What does the Spanish Ya program offer?
The weekly program with home-stay offers home-stay from Sunday to Saturday, 3 meals per day, one-on-one classes each weekday morning, and activities three afternoons a week. You will be placed in a private room with a bathroom. Living with a Nica family, you will be immersed in a Spanish environment where you will have the opportunity to integrate into the community and use your Spanish in varied real-life situations. We require a 50% deposit of the total program cost at least two weeks in advance of your scheduled visit. This deposit assures your reservation and covers the cost of initial arrangements on your home-stay arrangements, curriculum materials and other class preparations. Payment can be made via wire transfer from your bank to our bank in Nicaragua. Upon receiving your registration information, we will send you more details regarding how to submit the deposit payment.
Classes are Monday through Friday from 8AM-12PM with a 20-minute coffee break. Your teacher will prepare the week of classes depending on your Spanish speaking level and subject interests. The instruction process is an ongoing dialogue between teacher and student. Students are challenged to use and expand their Spanish communication skills in a supportive environment. Class size is limited to 2 students of the same level, but most classes are one-on-one. Additional individual tutoring is also available in the afternoons for more intensive learning. Outside activities are sometimes integrated into your morning class and optional afternoon activities facilitated by the teachers, such as cultural classes or visits to local social, political, artisan and cultural organizations, allow students to interact, listen and learn in the context of social and professional settings.
When should students arrive?
Although students may arrive any day of the week, it is ideal for students to arrive on Sunday and start classes on Monday. The program week with family home-stay is Sunday through Saturday, with classes Monday through Friday. You can also reserve extra home-stay days and extra tutoring for before or after your basic program weeks to accommodate your arrival schedule.
How do students get to the school?
Our school can arrange for you to be picked up from the airport or from any specific location in Managua. Shuttle service from Managua to our school is the safest and most comfortable way to travel to San Juan del Sur.
Alternatively, you can take a taxi to Mercado Roberto Huembes in Managua and take a bus to Rivas or San Juan del Sur. If you take a bus to Rivas, you will need to take another bus or taxi-colectivo to San Juan del Sur. The taxi-colectivo fare is nearly the same as the bus (approximately $2 USD).
Why must I pay a deposit?
Your deposit assures your reservation and guarantees that all arrangements for your home-stay and course of study at Spanish Ya will be made prior to your arrival.
What happens to my deposit if I need to cancel my reservation?
If you cancel your reservation 1 or more weeks before your arrival date, 50% of your deposit will be refund to you. If you cancel your reservation within the week prior to your arrival, then the deposit will be used to cover initial arrangements made by the school.