Testimonials of 123 Teach Me Students

marysalmon:
This school is incredible! I am a nontraditional student (not in my 20's). I am a physical therapist with the goal of being able to treat my hispanic non-English speaking patients without an interpreter. I had taken 3 semesters of Spanish at the local community college and wanted to build on that as well as work on medical Spanish. My program was tailored to my goals and needs. When I wanted a shift in the focus to conversational spanish only with two weeks until my reurn to the US because I wasn't where I wanted to be, Gaby, the director of the school put her schedule on hold and worked with me personally. I talked for 4 hours every morning for 2 weeks with pauses to correct my grammar. This is not a party school. We had fun and they arranged whatever activities we wanted to do on the weekends as well as provided us with lots of cultural activities. They even got me tickets to the Maná (a fantastic rock group from Mexico) concert and sent a staff member with me. If you are a serious student that wants to improve your Spanish as well as be exposed to the culture and foods of Latin America, this is the school for you. It is a small school and all the professors are native Spanish speakers. They all love to teach and listen to your concerns. My homestay was with a great family in a beautiful home within walking distance to the school. Tres Ríos is just outside of San José and is a great location for weekend trips to see other parts of Costa Rica on the weekends. If you want to see the travel blog I did while in school in Costa Rica go to www.GoAbroad.net and my name is LOVINGBLS. My immersion experience was fantastic and Personalized Spanish is the main reason I am so happy. My goals were not only met but surpassed and I made a lot of great new friends at the school. I have no complaints!

Avoorhis:
I studied at Personalized Spanish for 2 months this past winter and it was the best experience I could have imagined. What sets this school apart from others is the personal interest they take in each student. The director, Gaby Cerrate and the other five profesoras made learning Spanish enjoyable. When the lessons got difficult they would take a break and try something lighter like cooking or dancing lessons. There are plenty of things to do around Tres Rios which is just outside of the capital city of San Jose. Each student is taken into the capital by one of the teachers and shown around to the various cultural sights and more importantly how to get in and out of San Jose using the excellent bus system. Gaby also is expert at recommending and setting up tours to the beaches or other tropical destinations for your weekend time. My homestay was also set up by Gaby who keeps a list of a few local families that she tries to match with each new student. Most of them are within walking distance to the school. Bottom Line: This is a great school with great and caring people. If you want to learn Spanish and have fun too, this is the place. Andy Voorhis.

MicheleMD:
I attended Personalized Spanish a year ago (2008). I was about to spend several weeks in rural Honduras conducting research without the help of interpreters and needed to take my Spanish to the next level. Before I left, I researched several language schools in Costa Rica, and Personalized Spanish seemed to be the one that could give me the individualized instruction and attention I needed to meet my specific needs. I was right. By the end of the two weeks, not only had I reviewed and learned a broad spectrum of grammar and vocabulary, I had also received instruction in vocabulary and phrases that I woud need specifically for my research. PS tailored their teaching and curriculum to meet my needs. The school was located in a nice safe neighborhood and the staff were very friendly, even assisting me and rearranging my schedule slightly to help me enjoy all that Costa Rica has to offer. The other students and the afternoon cultural activities added to the learning experience. I stayed with a friend in San Jose as opposed to staying with a host family, but my classmates seemed to enjoy their host family experience and they're all located within walking distance of the school. Overall, I found the experience to be very enjoyable and worth my time and money.

Sylvainlalonde:
Cet été, j’étais seul et j’étais à la recherche d’une façon originale et authentique de visiter le Costa-Rica. Je ne voulais pas faire un voyage organisé où j’allais dormir à l’hôtel et manger dans les restaurants. Je désirais connaître l’une des richesses du Costa-Rica: les gens. Il m’apparaissait évident que je devais m’inscrire à un séjour linguistique. Mais quelle école choisir dans ce pays qui en compte des centaines? J’ai entrepris des recherches et suite aux nombreuses recommandations, une école dans la région de San José semblait se démarquer : Personalized Spanish. Située à Tres Rios, à 25 minutes du centre-ville de la capitale, cette petite école offre un service très attentionné et un enseignement de très grande qualité. J’ai eu le privilège d’avoir un enseignement individualisé et rigoureux. J’ai fait de très beaux progrès en 2 semaines à peine. L’ambiance est sympathique et chaleureux. Sur place, les étudiants ont accèes èa une connexion Internet et une ligne téléphonique (SKYPE) où il est possible d’appeler nos proches à l’international. J’ai profité du programme HOMESTAY où les étudiants sont jumelés à une famille Ticos. J’habiatais dans une superbe résidence à 30 secondes de l’école. La famille ne parlant aucunement l’anglais, j’ai dû apprendre rapidement à communiquer avec eux en espagnol. La famille fournit une chambre, le petit-déjeuner et le dîner et fait le lavage pour environ 25$ US. C’est super! Je recommande fortement un séjour linguistique à l’école Personalized spanish.

