Studying Spanish in Peru

By Sharon De Hinojosa

Studying in-country gives you an advantage over those who simply stay at home. Not only will you practise Spanish while in the classroom, but you'll get added real-life practise while doing daily activities, such as going shopping or even asking for directions. If you decide to come to Peru to study Spanish, you'll have three options available to you: studying in an institute, studying an a university, or studying with a private teacher. There are pros and cons to each of these options.

Looking at an institute, you'll find that there is no shortage of Spanish schools here in Peru. There are two types of institutes, private ones and cultural ones. Let's look at the private sector first. No matter if you want to go to a big city or out in the country, you'll be sure to find an institute or two to choose from. The good thing is that classes tend to be small, start often, and you can meet people from all over the world. Flexibility is often key as well. Institutes usually have course that range from an hour or two a day to complete immersion courses that are eight hours a day. IN addition, most will provide home stays at an additional cost. The downside tends to be the cost. People usually do intensive study for a couple of weeks, so prices tend to be high. The quality of the programme also tends to vary greatly. A good place to look for institutes is through Study Abroad.

On to cultural institutes (ICPNA and Britanico) are the main ones here in Peru, they offer classes at more affordable rates and classes are usually longer than the private ones (which tend to be a week in duration). Programmes are pretty structured at these institutes. The downside can be the schedule as these classes are targeted at long-term residents who are only looking for a bit of Spanish a week. However, you can easily meet local expats at these types of institutes, but this may also be a downside, since you won't be forced to practise your Spanish skills. If you want to study at a cultural institute, you'll have to contact that institute directly.

Studying at a university is another option available to those who want to study in Peru. Private universities are the way to go and there are usually a couple of prominent ones in cities around Peru. The positive side is that there's a structured programme and often people involved in these classes are exchange students. Prices tend to be decent as well. The negative side is that you might only receive a couple of hours of instruction a week and that many studying at a university are college-aged students taking a semester abroad. Universities in Peru can be found here

universia.edu.pe/

universidadperu.com

bulter.nl/universities/index.asp

Lastly, many people find that a private teacher is the way to go as the teacher can tailor the lessons to your needs and schedule. Cost might be a factor, but it might be well worth it. The downside is finding a private teacher is you're only going to be in Peru for a short time. Most teachers want you to sign up for a month's worth of classes and will often have the classes in your home. Another downside is finding a reliable teacher. If you're interested in finding a private teacher, try asking around at Expat Peru or Living in Peru

So whether you decide to study in an institute, university or with a private teacher, research your options carefully. And don't forget about trying to set up language exchanges. Find a Peruvian that wants to speak your language and you're good to go. Arrange to meet at a café and spend half the time speaking in your language and half the time in Spanish. Try looking at Conversation Exchange to find a language partner.

Sharon de Hinojosa (naturegirl321) has lived and worked (mainly teaching English) in the US, Scotland, Spain, the Czech Republic, China, Korea, and Peru. As well as teaching short-term in Venezuela and Taiwan. She has created The LA Job List http://www.thelajoblist.blogspot.com which lists schools, institutes and universities in 19 Latin American countries which offer English teaching positions. Since living in Peru since August 2006, she wrote The Ultimate Peru List http://www.theultimateperulist.blogspot.com With 60 pages it's a comprehensive guide for those living in or moving to Peru.