practice my Spanish!
I seriously can't recommend Na'atik highly enough. I think I learned more Spanish in three weeks there than in two years of classes in the US - not to mention it was a lot more fun! The teachers at the school were always happy to show me around the local sites and cenotes or to have me along on their trips around the region on the weekends.