Going to Great Heights for Spanish

By Helga Trim
Article published at Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Sunday July 9th, 2006

Quito is the second highest capital city in the world. And living that high above sea level can be a heady experience. But if you prefer a cool climate, look no further. Although it's located 25 kilometres from the equator, it rarely climbs above 24ºC on any given day and averages a refreshing 15ºC all year round. This is what drew me to Quito initially, but it was the Spanish school Amazonas and what it offered its students that sealed the deal.

After searching the web for a place to study, I found Amazonas Spanish School by sheer luck or was it destiny. I wrote to them for more information, and the information they sent was tailor-made to me at a price I couldn't resist. Amazonas Spanish School offered me one to one classes, the use of the Hilton gym, spa and heated swimming pool, home stay with meals, airport transfer, excursions and the opportunity to do voluntary work with the street children in Quito for what tuition alone would cost in Spain. Talk about Best Buys, this was definitely one of them!

I learned in 3 months much more than I ever learned in all 5 years of secondary school. The professors know their material and the calibre of students also add to the experience. I met journalists, teachers, lawyers, engineers, doctors and even met a group of teachers and students from New Mexico who were studying Spanish and travelling around Ecuador as part of a school trip. I thought how progressive. Maybe some of our secondary schools could offer a programme like that - a summer in Ecuador to learn Spanish, travel and volunteer. Just a thought.

The school offers group Spanish Classes as well and can tailor Spanish Classes to suit each group's requirements. The school is accredited by the Ministry of Education and Culture and has attracted diplomats, businessmen and pilots who need Spanish for their jobs. For me, I've conducted several interviews in Spanish now and would not have been able to do so had I not taken 3 months of Spanish. Knowing the language allows me to learn about situations and events I would not otherwise be a party to. I've been able to enjoy my travels even more because I can mix and mingle with the locals and often they take me to places where you wouldn't find other tourists, and I really enjoy that.

Throughout South America they offer Spanish immersion programmes, but Ecuador seems to be the most organised and the Spanish spoken in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia is closer to the Spanish spoken in Spain. However, schools in Ecuador seem to offer a lot more than just Spanish at truly irresistible prices. And I can't forget to mention the incredible landscape that surrounds you in Quito. There's the snow-capped Cotopaxi in one corner, Pichincha in another and Cayambe. At sunset the light and shadows on the hilltops almost look surreal. Quito's old city is a UNESCO, world cultural heritage site and you really can picture what it must have been like when the Spanish ruled. Another plus for Quito is that they use US currency which makes it quite easy. The cost of living is way less and you can enjoy American style malls with the brand names we all know. As I said before, it's at half the price.
If you're looking for a cool city from which to begin Spanish immersion and if you want to add a little Inca and Spanish Colonial history to that along with say maybe some extreme sports or shopping, Quito has it all.