An increasing number of Central America–bound travelers spend at least part of their trip at one of the many available Nicaraguan Spanish language schools, y con razón (with good reason). $150–200 per week gets you 4-6 hours per day of personal Spanish instruction—plus room and board in a Nicaraguan family’s home, as well as field trips to local sites in the afternoons and weekends. Not only is this an incredible deal, but it’s the best way to go deep and get the most out of your interaction with Nicaraguans during your stay here.
But which school is right for you? In addition to breaking it down in both our books (which contain extensive listings by region of the many Spanish schools throughout the country), Randy and I offer an online “Escuela Scoop” covering many of the country’s best programs, including links to each school’s website. In addition, there is a constant stream of Spanish school suppliers rising to meet the enormous demand. The newest of these is Spanish School Matagalpa, the first of its kind in Nicaragua’s coffee country, and one which has not yet made it to the
In addition to top-rate Spanish instruction (you’ll learn all the regional Nicaraguanismos, as seen in the photo above), Spanish School Matagalpa offers “a holistic vision of cultural immersion, enabling students to build friendships in the local community.” Not only that, they are connected to Matagalpa Tours, which offers a huge range of day-trips and overnight backcountry hiking expeditions in the surrounding mountains. These are good people, and highly recommended by this author.
You’ll also want to check out the ongoing discussion on Spanish Schools, which includes links to several more new schools (including one on La Isla de Ometepe), in this section of our GoToNicaragua.com forum. If you know of any more schools, please contribute to the forum.
¡Buen suerte!
