Spanish School in Sucre Bolivia
By nick, on February 3, 2010, in Travel
By Nick Runkle
Having arrived in South America with very little Spanish background, I quickly realized the importance of being able to communicate, and immediately began researching a place to take Spanish classes.
Learning Spanish is, in my opinion, crucial if you are planning an extended trip in South America. Being able to speak the language not only makes traveling that much easier, it allows you to learn about the richness of the culture from the native people by participating rather than witnessing the culture from an outside perspective and reading the facts from a travel guide.
I’m not saying that you cannot enjoy your trip without learning Spanish, I’m simply saying that being able to communicate with the locals will make your trip more of a cultural experience. It will also make little details less stressful and your travels safer.
The Bolivian Spanish School
In Sucre, Bolivia there is a wonderful school called The Bolivian Spanish School.
When I was there, I took three weeks of one-on-one private lessons for 4 hours every morning, Monday through Friday. I paid about $215 a week including my home-stay (3 meals a day included).
The school is located directly off of the most beautiful park in Sucre and has very friendly, competent, and experienced teachers. The school is more than happy to create a schedule of classes that fits your needs.
I took classes from Omar, and he was excellent.
The home-stay family that I lived with was lovely, and the school has many accommodation options to suit you.
The school also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for anyone interested. We volunteered at an orphanage three days a week.
Why Bolivia?
I chose to take classes in Bolivia out of all South American countries mostly because it is the least expensive, but also because Bolivia has very clear and easy to understand Spanish.
Why Sucre?
Sucre is a beautiful colonial town in the Bolivian foothills. The architecture of the city is amazing, the surrounding countryside is very scenic, and the people are friendly and welcoming.
I thought it was a perfect place to study because of its small size and relaxing atmosphere.
Unlike the restless atmosphere in La Paz, you can enjoy peace and quiet while strolling through one of the many parks or spend the afternoon studying in a small café up on the hill. You will not get overly distracted, yet there are still a handful of bars and discotecas if you feel like a night out on the town.
Even though Sucre is at an altitude of 9,500 feet, it has a very temperate climate making it warm and comfortable year round. I remember some locals calling Sucre “la ciudad de primavera” (the city of spring).
On average, the coldest month in Sucre is July, the warmest month is November, and the month with the most rain is January. I was there in February and found the weather to be delightful.
Other Inexpensive Options
Peru has many schools in and around Cusco, but most are more expensive than in Bolivia. Another drawback is that Cusco is constantly full of tourists, and you will not learn Spanish while speaking English all day with other travelers.
Guatemala has very inexpensive Spanish schools in Antigua and in some of the small villages that surround Lake Atitlan.
I’ll be traveling to Guatemala in a few weeks and am planning on taking some more classes. I’ll be sure to let you know how they go.
Until then, I highly recommend the Bolivian Spanish School in Sucre.
