REFERENCES

 Gracias Elva.
Learning spanish at la Escuela Cooperación has been a great experience spanish lessons were not easy for me but Elva know how to help me learn.  She was very creative in her teaching methods to ensure that I understand complety the Spanish verbs.  She is a very kind and understanding teacher.   I would strongly  recommend her as she understands different teaching techniques which makes learning fun and interesting.   I learned a lot about Antigua and the surrounding areas.  She is a great tourist guide.
     In 4 weeks, Elva helped me learn the impossible verb, verbs and more verbs, this school has a strong emphasis on grammar it is important to understand the language structure before you  start speaking – in the long run it allows you to  speak properly.

     While in Antigua we stayed with a host family for 4 weeks.   I would recommend a home stay- it allows you to  practice your Spanish during mealtimes.
     Thank you again Jorge Mario for all the arrangements this was a fantastic experience for our family.
   Mostl,y thank you Elva for your patience and kindness- without it I probably wouldn`t have learned Spanish.
                                                                       LESLEE OUDMAN, CANADA, NOVEMBER 2009.


GRACIAS POR ESTA BUENA EXPERIENCIA—Yo aprendì mucho español en solo 4 semanas.
     The lessons were very interesting, and I was never bored.  They use many different techniques in teaching, and I enjoyed the variation.  Sandra was a great teacher, She would always correct me when I said one little thing wrong.  Only speaking in Spanish during lessons helped me learn the language faster. 4 weeks of spanish has taught me a lot.  I understand a lot more than when I started, and now I can carry on a conversation.
     While we took lessons, I stayed with a host family.   This allowed me to practice my Spanish outside of class.  The family we stayed with was very understanding, and very patient when we were trying to speak Spanish.    They took time out of their day to help us practice and study.   I really enjoyed being fully immersed in the language everyday.
     After 4 weeks of Spanish it is hard to go back to English.  I really liked having the opportunity to come to Antigua to learn this amazing ( a little difficult ) language.  I enjoyed challenging myself.  THANK YOU ESCUELA COOPERACION.

REBECCA OUDMAN, TABER, ALBERTA, CANADA.   NOVEMBER 2009.


    My husband and I were both looking forward to learning spanish in Antigua. We had been travelling in Mèxico and Guatemala and had many more countries to visit in Latin Amèrica.  We decided to take 2 and a half weeks of lessons with the Escuela Cooperacion.
     From the start, our experience was great; we were able to start right away the next day and also decided to stay with a local family for a better inmersion.  My husband is a true beginner and I had more of an intermediate level, so; it was essential to have different teachers.  We felt that the solid methodology based on grammatical knowledge worked very well for both of us.   We also liked a lot the games and informal conversations with our teachers that made us progress really fast.  Our learning programs were super adapted to our needs and our teachers open to our requests or preferences for studying style and schedule.
    We also recommend staying with a family; not only did we have daily opportunities to speak Spanish but we also got a more personal glimpse into the culture and gastronomy of Guatemala.  Our family was super friendly and the food awesome.
    Thank you Pedro and Eddy; we have learned so much and in a fun way.  We will miss you dearly.   Thank you to the school as well for providing such an overall amazing experience.   We wish we could have stayed longer.

CAROLINE AND CHAD,  FRANCIA+ ESTADOS UNIDOS, NOVEMBER 2009.

    I have studied for just under four weeks and live really enjoyed the experience.  The teachers here are excellent and really take the time to work with you at your level.   Having one on one teaching is something I highly recommend because it allows you to work at your own pace.
     Mily was my teacher for the full three and a half weeks.  She is strict but she really knows her stuff.  For me it was good to have someone who pushed me along, I have learned so much.  I am greatfull for Mili`s patience when I really wasn`t getting the pronunciation, I highly recommend Mily.
     When I had had enough of studying in the school, Mily was excellent at touring me around Antigua and neighboring towns.  It was nice to see farms, museums and the countryside while practicing Spanish.   The program they have at “Escuela Cooperacion” is well organized and it allows everyone to learn lots in various ways.
     While I was here, I stayed with a family, it was really good practice talking with them at mealtimes and it also allowed you to learn more vocabulary.  I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND SPANISH SCHOOL COOPERACION AND STAYING WITH A FAMILY FOR AN EXTRA BONUS.   GRACIAS POR TODO.

