Language Study Vacations

What to Expect

By Jim Baird

Between 1994 and 1998 I attended four language schools with homestays in Central and South America. I found that almost everyone taking such trips goes alone. Once you’re there, you’ll have plenty of company. If you feel the need for more initial support, use one of the language study companies that coordinates school enrollment, housing, and transportation. Their commissions are reasonable and can be worth the peace of mind. You can use the Internet, however, to make all the arrangements for your second trip.

The highlight of your trip will probably be your homestay, so bring modest gifts for your host family. Photos of your family will be of interest, but not as much as those of your home and car--especially your car. Gifts for the children will automatically endear you to their parents. (By the way, make an effort to stay with a family with children. The kids will be fun and help to fill those awkward moments of silence sitting around the house after classes struggling to communicate.)

You’ll be delivered to your new home by school staff, or your hosts will come to the school to escort you. Don’t be surprised that no one speaks English. Prepare to be welcomed as an honored guest, shown to your private room, and given a key to the front door.

The family bathroom is down the hall. Don’t forget to bring your own soap, towel and wash cloth, and a small mirror. You’ll also need a flashlight to find your way around at night and when electricity is rationed. The water also may be turned off for several hours at a time, so it’s a good idea to know the schedule.

Americans do not always enjoy good reputations either as considerate house guests or as serious students. My host mother in Honduras, for example, said she was taking a chance on me-- her friends in the homestay business had warned her about American men. Some are apparently prone to stay out drinking all night, and when they finally stagger home, drunk and rowdy, they wake everyone up. (German students, incidentally, are considered very orderly and disciplined and some language schools in Guatemala cater exclusively to them.)

Your classes will likely be held in a converted residence with several small rooms for one-on-one instruction. There you will be confined to a wooden chair and table for four or five hours with an instructor who understands or speaks little English. Surprisingly, the language barrier will not get in your way of learning Spanish as much as your egocentric concern that your teacher or host family learn English.

As you are paying primarily for your teacher’s time, try spending some of it outside the classroom. You both will appreciate the change. I spent several afternoons practicing my Spanish in the local shops and interviewing for teaching positions at nearby English language schools. My teacher remained at my side, critiquing my performance after each encounter. You will of course be expected to cover any expenses incurred during out-of-school excursions. If you are lucky, your teacher will include you in some aspect of his or her home life, such as a birthday party or a home-cooked meal.

All the schools I attended used the grammar-translation teaching method. There appeared to be little interest in more modern approaches. Teacher quality varies. The more advanced your Spanish language skills, the better chance you will have to get one of the school’s senior and most skilled teachers. Many schools take on charitable activities in their neighborhoods, and you may find yourself volunteering to teach deprived kids or helping on a construction project after classes.

Except for the roundtrip airfare, the language study vacation is extremely economical. Use the weekends to see other parts of the country and, if it seems worthwhile, skip some classes to see more. Your instructor gets paid anyway and may offer to go with you if you pay travel expenses. If so, you will have a willing local guide.

JIM BAIRD is a community mental health director who travels each year to Central or South American. He writes from Dalton, GA.