Why study Spanish in Estelí Nicaragua?
If you are trying to get out of the present tense in Spanish, you will probably need more than one week as I did.
There are several reasons for choosing Estelí Nicaragua.
1. Price– The cost of a week in Estelí is quite a lot cheaper than most other cities and countries that I have seen.
2. Climate– Estelí is a two hour trip north of Managua. That means that is usually 10 degrees or so cooler and has a nice breeze. Although a city itself, Estelí does not have the population and associated problems found in Managua. I was not interested in dealing the large city concerns of this major city, nor was I interested in the usual tourist activities.
3. Safety-Nicaragua is generally considered a safe country to visit. I think that Estelí is safer still. The atmosphere is tranquil and laid back. I walked through the market areas and visited in shops here with no difficulty at all. My only misfortune after five weeks was a Easter holiday week-end in San Juan del Sur. It took only a few minutes for a group of banditos to relieve me of phone and cash. This was unavoidable and it is best to bypass events that may have crowds resembling Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
4. Teaching– I needed one-on-one classes. I couldn’t have managed in a group. Sometimes fixing one small problem early can save me a lot of time and frustration. I was fortunate to have a great teacher who understood that we don’t all learn the same way or at the same speed.
5. Local people– I found the locals in Estelí Nicaragua to be very kind and helpful. They were always courteous in giving directions or answering questions. My host family treated me as a family member, with kindness and care. The Nicaraguan food is wonderful. I loved it all, even (especially) the gallo pinto.
One needs to check out all resources possible but we can’t know for sure how things will turn out. I’m very happy with my five weeks here in Estelí. And, I will miss my kind host family very much when I return home.
Jim- Port Orchard, WA