casa nica spanish school

My sister and I just attended Casa Nica for five days. Our instructor, Marlon, is an exceptional person and teacher. Funny, fun, entertaining, very intelligent, kind, sensitive, thoughtful, and full of stories about his own life and life in Nicaragua in general. Because my sister tends to be late but needs her breakfast, on four of the five days we took Marlon to breakfast as part of our class. One day he took us to the mercado, where he showed us around -- very interesting! It's hard to believe that one gets private lessons from a superb teacher for such a low price, a price that also includes activities in the afternoon (we went to Laguna Apoyo and Las Isletas). The other teachers, Bosco (sp?) and Raquel, and the owner, Vanesa, were also great people.This was our third time in Nicaragua and surely won't be the last; in fact, I would love to come here, AND take classes at Casa Nica, every year. I immediately fell in love with the country, its natural beauty, its artesanias, the ancient colonial city of Granada (not a big city), and, sobre todo, la gente. It's hard to express how great our experience was. If you take Spanish classes in Nicaragua, go to Casa Nica.

Spanish teachers in Central America are paid the equivalent of about $2 per hour, however Spanish schools that offer Skype classes online often charge $15 or more per hour. Translation: the school owners are the ones that keep most the money.Over the years I have looked long and hard for a capable Spanish tutor via Skype that charges a reasonable price, and I finally found them at Casa Nica Spanish School. For as little as $7 per hour (paid via PayPal), you get a full 60 minutes of instruction with your own personal tutor … and you can be certain that you will enjoy the experience.I also appreciate the fact that this school is a women's cooperative, and that they work with local NGOs to place volunteers that come through their school. I look forward to the opportunity to visit Granada one day to take Spanish in person at Casa Nica Spanish School, which will be even that much more fun ... but in the meantime I get excellent instruction via Skype.

I tagged along on a trip to Nicaragua with my cousin and her two co-workers who planned this trip, so I did not know what to expect. I ended up loving Granada (with the exception of the heat), my home stay mom (Martha), my teacher Vanessa, and the other three teachers Marlon, Raquel, and Paola. What I loved about Vanessa is she mixed up my Spanish lessons by having some lecture time, conversation time, games, and even walking to a museum and the big market during my lessons. The 4 hours (plus a 30 min break) flew by every time. Vanessa gave me a little bit of homework, usually reviewing verb meanings and conjugations and a few helpful worksheets. I would definitely recommend having a English-Spanish dictionary. It really came in handy for me during my lessons. Also, bring a notebook and take notes during the lessons. Write down meanings of words so you don't have to keep looking it up or asking someone. I would also recommend going online before your trip and study common phrases and words. My favorite part of this program was the activities planned after the lessons. One day, Marlon (who is very funny and entertaining) took us on a walking tour of Granada. We had so much fun seeing three beautiful churches and going up to the bell tower of the Iglesia de Merced, which has amazing views of the city. Another day, Vanessa & Marlon took us to Puebla Catarina to see how people make baskets, furniture, and other things in their homes. We also walked to a great lookout of Laguna de Apoyo. We also went to Volcan Masaya with Marlon and Raquel to hike a little and see the two craters. This place was beautiful. The last activity was making dinner at Vanessa's parents' home. We made gallo pinto (rice & beans), tortillas, and salad. We stayed pretty late cause we were having so much fun telling stories and laughing. I really recommend doing this program with at least one other person if possible. I had so much fun with the 3 other girls, and they really made my trip so special. It was such a great bonding experience, and my Spanish really improved. Oh, also, they have coffee!!! Woot woot!My home stay was very accommodating. It was only a 12-15 minute walk from the home to Casa Nica. It was also close to the main plaza (Calzada I think is the name) by the yellow cathedral. She asked me on the first day what I like to drink and if there is anything I don't/can't eat. Her food was pretty tasty. If I wanted to eat lunch or dinner with my friends, she was very understanding and did not mind at all. One suggestion that I have for Martha (my home stay mom) is to speak slower. Most of the time, she spoke so fast I would have no idea what she said. One suggestion I would have is for the teachers to correct the student whenever they make a mistake by guiding the student word-by-word. I would sometimes use the correct words but in the wrong order and sometimes say words that had no meaning without being corrected. I also think all of the teachers should take students out of the classroom for every lesson even for only 15-20 minutes. The heat can make you very tiring, so sitting in a chair for 4 hours can make it hard for you to concentrate. Overall, I had an amazing experience at Casa Nica Spanish School, and I would definitely recommend this school! Gracias Vanessa, Marlon, Raquel, y Paola! <3

I studied and lived in Casa Nica for eight months. It was a wonderful experience. Casa Nica it's a veery nice school very well located in the center of Granada near the central park. The one on one classes are giving by very good teachers. They adapt the level to each students and focus on what you need. I learned spanish and I was nearly bilingual after for months. The atmosphere is pleasant and there are activities organised as cooking lessons, or volcano boarding trip for example. If you are looking for a volunteering project they might help you to. For my it's was the perfect place.

