Puerto Vallarta has long been a popular destination for Americans, Europeans, and Canadians looking to escape their cold winter environments from December to February, and enjoy the warm Pacific beaches of Mexico. Our Spanish students have seen this as a dual purposed opportunity for an amazing vacation while being immersion in Spanish.
Learning Spanish in Puerto Vallarta has several advantages over other locations. As a large modern city it is quite easy to get away from touristy areas and be immersed by conversing with locals. The host families for our Spanish school are typically 10-20 minutes either by walking distance or public transportation. This means you are just outside the city center where most tourists congregate for shopping, visiting the popular beaches and restaurants. These neighborhoods where the host families live are middle class by local standard and the bus system is amazingly efficient. You can pay around 50 cents for a one way trip anywhere in the city and the major bus line seems to have a bus coming by every 5 minutes.
While many locals do speak English due to the large tourism industry, you will find that many are quite happy to speak to you in Spanish, so that you can practice the language. The school strictly enforces a Spanish only classroom environment. The host family option provides you with a direct support system through your daily conversational lessons in a practical setting. These experiences will prepare you to speak spanish in everyday environments anywhere you are conversing with colleagues, customers, family members, or any native Spanish speakers.
The city is full of modern amenities including shopping malls, major grocery stores, and a variety of restaurants with amazing Mexican or international cuisine. I personally tried to stick with Mexican food since I am such a big fan, however I did come across a great French restaurant which had fresh bistro style meals that were world class. I also loved walking around the different markets and seeing many hand made goods that you just don't find back home.
Puerto Vallarta offers some of the most affordable flights to Mexico from many locations in the US, as well as many directly flights from major international airports. Our Spanish school also offers free airport pickup direct to your host family accommodations. You can opt to stay with a local host family or we can simply arrange your classes while you book your hotel separately. We can reduce the cost of accommodations from our program cost if you opt to stay at a hotel or condo. This is a popular option for those that want the comforts of some of the amazing resorts that are in this major beach city.
While Mexico has suffered drastically from a decline in tourism due to safety concerns, Puerto Vallarta has not received any reports of an increase in tourism related crime or safety issues. Our students have currently provided great feedback in terms of their overall safety while studying Spanish in Mexico. As always any of our students should travel with caution, but be open to new experiences and cultures.
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