Study Abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico

If I had my way, I would require every American to come to Guanajuato for a month or two to engage in a Study Abroad program. It wouldn't really matter which program or school you attended. Most are very much the same from the low-end to the high-end, where you do indeed pay through the nose for a lot of frills. But, some love that and can afford it, so why not. It's their money; let them spend it the way they want.

Whether you learn a great deal of Spanish in a school or not really isn't the point. Coming to probably the most provincial part of Mexico, Guanajuato, is a rare and engaging opportunity to see the real Mexico. So much of Mexico has become affected to the point of changing in its attempt to appeal to the tourist. You really do not see much of real Mexico in the resorts unless you walk through the barrios and into the stores where the locals shop.

San Miguel de Allende has significantly changed. It is full of trendy boutiques, stylish clothing stores, and is a Disneyland for rich Gringos. But, as I said, some really love it there. Besides, though language schools exist in San Miguel de Allende, it would not be as easy to practice Spanish there as it would be in other towns. Almost everyone speaks English, and as soon as the locals see your gringo face, they put on their English-speaking masks.

Guanajuato is still the real deal with nary a word of English heard on the streets. Though there is some bilingualism, you will not find the widespread English fluency you do in the tourist trap cities in Mexico. Though Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende are so close geographically, they are quite different. If what you want is the genuine Mexico in which to practice Spanish outside of classes, then Guanajuato should be your target city.

Many Americans and Canadians are beginning to come to Guanajuato on study vacations. I think this is a grand idea and wish many more would come. Not only can students get a taste of provincial Mexico, but also if they hook up with a Mexican family through a homestay plan in one of the schools, they will have a much less expensive accommodations than if they stayed in a hotel or hostel. Plus, one is able to see how a family lives in Mexico. They will be right in the thick of Mexican Living. I find that idea a highly charming thought for most Americans I know who call the inhabitants of this fine country "those dirty Mexicans." What an education for the culturally inept!

What I find so fetching about Guanajuato is its provinciality. If you have the slightest desire to see what the uber-conservative, hyper-insular Mexico is like, you need to come here. It is not that Guanajuato is totally lacking in sophistication. It is that Guanajuato is sufficiently regionally different from the Mexican cities that have been affected by Americanization like Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende. A friend from a city where their provinciality is all but gone, Monterrey, told me "Guanajuato is a city mired in history and time." He is absolutely correct!

Here are the schools I personally recommend. I know the directors and the teachers and think they will give you a good return for your money:

High End

El Quijote - Spanish Language Abroad Programs

For more information on El Quijote - Spanish Language Abroad Programs
Please visit our website: http://www.mexicoabroad.com
E-mail: info@mexicoabroad.com

Telephone/Fax: (011-52) 473-731-0297 (from the U.S.)

Write Us:
El Quijote
Saucillo Panoramica Letra "A"
C.P. 36000
Guanajuato, Gto.
Mexico

Medium

The Instituto Miguel de Cervantes

The Instituto Miguel de Cervantes, founded in 1981, is Guanajuato's first Spanish school. It provides intensive language study and a practical language-immersion experience for individuals and groups.

http://www.spanish-immersion.com/

Low End (but good quality)

Escuela Mexicana

We offer the biggest variety of different grammar and conversation classes for all beginning, intermediate and advanced students.

http://www.escuelamexicana.com/home.htm