Nancyh:
I graduated from medical school this spring and since there are many Spanish speaking patients in Minnesota, I wanted to begin learning Spanish. Initially, I chose Personalized Spanish because I only had two weeks in Costa Rica and wanted a school that would be effective and responsive to my learning needs as a non-traditional student. I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. I was very impressed by my experiences at Personalized Spanish from the beginning. The professors know how to teach, and engage students in a variety of interactive activities that got us speaking Spanish from the first day. Class sizes are small, so students get lots of individual attention. The professors pay careful attention to the needs of the students and adjust lessons accordingly. The written materials/text book that the school provided was an excellent resource for our lessons. I brought my twin daughters with me and they also had a very positive experience. One of my daughters had no prior Spanish experience and was able to do a 5 minute presentation on Costa Rican food, in Spanish, for the whole school, on our last day. In the afternoons there were opportunities to go on field trips, attend cultural events and attend dancing classes. My daughters and I had fun learning to salsa dance, and we still joke about how they are much better at it than I am. In the afternoon I took private lessons in medical Spanish, which I would highly recommend to anyone in the medical field wanting to improve their Spanish. While in Costa Rica we stayed with a Tico family who were wonderful. They welcomed us into their home and made us feel like part of the family. On the weekends my daughters and I spent time traveling to other parts of the country, and the school was wonderful about providing recommendations and helping us arrange accommodations. I would highly recommend Personalized Spanish to anyone considering studying Spanish in Costa Rica. The school was an excellent value for the tuition and I gained a strong foundation for my continuing Spanish studies. And after returning home, I realized that two weeks at Personalized Spanish translated to almost two months of classroom Spanish study back home for my daughter who is taking Spanish at her middle school this year.

Bluseptember22:
I have been to Personalized Spanish two years in a row now and plan on going back asap!! I had been studying Spanish for 18 months before going the first time and felt I wanted an immersion experience to give me a boost. I also knew I wanted a school that would be for people serious about learning (like it says on Personalized's web site lol)! I totally got what I paid for! Although on the pricy side, it is totally worth it. I am in grad school to be a psychologist so how I spend my money is important lol... but the school made sure it was money well spent! Not only was everyone super friendly and helpful (planning weekend trips or answering questions about the country), but Gaby also arranged for me to meet with a psychologist at a child community residence and visit an education/nutrition school for children. Also, my teacher catered what I learned to my field. Even when I did have a problem, it was quickly taken care of so that I was comfortable. The teachers are professional and experienced, and it really is personalized. There were also cooking, dance, and jewelry making classes, as well as great tours of San Jose! This past summer was just as good as last! And the best part of the experience is the homestay. I requested to stay with the same family because I loved them sooo much! You learn so much from them and they are soo helpful and interested in helping you learn. I even exchange emails and keep in contact during the year. I am definitely going back as soon as I can. You won't be disappointed!

David-Colorado:
I highly recommend this school as they live up to their name "Personalized," and more. The difference in this school is that they cater to those that are serious about their Spanish learning goals. It is not a school that simply reviews grammar rules, the teachers show you how to live Spanish and they do it in such a way that the rules of grammar seem to just fall into place. I have studied at Personalized Spanish on three different occasions, and have been extremely pleased with the results every time. The teachers and owner, Gaby, insure that each student receives 100% individualized attention according to the personal needs and desires of the student. I have not figured out how exactly they do this, but I do know from experience at the school that this is the school to attend if you want to really excel in your Spanish. If you want home accommodations that are rewarding (I have stayed with the same family each time, and we stay in touch via phone, email and Facebook), a learning experience that is catered to your individualized needs, afternoon learning excursions that will compliment your time in class and some fantastic weekend get-a-ways to visit other areas of Costa Rica with all the arrangements handled for you, then Personalized Spanish is definitely the school for you. David Martin Tucker Arvada, Colorado.

To Whom it May Concern:
I spent 6 weeks at a language school in Cuernavaca, Mexico, two years ago. I spent 6 weeks at Personalized Spanish this summer. It was much harder for me to leave San Jose than Cuernavaca. I loved Cuernavaca, but I felt some powerful emotions (I'm a guy, so I can't admit to crying) leaving my friends and family in San Jose. This is entirely due to Personalized Spanish. Dona Gaby, the director, made sure that I had a top-flight experience. I am an advanced Spanish learner, but there were students of all levels. Due to the nature of the school, I was able to learn according to my previous level while also not having to disassociate myself from the other students. There were countless occasions provided to socialize with all of the other students. I could glow on and on about the various teachers I had, my fellow students, my host family, the food, and my overall happiness with the program. Please feel free to contact me with questions: Mike Doyne: (I'm a parent coordinator in a middle school in suburban Atlanta).

At Personalized Spanish, we respect the privacy of our students. We do not freely give out emails of former students without their authorization. If you would like to contact one of our ex-students, please contact Personalized Spanish at learnmore@personalizedspanish.com.