ALISYN OUDMAN, NEW ZEALAND, NOVEMBER 2009.


    I studied here at Escuela Cooperacion for 4 weeks, with Ceci for the first week and Mily for the last 3 weeks.  Both are excellent teachers and fun.   Mily gave me more homework and this was very helpful to me.  The handonts she gave me will be good resources in years to come.  I specially enjoyed my classes with Mily because we conversed about topics that interested me, for example: Guatemalan culture and politics, current events, religion, customs and I felt that she became a good friend.  I was a beginner when I came, and now I understand most of what I hear and converse regularly with my host family and others I meet.
    THE HIGHLIGHT OF EACH DAY WAS MY DAILY SALSA LESSONS WITH JORGE MARIO.  HE IS AN EXCELLENT SALSA TEACHER AND IT WAS THE MOST FUN I HAD IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA.
    MUCHAS GRACIAS ESCUELA COOPERACION, HASTA LA VISTA.

  TINA GAUD, UNITED STATES, DECEMBER 2009.
          
 
Muchas gracias a la Escuela de Español COOPERACION por esta buena experiencia!, I`ve studied for 4 weeks here with my family- my wife and 2 teenaged daughthers- and each of us have had a great experience learning spanish here.  Carlos has been my teacher these 4 weeks and I have appreciated him immensely.  He had just enough discipline for me to push me along with my studies and We`ve enjoyed getting to know each other and our cultures through much conversation as I practiced my spanish.  Each of my family members having their own teacher has been a big part of our good experience here.  Each of us would work at our own pace, and at the end of 4 weeks, each of us had been able to do our best individually.  A great way to learn.  This school has a strong emphasis on grammar but I believe its been a great way to learn as the vocabulary just fills in naturally through conversation and personal study.  Our family enjoyed a homestay here in Antigua, the friendship we have will stay with us a long time!!  I would recommend the homestay program to anyone, since it offers more opportunity to practice your spanish, plus experience real family life in Guatemala.  Thanks Jorge Mario for all your arrangements.  Escuela Cooperacion has many good experienced teachers, if you come here, you`ve got best spanish!!

ROBERT OUDMAN, ALBERTA, CANADA, NOVEMBER 2009.
 
 I've really enjoyed studying spanish for a month at the"Cooperacion" School, The lessons were enjoyable, there was plenty of oportunities for conversation ( once I had learnt the basics) and this gave me confidence to speak and learn about Guatemalan culture and ways of life.  The excursions were enjoyable and it was helpful to put our conversations to the test.  The trips to San Antonio Agua Caliente and to the temple of San Simon were my favorites. Thanks to all the staff for their help and support, in particular our teachers for making lessons fun and helping us to improve both our knowledge of vocabulary and confidence in conversation.

Alice and Tony, October 2009.

My 16 years old daughter and I spent a month with Escuela "Cooperacion", We each had our own teacher, who did a really good job responding to our different needs and styles. My spanish was already pretty good, but I felt like my use and understanding of grammer improved a lot. My daughter came with a little high school spanish and was understanding a lot and speaking quite nicely. sometimes She and I and our teachers would sit around and talk in spanish, but mustly We studied separately.  The whole scene was prety nice relaxed, low-key which was a good fit. We rented a house which I enjoyed a lot, going to the market to buy food and all that. I also really apreciated the help I got from Jorge Mario who is the coordinator of school in arranging the trips.  So, I felt very relaxed coming down, its a nice place, good teachers, good materials, great spanish school.

Judy Fleishman, Boston, USA. August 31, 2009.

I was very pleased with my experience at Escuela"Cooperacion", teachers with years of experience, the school also makes a great effort to inform students about Guatmalan's history, culture and social isshes. The school arranges very useful and interesting field trips, and during some classes, I had the opportunity to watch Guatemalan's documentaries that gave me a much broader idea of real life in Guatemala.  The teachers were also all very friendly and capable ; I really enjoyed learning from them.

 Courtney, from USA. Julio 2009.