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QUETZALTENANGOThe word Quetzaltenango means home or place of the Quetzal. Quetzal is a beautiful freedom-loving bird whose picture is to be seen in Guatemala's national emblem and currency. The city is on the same site as the ancient Quiche kingdom and its population is 85% Indian. It is the second largest city of Guatemala with a population of 200,000, approximately five hours west of Guatemala City via public bus. Because it is 2,334 meters (7,000 feet) above sea level, it averages temperatures of 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, and its nights are cool at 45 degrees. The rainy season lasts from May to September with showers and thundershowers mainly during the afternoon. The colorful bustling marketplace is the trading center where the natives of neighboring communities come together to exchange basic goods and the unique crafts produced in the area: textiles, pottery, baskets, cast iron pieces and spectacular giant kites. The surrounding Mayan towns are famous for their colorful traditional costumes and woven goods. Escuela Utatlan |
| The Utatlan Spanish school was founded in 1990 and it is named after an ancient Quiche capital city. The main goal of establishing the school was and still is to provide work for teachers from Quetzaltenango. The school also participates in several development projects to help the indigenous communities in the area. |  |
| The school is situated directly across the street from the Parque Central, the social and physical center of town. It is located in one of the oldest, most beautiful buildings in Quetzaltenango. |  |
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Classrooms are basic, well-lit rooms with tables and chairs. They have an outdoor roof patio with a beautiful view of the area, and a lounge area with a T.V. and video available for students at any time. The school also has a library where books can be borrowed at any time. All Utatlan teachers are licensed and have received special training as teachers of Spanish as a second language. They are dynamic, friendly and committed to teaching you Spanish the easy way. All classes are One-to-One and therefore the teachers principal objective is to work with the students at their own pace while keeping the student's interests in mind. |
Programs 2002 and 2003:(All programs: Please add USD 100.00 Lingua Service Worldwide Application fee. See Application Procedures.) One-to-One --- 25 hrs per week: USD 125. Includes accommodations with a host family and activities!! (If you choose to arrange your own accommodations deduct USD 25 per week from price) Accommodations:Most families are located within easy walking distance to the school. The price of the course INCLUDES host family accommodations in a single room with full board (3 meals a day). Houses are modest but clean, with private rooms, running water, clean drinking water, hot showers, heat and electricity. Meals are generally traditional Guatemalan: meat, rice, beans, eggs, tamales, etc. Special arrangements can be made for vegetarian students. ActivitiesAn activity program is organized every week by the school. Trips and hikes are led by a school appointed guide and students are only responsible for transportation costs and for any entrance fees , if required. While these items are not included in the course price, they are very reasonable: public transportation usually costs between USD .50 to USD1.00, and entrance fees average USD 1.00 per person. Excursions to local Mayan communities, lectures by local speakers, movies and discussions regarding the current situation of Guatemala are some of the activities normally arranged by the school. |
