Learning Spanish Part Twelve : Total Immersion Courses In Mexico?

Learning Spanish Part Twelve : Total Immersion Courses In Mexico?

Going to the host country of the target language has always taken on a sort of mythical quality. It has been believed that you could not learn a foreign language unless you went to the country associated with the target language and engaged in something called Total Immersion.

Total Immersion is NOT a protracted amount of time of traditional language learning instruction in the target language’s country. Coming to Mexico and studying Spanish using traditional language learning methods is NOT a Total Immersion program. It bears repeating once again:

What is not commonly known is most of these university-level programs require that you have at least 4 semesters of the target language before going abroad. This was true more than 30 years ago.

Here is the myth. It is believed that if you come to the country of the language of your choice, some sort of linguistic hocus-pocus will one day swoop down on you, possess you, and you will mystically know the language. I mean, really, come on. Let me set you straight right now. There is NO magic in spending a small fortune in coming to live and study a foreign language in a foreign country. The Spanish fairy is not going to show up some night while you sleep and do the “now-you-know-Spanish” spell over you. It is NOT going to happen.

The only difference in your coming to Mexico to study Spanish is that all the classes are going to be taught in Spanish. They will use the same method used in the United States. You will get a textbook-sometimes-and attend a conversation class. You will still have to study your buttocks off. The only difference is there are more opportunities for practice in the foreign country than you had at home.

But here is what we see all too frequently. These American college students come here and hang out with other American students. They spend what precious time they have in Mexico speaking English with their companions instead of hanging out with the locals and speaking Spanish.

This is one reason why the so-called Total Immersion experience is a waste of time and money. If what you are going to do is spend all your out-of-class time hanging out and speaking English with your fellow Americans, then what is the point? We see this too in adult students who come to the private language schools.

Are we still wondering why America is only 9% bilingual?

Here is another problem with the so-called Total Immersion experience. There is the false expectation that if you haven’t one word of Spanish under your belt, you can come and enroll in a beginner’s class and start learning. Nothing can be further from the truth. First, there is the myth that says there is some sort of magic in coming to the foreign country to learn the target language. The second myth is these schools will take you at the absolute beginning level-WRONG.

All the schools in Guanajuato, as well as most of the others I have contacted in my research for this book, confirms what my experience already taught me.

When you come to the country of the language you are trying to learn and enroll in one of the private schools, you will be coming into the beginning, or the middle, or at the end of a sequence. What I mean is this.

When I first came to language school in Guanajuato, I came into an intermediate class that was already into the 4th week of the sequence. They did not start a new intermediate class just for me. I was stuck in a class where 4 students had already been going through intermediate instruction for 3 weeks before I got there. I came into the 4th week of instruction.

If you are a rank beginner and do not even know the Spanish alphabet much less the difference between the verbs ESTAR and SER, you will not necessarily come into the beginning session of a beginner’s class. Do you get what I mean

Spanish Immersion The First Couple Of Days

Spanish Immersion The First Couple Of Days

I still remember my first couple of days of my Spanish immersion program like it was yesterday. I flew into Liberia, Costa Rica at the end of July which is the rainy season. After going through customs and getting my bags I was met by my driver who was holding a big sign with my name on it. Soon we were off to the home of my host family in Santa Rosa which is located a couple of Km from Tamarindo. After driving for about 45 min through a heavy rain we were met by my family waiting for me at the corner in the rain of course. After introductions were made my driver was off and I was left to fend for myself. I really did not know what to expect. I was told they spoke no English and at that time I spoke no Spanish. Soon we were in the house and I was showed my room after I had unpacked my things I found a couple of toys I had brought for the two young boys they were very happy to get them and wanted me to show them how they worked. I found that the boys and the father spoke no English but the mother and her daughter who was visiting from San Jose spoke quite a little English, although they mostly spoke to me in Spanish that’s the point of Spanish immersion.

