Travelling Spanish Classroom

This educational adventure trip starts in Panama City where you will be met at the airport and taken to the hostel. On Sunday evening you will do a test to evaluate your Spanish level. There is also an Introduction Talk so that all participants can get to know each other and receive a detailed itinerary. Monday, the first four hours of Spanish classes will get the beginner student speaking his first Spanish words or get the advanced student “back on track”. Monday afternoon, after a break for shopping and/or having lunch, we walk to Casco Viejo where we provide a tour with a teacher that talks about the most important history marks of Panama and points out some interesting places. Most of the time this evening ends with a drink on one of the rooftop bars in town and a dinner in one of the local restaurants. Tuesday we visit Miraflores Visitor center to learn about the famous Panama Canal and actually see the huge ships pass through the locks. Both Tuesday and Wednesday are good days to study and Wednesday night salsa, bachata and merengue can be practiced during the first Latin dance classes that we organize in the hostel with a local dance instructor. On Thursday and Friday, the students will be amazed by the Kuna indigenous people and the idyllic tropical beauty of the San Blas Islands. A tour for to another island where we can snorkel along a sunken ship is included. Here we don’t organize formal classes but the teacher accompanying the trip and will be as much as possible giving information in Spanish and, if the group wants, organize some games or tutoring sessions when that is appreciated. Saturday morning we travel back from the Kuna land to the city and Saturday afternoon is for journaling, sharing pictures, get in touch with friends and family back home (cause in Kuna land there is no good Wifi) and Saturday night can be used for the party animals to check out Panama City’s nightlife or spend at the hostel for a more quite time.

On Sunday, we travel from Panama City to Boquete on local buses. In the evening, there will be a welcome drink and introduction to the Boquete school, surroundings and history of the area. The fresh climate in Boquete is great for studying, lots of progress can be made here. Options are to stay at the school or go and live for a week with a local host family. The zip lining experience is a high-speed adrenaline tour to discover Panama's rainforest from up above and admire its magnificent beauty from 13 different canopy stations. Hiking, waterfalls, hot springs, a coffee tour, volcano Barú are attractions worth to explore.

The following Saturday, we will travel six hours by bus and boat from the highland town of Boquete to the Caribbean island of Bocas del Toro. On Sunday, the catamaran tour with snorkelling will ease everybody into the Caribbean lifestyle. During the week, exploring the many beaches and other attractions around the islands in kayaks, bicycles or water taxis is very popular. There are many beautiful beaches to be explored throughout the islands. Some require a bit of effort and an adventurous spirit while others are just a few minutes from the school. The Dive school, a few steps away from our Spanish school offers all PADI courses in a way that they can be smoothly combined with the Spanish classes. The town is full of restaurants and bars, many built out over the water, providing endless night-time entertainment. Classes in Bocas end on Friday with another Happy Hour during the barbecue.

Once again on Saturday, we make a trip by boat and bus, this time to a different country: Costa Rica. In Turrialba, Costa Rica, the non-touristy feel of town can be enjoyed and all the Spanish that have been learned so far can be practised with the local “ticos”, a nickname for Costa Ricans. Daily life activities like shopping at the fruit and vegetable market or sitting in the park to chat with the locals are typical things to do in Turrialba. During the last day of classes on Friday, the possibility is offered to do a level test (levels A1 till C2) and at the final Happy Hour during the barbecue, certificates will be handed to all the participants, the effort realized will be celebrated and together, we get ready for the last spectacular excursion: the rafting trip on the Pacuare. This excursion provides a thrilling ride down the river filled with stunning natural beauty and exciting rapids. The campsite, located in the heart of the jungle, will provide an opportunity to learn about the rainforest and will give us some time to relax in a hammock, check out the toucans and sloths, and realize what a smart decision it was to participate in this unique and wonderful experience!
This trip ends after an included lunch in a restaurant in Siquirres.

The trip finishes Sundays around 14:00 in Siquirres - Costa Rica. We recommend NOT to plan a flight out of the country the same evening nor having to catch a pre-reserved, international bus, so it’s best to book an additional night of accommodation in Turrialba and continue your onwards travel the following day.

Pickup in Tocumen - Panama City airport & transfer to Hostel
Breakfast
4 Weeks Standard Group Spanish Lessons (20 hours per week) in 4 different locations (Panama City, Boquete, Bocas del Toro & Turrialba)
Transportation between locations
Weekly introduction to the new location
4 Latin dance classes
3 local food cooking classes
3 Friday Happy Hours
Walking tour Casco Viejo + Panama Canal Tour
two nights stay at San Blas Islands
Canopy Tour (zip lining in the treetops)
Catamaran Sailing
Rafting on the Pacuare River & overnight stay at River Camp