Learn Spanish in Latin America - Spanish Courses in Panama

Course Prices Accommodation Prices School Facilities Course Details Accommodation Details

Learn Spanish in Panama City

Because of its geographical location, Panama City is full of cultural and ethnic contrasts. The city offers the Spanish language student a fascinating mix of surroundings, from the colonial city of the old town to the modern city of skyscrapers. From the densest jungle in the world to the archipelago with one of the purest indigenous cultures left in the hemisphere, the Kunas. However, Panama is much more than just its environment. It is also the robust salsa danced by its people, the delicious cuisine cooked by traditional methods and the human warmth of the Panamanian who confronts his difficulties with the rhythm of his happy "tamborito" folk song. Alongside of this tropical happiness, we also find a world of international commerce and finance where you can find merchandise from all parts of the world at bargain prices all through the year.

Obviously Panama is much more than just buildings and landmarks, it is also folklore, customs and traditions, which are faithfully represented by the central provinces of the country. Notable in Panamanian folklore are the dances and the music of the accordion and violin.

Panama is also a shopper's paradise. Most stores open from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm seven days a week, though some close on Sundays. Many drugstores and supermarkets with multiple outlets are open 24 hours a day; you will also find shopping centers grouping various stores with restaurants, banks, car rental, theaters, casinos, and other services.

Since the population of Panama is very cosmopolitan, there are restaurants to cater to everyone's taste, with Spanish, Argentine, Italian, Peruvian, Korea, Indian, Mexican and many more who specialize in their national styles of preparing meat, poultry, pasta, sea foods, vegetables and desserts. Panama 's own cuisine is rich with condiments, specializing in soups, dishes cooked in oil, and vegetables dishes. The national dish of Panama is the delicious "Sancocho".

Panama City also offers a wide selection of historical and cultural museums, including the Museum of the Panamanian Man, the Historical Museum , the Colonial Religious Art Museum , the Natural Science Museum , the Museum of Contemporary Art and the in-house Museum of the National Bank of Panama , all of which are well worth spending the time to visit.

Spanish Courses in Panama City - Fees

Our Spanish School in Panama City

Our Spanish school is located in Altos del Chase - El Dorado , Panama City . The schools location is a twenty minute taxi or bus ride from the downtown and banking areas of the city and only five minutes away from the only seasonal dry forest in Latin America . The Parque Natural Metropolitano is a beautiful unspoilt area which is home to a wide range of indigenous animals including, tamarin monkeys, anteaters and sloth's.

The El Dorado area surrounding the Spanish language school has many internet cafes and also a large variety of restaurants. El Sabor Verguense is a typical Panamanian restaurant serving tasty lunches for only US 2.00 to US 3.00. Another local favourite is restaurant Athens, a popular Greek restaurant where students can eat for the three B's in Spanish, Bueno, Bonito y Barato.

Our Panama City Spanish language school has three classrooms, while in the high season it is also possible to have your classes outside. All classrooms have air conditioning and televisions with a DVD player for audio-visual exercises.

The school also has a beautiful garden with hammocks to enjoy a perfect break with a delicious cup of Panamanian grown coffee. There is a kitchen in which students can learn to cook Panamanian cuisine and also prepare themselves drinks of their choice during break times.

Our Spanish school in Panama is very relaxed and welcoming and aims to be the student's home from home.

Salsa and Merengue dance classes:

Every Friday our school sponsors classes in these popular Latin dances. You'll have a chance to practice and live the Spanish language through the rhythm, lyrics and melodies of popular salsa and merengue songs.

Lectures and current events:

Our school also offers you a cycle of talks on the current political, economic, social and cultural life of Panama . Discussions also focus on the countries history and the extensive and environmentally important national park system.

We are happy to pick up arriving students at the Panama City airport providing you send us your airline information, flight number and a time of arrival. Please confirm that we have received this information before leaving your home country.

At our Panama City Spanish school we want our students to live and feel our culture, love our language and practice it with confidence.

Our Spanish Language Courses in Panama City

The goal of our Spanish courses in Panama City is immediate communication and therefore the emphasis is on conversation, with grammar used as a tool to facilitate this learning. We teach the students to not only use the language, but also to live it and to feel it.

All students at our school are placed in small teaching groups at specific teaching levels suitable for their language ability. The maximum number of students per class is four, with changes in level able to be made at any time depending on each student's progress and learning needs.

Our teachers are all Panamanian nationals who are qualified with university degrees and have experience in teaching Spanish as a second language. In addition, all our teachers receive further training from our Academic Director on a regular basis. Our Spanish language school also believes in the importance of a close working relationship between students and teachers, with this in mind our teachers often join the students on their extra curricular activities.

Spanish Language and Culture Course

Our standard course is an intensive Spanish language program with three basic levels; beginners, intermediate and advanced. All new students will take a placement test on the first day of classes to assess their language level.

The classes on the standard course are in the morning from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm . On the first day the students should arrive at 8.00 am to allow time for the level test and a tour of the area surrounding the school to familiarise the student with important restaurants, banks and other facilities close by.

Every Friday the Institute sponsors classes in these popular Latin dances. You'll have a chance to practice and live the language through the rhythm, lyrics and melodies of popular salsa and Merengue songs.

Course Fees with home-stay include:

• Airport pick up and transfer airport - host family - airport.
• Lodging with a Panamanian family: two meals per day, laundry service and private room.
• Spanish lessons daily.
• Textbook and extra printed material.
• Visit to Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal.
• Field trips and sponsored activities.
• Panamanian lunch on Friday.
• Tropical Fruits on Thursday.
• Two sponsored activities per week.
• Internet free and wireless.

Course Fees without home-stay include:

• Spanish lessons daily.
• Textbook and extra printed material.
• Field trips and sponsored activities
• Panamanian lunch on Friday.
• Tropical Fruits on Thursday.
• Two sponsored activities per week.
• Internet free and wireless.

Our school also offers the following programs:

• Spanish for Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers and Teachers
• Two countries, two cultures, the same language (Panama and Costa Rica)

Please contact us for further details.

Learn Spanish in Panama - Accommodation

Our Spanish school in Panama City offers students the opportunity of living with a local host family for the duration of their language course. Our home stay families actively help students in the learning of the language and provide a unique opportunity to interact and experience the local culture on a daily basis.

All our home stay families are carefully selected and come highly recommended by us as well as many former students. We choose families close to the school so it is possible for students to walk to classes. Students staying with one of our home stay families will be provided with a private room, breakfast, dinner and also a laundry service.

It is recommended that students with any particular requests contact us in advance so we can make any arrangements necessary for your comfort during the course. For our families it is not a problem to have students who are vegetarian or smokers as our families are matched to the personality and taste of each of our students. In Panama we believe our families are one of the most important elements in successfully learning the language. Should you require alternative accommodation, please contact us.

Please note: All prices are quoted in $US. For the equivalent in your currency, please visit www.xe.com/ucc.

Special Dates

Note that due to national holidays there are no classes on the following dates in Panama City :

• January 1st: New Years Day
• January 9th: National Day
• Tuesday Carnival
• Good Friday
• November 3rd: National Day
• November 5th: National Day
• November 10th: National Day
• November 28th: National Day
• December 8th: Mother's Day
• December 25th: Christmas Day

During these days the school will be closed but we will replace your classes with another day.