Where to Study Spanish in South America

At the beginning of March I arrived to Colombia all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, so excited to take on a new city and country. Upon arrival, the extent of my Espanol ended at hola, sí, gracias, por favor, and yo quiero Taco Bell. However, I’ve travelled all over the world where I haven’t know other languages and it’s been just fine, so why would this be different?

On one of my first days in Bogotá, I headed to a nearby coffee shop to get some work done. It was my first time going anywhere in South America alone, but I’m used to traveling the world solo, so I didn’t think anything of it. When I got to the counter to order my coffee, a crushing realization washed over me: Oh my god – I really don’t know any Spanish and living here with such limited knowledge is going to be very difficult. I stumbled my way through ordering my latte and sat down feeling awkward and embarrassed. It was time to learn some Spanish.

There are countless Spanish language schools throughout South America, so how do you choose? When I came across Colombia Immersion Spanish School and learned about their commitment to creating an immersive language experience, I knew they were the school for me.

Now I haven’t been to many other countries in South America and I haven’t attended a Spanish language program aside from Colombia Immersion, but I can’t imagine a better place to learn and here’s why:

They’re not your ordinary school:

This is not just a school, but a community and an overall experience. Besides offering incredible in class learning, your learning is supplemented through educational field trips and community activities that get you involved in the local culture outside of class. No other school facilitates relationships quite like they do, and with the help of a supportive community of students, staff, friends, and neighbors, you’ll be in the most nurturing learning environment possible. From language exchanges, to salsa lessons, to pick-up soccer games with locals, they offer an immersive experience and welcome you into the family.

They use an alternative approach to language learning to get you speaking, fast:

The main focus at this school is to get you speaking right away. The curriculum is designed to help you understand and use grammar quickly so you can start speaking immediately, and that was evident from day one. Concepts that would have taken me weeks in past learning environments were resonating after one or two classes. Until experiencing Colombia Immersion, I always equated language learning to memorizing conjugations and vocabulary lists. But through their Learn, Practice, Apply approach memorization isn’t the goal – the goal is to learn through doing! They really challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and surround yourself with locals to apply what you learn in class into real life situations.

This experience gives you the opportunity to live in Medellín:

Aside from the fact that the school itself is amazing, their location is also a major draw. They have two campuses in the magical city of Medellín, both in great neighborhoods. Medellín is such a livable city, with excellent public transportation, amazing food, incredibly friendly people, as well as so much history and culture. There’s so much to do and see here, and if you’re looking for an authentic Colombian experience, Medellín is the place to be.

Okay, so now fast forward to one month later. I went back to that same coffee shop and approached that same interaction with so much more confidence. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a beginner and still struggle with communication on a daily basis, but having a foundation and the confidence to speak with locals is a huge step for me. Because of the foundation I built with Colombia Immersion, I am progressing and continuing to learn every day, and it feels really good. It’s a pretty cool feeling to look back at just one month ago and see how far I’ve come since then.

Have you ever experienced a language program? If so where was it and what was you experience like?

Disclaimer: I received a discount on Spanish classes in exchange for my opinions, but all opinions are my own. I only recommend programs that I love!

Wander On,

Wanderluluu xx