My son and I attended classes here our first three days to brush up our Spanish and we found the teachers first rate. Also a great way to spend some quality time with educated locals to have compelling discussions (in Spanish) about Nicaraguan history, culture, politics, etc. AND get to meet interesting people from other countries there to learn as well. FYI you would do better (cheaper) booking activities directly with local tour companies or through your hotel.

I studied at Casa Nica for one week in January 2014, and it was the perfect start of my stay in Nicaragu. My teacher, Marlon, was able to determine my level of Spanish really quick, and in addition he made if fun even learning the past tenses that I struggled a lot with. He could always make me laugh and concentrate, just when I thought I wanted to give up. I also had an amazing host family, which happened to be the family of Vanesa, the owner of the school. My room was great, the food was varied and tasty, and the family was so open and patient although I really struggled with my Spanish. I also have to say that one reason to choose this school, is Vanesa herself. She is really positive and sees a solution to any problem. She seems to know everybody in town, and is actively engaged helping the local community. Luckily, I was also able to help out through the volunteering options offered at school.I know there are a lot of schools in Granada to choose from, but I can just promise you that you won't regret if you choose Casa Nica. I wish I could have studying at this school for a longer time, and hope I will be able to return to do that one day. Oh, and yes, they do have wifi;)

I was in Granada during the Christmas week. First of all, Nicaragua is considered one of the safest countries in Central America, not to mention it is much cheaper and less touristy than Costa Rica, where I saw lots of U.S. fast food restaurants everywhere. Granada is not "contaminated" by the American capitalism, and I hope it will not be like Costa Rica. I chose a five-day course, and studied 4 hours in the morning, and participated field trips in the afternoon, except for the Christmas day, when the school was closed. Well, the schools wasn't actually "closed"! All of us students were invited to the school director's Christmas party on evening of the 24th, and we enjoyed the Nicaraguan style Christmas party, which was to drink lots of cervezas and dance forever. We had truly wonderful time with Vanesa's family and her neighbors and amigos. Vanesa, the director of the school, is so personable. She is a natural ambassador, making every student feel important and special. On the Christmas day after recovering from the party, the teachers invited us to go to Lake Nicaragua. There was so much to do every day. In addition to all the fun stuff, I had a great experience with the school program. I was a total beginner, but my teacher was so patient with me. She made sure that there were always enjoyable elements in the learning process. In such a relaxed environment, I was able to absorb so much Spanish, and I am now determined to learn the language further. The school mostly offers one-to-one sessions. So, you get 100% of your teacher's attention. They can accommodate you no matter what your Spanish proficiency level is. And, the teachers are so qualified. They really know how to encourage and motivate the students. And, it is so reasonably priced!!!!! I chose to stay with a host family, which happened to be located three buildings away from the school. I had my own bedroom and bathroom. And my host papa Orlando religiously made three meals a day for me. By the third day, I even started feeling attached to his family. Orlando was the one often times driving his pick-up truck to take us to the field trips in the afternoon.The reason why this school is such a wonderful place is because of Vanesa and her teachers, and the affectionate people that support this school. The school is so personable. It will make you feel that you are treated as a family member, even if you are in school for a week or two weeks, or even shorter. This is a place that you want to come back, because of the people in the school and the host family and other folks that I shared my memories with. THERE IS A LOT OF LOVE IN THIS SCHOOL Lots of love for everyone no matter how good or bad your Spanish is! I was traveling alone, and the school had mostly other independently traveling students from different parts of the world, and we naturally had a lot in common. Because of this school, Nicaragua ranks among my most favorite countries out of over 40 countries I have visited in my life.

I had one week of classes in December 2013 in which I had two different teachers. Both of them were great teachers and also fun people to hang out with. The activities in the afternoon are a great way to get to know Granada and its surroundings. My homestay was with the owner of the school Vanesa and her family. This was really nice and the food was great. I also spent christmas with them, which was a great experience with a lot of eating, drinking and dancing with the whole family.

