Study in Ecuador

Quito's Spanish Schools are Many and Affordable

By Heather Wynn

Spoken in more than 20 countries, and the fourth most widely spoken language in the world, Spanish is practical to know. It is also one of the most affordable to learn through an in-country immersion program. In Ecuador you can easily get by on $20 a day, and the U.S. dollar is the local currency, so you don’t have to worry about conversion rates. As an American you can stay for up to three months without a visa.

In a country slightly smaller in size than Nevada, one is awaited by a diversity of ecological environments, including beautiful sandy beaches, cloud forest, snow topped mountain peaks, and jungle. The people of Ecuador are easy going and friendly. Few Ecuadorians speak English, giving you an opportunity to really practice your Spanish.

In Quito’s La Mariscal district in the New Town, which caters to backpackers, you will find language school after language school, offering one-on-one and group courses for as little as a few dollars an hour. It is an ideal city in which to learn Spanish because it is home to Ecuador’s largest university. The local student population is warmly receptive to the company of international travelers, and the slower pace enjoyed generally by Ecuadorians has instilled them with great reserves of patience that they apparently like to expend on non-native speakers struggling through their first Spanish conversations.

You will save a lot of money if you look for languages courses yourself once you are there in comparison to signing up for the more expensive language schools you will find online, but there are also a few good schools you can check out before you go:

Cristobal Colon, www.colonspanishschool.com, offers activities like salsa dancing and cooking evenings during which you can learn to make Ecuadorian specialties.

Vida Verde, www.vidaverde.com, offers courses for $6 per hour, of which a portion of the profits goes to support local conservation and community development projects.

San Fransisco Spanish School, www.sanfranciscospanish.com.

It’s a good idea to begin your stay in Quito in a hostel, though if you sign up online in advance for a Spanish course, many of the schools themselves offer lodging for around $10 a night. For longer hostel stays, El Taxo, hostaleltaxo@yahoo.com, is definitely the place to check out. It also has an agreement that provides hostelers with a discount to attend Cristobal Colon, which you can enquire about with Peter, the owner of El Taxo. El Taxo has an inviting atmosphere, complete with a fireplace, hammocks, and picnic tables in the yard. Peter cooks great food at great prices for his guests. The rooms tend to fill up pretty fast in the summer, so book ahead.

If you are interested in living in an apartment, it is best to locate something once you arrive. Being in a university town simplifies the task. College students are always on the lookout for roommates or sub-leasers, and the local language schools are usually pretty well informed about vacancies. Ask around with the locals you meet or at establishments that cater to travelers.

For more general information, check out the following web site: www.ecuadorexplorer.com; www.ecuadorexplorer.com/html/list_of_schools.html..

Heather Wynn earned a BA in anthropology and international studies and a BA in German from Wayne State Univ. in Detroit, MI. She spent the summer doing undergraduate archaeological work in Ecuador and now resides in Munich, Germany, where she works as a bike tour guide for English speakers. She is pursuing an MA in educational psychology.