Casa Xelaju - Testimonials and References - Study Spanish in Guatemala

Testimonials		E-mail References
I studied Spanish in Casa Xelajú for a total of 3 months. Since there are other Spanish language schools in Quetzaltenango, I could have easily changed and tried out some of them. I chose, however, to continue studying in Casa Xelajú for the entire time because the one on one instruction there was so professional and so well suited to my needs. I am an elementary school teacher who had nearly no background in Spanish. I enrolled in the Spanish for Educators program at CX. The school's philosophy in total language (conversation and written) immersion is just what I needed to feel comfortable with the language after only a short time. My teacher was very professional yet very friendly and very willing to go at the pace that was best for me. The cultural trips that the school offers each week and the opportunity to attend conferences, watch Spanish language movies, etc. all added to the immersion experience. There is no pressure to take part in any of these activities but it is to every student's best interest to do so. This is the opportunity to meet other language students, share experiences and practice Spanish. I made a multitude of friends from all over the world at Casa Xelajú. Every effort is made by the school to make new students comfortable in this new setting and it works!! Studying a language at my age (57) can be intimidating and overly challenging, but instruction at Casa Xelajú is truly fun and highly professional. I compliment the staff and teachers at this school for the fine job they did in teaching me Spanish in such an engaging fashion. Elizabeth Walsh, New York, USA malinowitze@aol.com "I chose Casa Xelaju because a good friend recommended the school to me. "It's a bit more expensive than some of the other schools," she said. "But it is worth it because the teachers are well trained and well educated. Your Spanish will improve tremendously - and you'll have some great conversations along the way." She was right. My Spanish skill and confidence grew by leaps and bounds during my time at Casa Xelajú. And, when we weren't reviewing the intricacies of Spanish grammar, the teachers and I did have some terrific conversations - on topics ranging from Robespierre and the French Revolution, to Brad Pitt, Tolstoy, Guatemalan political parties, and geometry. (I kid you not.) Thanks to the language ability I acquired at Casa Xelaju, I am now working with Latin American immigrants in the US. Clare DiSalvo, USA "Casa Xelaju is an excellent school in which to learn Spanish. There are teachers here with much experience in the school. They are profesional, but the atmosphere is relaxed and fun, a perfect learning environment. I have learned muchisimo en Casa Xelaju during my seven weeks and have made many friends in the school. I´ve also seen much of Guatemala around Quetzaltenango through school trips and have learned about the culture and political situation in Guatemala. I´ve enjoyed myself immensly during my time here and would recommend Casa Xelaju to anyone. La Pedrera is an excellent opportunity to be working with the children of the community while studying. Melissa Chilcote, mochil_3@hotmail.com "I came for two weeks and I am still here two and a half months later. My experience in Xela has been phenomenal and a large part of the credit has to go to excellent staff at Casa Xelaju and the great family I was placed with. A word of advice: be careful if you have an open ended trip as it is very difficult to find a reason to leave ..." Andy Thornton, England I am having an extraordinary experience here in Xela. It is one of the best ways to experience a culture, learn a languaje and meet others who have a similiar purpuse. I have starded volunteering at La Pedrera and it is wonderful to be a part of child´s education. Sondy Koch, Oregon, USA ksondi@hotmail.com		mtbdg02@yahoo.com.net richard-sawyer@uiowa.edu lauragardner79@hotmail.com alisoleil@yahoo.com meera_shah@email.com jlimbird@hotmail.com tbailey111@yahoo.com wheeler25@hotmail.com travelingkat@hotmail.com farfu@hotmail.com heidiwells9@yahoo.com Ich verbrachte 13 Wochen an der Casa Xelaju. Der Unterricht wird den Fähigkeiten un Wünschen des Studenten angepasst. Auch das Leben in der Gastfemilie war aine wertvolle Erfahrung. Un des Beste ist, jetzt spreche ich Spanisch! Stephan Strahm, Switzerland The school has a really friendly staff and lets you work at your own pace. There´s a sense of belonging. They also have really interesting field trips and expeditions. Our family was also wonderful and warm! Nicolas M. Orozco, USA My experience at Casa Xelajú and in Xela has been wonderful. I have made wonderful, life-long friends and have learned so much about Spanish and the culture. Something about it just keeps pulling me back! Therese Krogman, Maquoketa, IA, USA tckrogman@hotmail.com Thanks everyone at Casa Xelajú! What a warm and welcoming environment the school has. My teacher, Victor, taught me more than any teacher at any other Spanish school ever has. He knew exactly what to anticipate when it came to difficult-to-understand concepts and tailored our time together exactly to my needs. I´ve gone to three other Spanish-language schools and Casa Xelajú was by far the very best one I´ve been to. Mary O. Howard I can't think of a more rewarding cultural experience for my students. They not only learn Spanish at an accelerated rate, but return home with life long memories. Michael Mirabella, Assistant Principal, Albany, CA

Casa Xelajú Spanish program has been featured on The Boston Globe, The Albuqurque Journal, Eco Travel Magazine, Transitions Abroad, ABCNews, etc.

Take a Ride on the Chicken Express exploring Guatemala the native way.
by TJ Parmele
This article was printed on Broadside student newspaper
02-10-97 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Have you ever been blessed with Rum? Made an offering to a patron saint of a small village? Asked for cats with rice? If so, then you are familiar with San Simon and a student's attempts to master Spanish, and must have been on the Guatemalan study tour with the rest of the thirty students from GMU. Led by Resident Directors Dr. Brenda Burchett from the Communications department and Professor Luz Curet from the Spanish department, the goals of the trip were to learn and have fun at the same time. Whether it was studying Spanish or performing intercultural communication research, the students who attended learned a lot and have memories that will last a lifetime. "It was excellent, I would recommend it to anybody." said GMU student Katherine Schneider.

Cosponsored by the Center for Global Education, and Casa Xelaju in Guatemala, the Guatemalan study tour consisted of two separate programs, Spanish and Communications. The Spanish program coupled students with private instructors for intense one-on-one sessions five hours long. Afterwards, the students were free to wander around the city of Quetzaltenango with their tutors to hone their newly acquried Spanish skills as well as experience the beautiful architecture and scenery of the city. Having weekends free, the students went to places like Panajachel (known to the locals as Gringotenango, or place of the gringos). Panajachel is located on the shores of Lake Atitlan, a cerulean lake towered by extinct volcanos.

While the Spanish section was brushing up on their conjugation skills, the Communications program was in full swing. Involving intercultural communication field research, the students traveled all around the surrounding areas taking the local transportation which was an adventure in itself. The buses are known to the locals as chicken buses, because it is not uncommon to see poultry or even iguanas sitting next to people. The communication students also interviewed local people about the new peace treaty and absorbed the sights, sounds, and smells of Guatemalan culture.

Everyone got something out of the trip, the Spanish students came out sounding like natives, while the Communications students came out with a new view of the world and a deeper understanding of the Guatemalan culture. If you would like some further information regarding future tours, or would like to go down to Guatemala, email Casa Xelaju at: oficina@casaxelaju.com.


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