Casa Nica Spanish School is one of many in Grenada, I couldn't have been more pleased with my experience. We were very fortunate in our teacher, a lovely woman named Silvia who teaches at the school In between her travels. The school itself is small and informal. we took the 20 hour week, We had 4 hours per day with our instructor who worked with us from our staring points. My boyfriend had done some Rosetta Stone and I had a more informal grasp of conversation and pronunciation but we both needed a lot of help.I feel so much more effective in my Spanish conversation now. This was the missing piece I have been needing for years. We spent our mornings from 8 to noon and then had our afternoons to explore the city of Grenada, Our B&B, Casa Silas, was conveniently located 5 blocks from the school! I enjoyed listening to other students as they progressed around us. I highly recommend Casa Nica Spanish School

This is a small school about 3 blocks from the plaza. I wanted only a few hours of conversation since I have a basic knowledge of Spanish. Carla, the owner, was mi profesora. Not only did she have an intensive knowledge of the nuances of the language but also she was a stimulating conversationalist. Don't expect fancy classrooms and an i Pad at every satin; it's a bare bones place, but do expect friendly, competent instructors and staff and a great tuition rate ($6/hour).

I have recently just finished 6 weeks studying Spanish at Casa Nica School in Granada, and it really was a wonderful experience. I originally decided to return to Nicaragua to study Spanish, because it was a country which interested me when I travelled through Central America at the start of 2011, and because of the value for money that it offers the tourist. I am glad to say that this small tropical nation still offers terrific value for money, especially in terms of one-on-one classes, and the home-stay which includes three meals a day.Aside from the value for money, what really sets this school aside is that they do more than just teach. They are always willing to help out with excursions, and I spent time outside of school, enjoying evenings with my teacher, and friend, Marlon, giving me even more time to practise my Spanish. Vanesa, Raquel et al really do care about their students, as do the host families, and nothing seems too much to ensure the comfort of their students.The other thing to note is that Granada offers a safe and beautiful environment in which to learn Spanish, and more importantly, there is very little English to be found. This means that the full immersion experience is heightened, and thankfully, Nicaraguan Spanish is one of the clearer versions of the language spoken, and having studied Spanish in both Argentina and Spain, I say this from personal experience.The lessons were varied and enjoyable, patiently taught to students of all levels, and all in all, I highly recommend this excellent school run by caring people.

I've been in Nicaragua for 9 weeks. The first 4 weeks I had Spanish lessons at Casa Nica, the second 5 weeks I stayed in the school while volunteering. Both experiences were excellent! I'm still surprised how much I've learned in such a short time. All the people are really friendly and willing to help with anything. It felt like my 'family' for nine weeks. So if you're planning to take Spanish lessons, I strongly recomend Casa Nica!

I came to Nicaragua with the hopes of learning some Spanish, being that what I learned in high school did not stick with me. On my first day I could not speak a complete sentence, but my wonderful one-on-one teacher Katia had me holding conversations by the end of my 5th day. I would absolutely make this school a stop if I returned!

I had one-on-one classes with an intuitive, fun, sensitive, and smart teacher for two weeks, four hours a day. I was sad when my classes with Raquel were over. I had an excellent home stay with a delightful Nica family. Also Marlon taught me lots of Nica birds, Vanessa and Raquel lead us on many exciting "adventuras," all of which greatly improved my Spanish. Raquel fit my lessons to my level of Spanish and my personality. I wish I could have stayed longer. Now at home I see that Casa Nica kicked my Spanish to a whole new level.

My boyfriend and I spent two weeks studying at Casa Nica. We each paid $100/week which was a great price. The teachers were flexible and friendly. We enjoyed our lessons for the most part, the teachers listen to our desires and directed the lessons appropriately. The school is a little small and sometimes can be crowded with students which makes for a lesson with distractions. Although we enjoyed our lessons there are two things that we found unsatisfying. 1) Lessons could have been better planned in advance (I dislike when a teacher takes up class time to make photocopies or find material. I think these things should be done before class)2) Before my last days of class I asked my teacher for a certificate and she said of course. Unfortunately, on my last day she failed to have this ready for me. I gave her my email and she promised to email it to me the next day but no luck. It has now been a month and I have emailed several times asking for the certificate and she still has not sent me one. I am disappointed in their lack of responsibility in this regard and find it disrespectful as I was hoping to use it in my portfolio.