  When Monday morning arrived I could hardly wait to get to school.  My host mom walked me to bus where I was met by a small bus from the school. This was used to transport student to and from school soon I was on the bus and on my way to the first day of classes. When we got to there I was introduced to the director and some of other students, then it was off to the beginner class for me and an engineer from Illinois and an insurance agent from New Orleans.  Our teacher was a young lady who spoke no English, needless to say the first couple of days where hard but fun. When class was over I met a group of students who invited me to join them at a local soda, which is what they call a café for lunch. One of them was a girl from Switzerland we would later become good friends and surfing partners. There were a lot of people there from all over and a lot of different walks of life. The majority of them were collage students but after a couple of weeks most of them were gone to return to school.

  That afternoon after a relaxing day at the beach and watching one of the many beautiful sun sets I was back on the bus heading to Santa Rosa. The bus driver dropped me off and I started walking down to the house. I met a large dog whose name I later found out was (Muñeco) which is Spanish for doll let me tell you that day he was no doll. I guess he thought who this guy on my street  as the situation with him deterioratedrapidly I let out a cry for help as I feared he was getting ready to bite me.  Soon my family came to my rescue and introduced me to Moñeco.  After that we became good friends and many days I would find him waiting for me at the bus stop to walk me home. 

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Spanish Immersion Programs in Mexico – The Best Choice For Learning Spanish

Spanish Immersion Programs in Mexico – The Best Choice For Learning Spanish

There is no doubt. When it comes to learning Spanish, there is no way to do it than to immersing yourself in the Spanish language. And the best way to truly understand the Spanish language is to understand the culture. For this the ideal option is to enroll at in a Spanish Immersion program. For these types of programs, Mexico is the ideal choice. It does not have the high price of Spanish classes like you will find in Spain, but it also offers a level of safety that is not found in most other Spanish speaking countries in central and Latin America.

In Mexico there are hundreds of Spanish schools, but how do you know which one is best for you? This is depends very much on how you like to learn and what kind of environment you feel more comfortable in. Due to Mexico’s large size you can find schools on the beach, in historic cities, in the mountains, in the deserts or on mountain lakes. You can study Spanish in small towns or in one of the biggest cities in the world. The only limit to where you can study Spanish in Mexico is the limit of your imaginations.

Even with so many Spanish schools, there are always a few that stand out from the crowd. Here is a list of some of the top Spanish schools (based on size) in Mexico.

TOP LARGE SPANISH SCHOOL (100+ students)
Universidad Internaciónal – Cuernavaca, Morelos

Pros:

- Known as the school that invented Spanish language education. Has been around for over 30 years.
- Huge amount of school sponsored activities since it is also a Mexican University.
- Chance to interact with people from all over the world.
- Cuernavaca is known as the city of eternal Spring.

Cons:

- Easy to get lost in the crowd
- Cuernavaca is becoming saturated with Spanish schools, and many local stores and restaurants are starting have menu’s in English.
- Due the its near proximity to Mexico City the safety in Cuernavaca has gotten worse in recent years.

TOP MID-SIZED SPANISH SCHOOL (30-100 students)
Solexico – Puerta Vallarta, Quintana Roo

Pros:

- Perfect place for students looking to study and then enjoy an active night life.
- Spanish school has branches in other parts of Mexico, so you can arrange exchange programs.
- Can take classes in wonderful outdoor palapas.
- Puerta Vallarta is centrally located near the most beautiful beaches and ruins in Mexico.

Cons:

- A bit of a walk from the nearest beach.
- Risky choice during hurricane season, since Puerta Vallarta virtually closes if there is a hurricane headed this way.
- Some people may not enjoy the heat and humidity of the outside classrooms in the summer.

TOP SMALL SPANISH SCHOOL (0-30 students)
Querétaro Language School – Querétaro, Querétaro

Pros:

- Has a real family feel.
- Due to its small size, personalized attention is given to each students.
- Querétaro is the safest city in Mexico, and has one of the most active art and cultural scenes in the Mexico.
- The campus is located in the historic downtown.

Cons:

- Fills up quickly in the high seasons. Need to reserve in advance.
- Not for people who are looking to have class in large groups.
- The nearest beach is 8 hours away.

Other than the Spanish schools located in the list above there are hundreds of Spanish schools scattered around Mexico and you are sure to find one that has what you are looking for. The few things to ask when looking for a Spanish school in Mexico is if there teachers have university degrees (many Spanish schools have Spanish teachers without any qualifications) and to make sure that the staff knows