Traveling in a foreign country poses many challenges. Different customs, procedures and mentalities can make seemingly simple tasks time consuming and complicated. Add a foreign language you don’t understand and the situation may become totally confusing and frustrating.
Speaking Spanish, if only on a basic level, will make traveling a Spanish-speaking country so much more enjoyable! Not only will you be able to deal with standard situations much more efficiently, you will also communicate more easily with the people you meet and learn about the country, its culture and customs.
Make the most of your trip to Latin America and learn a bit of Spanish before you hit the road!
Our teachers are all native Spanish speakers and have received extensive training. They have many years of experience teaching Spanish as a second language to foreign students.
Ixchel was the first Spanish school in Antigua Guatemala that developed a special course for travelers. We have expanded and perfected Spanish for Travelers for several years and received much praise from participants who feel that this course goes a long way towards preparing them for their tours around Latin America.
Key to the success of this course is that you will not simply memorize lists of words and phrases. That is a necessary part of it, of course, but we don’t stop there! Exercises, practice conversations and roll play with your teacher will help you to practice your skills in realistic situations and boost your confidence in your ability to communicate effectively with native Spanish speakers.
We designed Spanish for Travelers specifically for travelers who speak no or very little Spanish yet and want to learn enough Spanish to get by in Guatemala or other Latin American countries.
Spanish for Travelers focuses on vocabulary and basic grammar you will need to communicate in standard situations, like
airports and bus terminals
hotels and restaurants
travel agencies and tourist information
markets and stores
banks
post office, telephone and Internet cafes
emergency situations
doctors, dentists and hospitals
and many other situations you may encounter while you are traveling in a Spanish speaking country.
Spanish for Travelers is designed to be completed in one week (20-25 hours). However, for students who have a bit more time we also have a two-week course (40-50 hours) that covers the above topics in more detail.