Description

Learn Spanish and make a difference - this is responsible and rewarding travel

We are located in La Concepcion (or La Concha), one of Nicaraguas tranquil Pueblos Blancos. At 500m above sea-level, the mountain breezes offer a refreshing break from the heat of the lowlands. We also enjoy a wonderful central location about an hour from Managua, Granada, Masaya, the Pacific Coast and Laguna de Apoyo. Microbuses pass by about every 10min to major transport hubs. We offer an experience that is sufficiently off the beaten track while still being very accessible to the countrys amazing natural and historical places!

Spanish Course

At La Mariposa, our teaching method is day long immersion, with four hour classes held at the Mariposa in the mornings. Two hours of grammar and two of conversation, using relevant materials including the daily newspapers, audio and video. We hold our small group classes (usually one on one and never more than three) out of doors in the beautiful gardens or on the veranda. Our teachers are all people from the local community and are experienced Spanish teachers. Several of them speak English to help complete beginners. We can accommodate all levels of Spanish speakers.

We have developed a comprehensive afternoon prgramme, which rotates on a monthly basis, designed to help you learn about Nicaragua's fascinating history, politics and culture, as well as the difficulties faced by people living in the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere. We take you to visit local schools, to local handicraft workers and hold discussion groups in the Mariposa. And all in a Spanish suitable to your level to carry on your improvement! We absolutely do not forget about having fun either as visits to volcanoes, volcanic lakes, Pacific beaches are also included in the programme. You also have access to our excellent library of books in English on a range of subjects including Nicaraguan history, aid and development, environmental issues as well as Spanish resources, including dictionaries, grammar books, flash cards - all available for students to borrow.

Student Accommodation - Mariposa Eco-Hotel & homestays

Students have the option to stay in the eco-hotel (11 rooms) or in the community with families known to the Mariposa. The hotel uses its own solar power for hot showers and electricity. We have solar powered wireless internet connection. We also conserve rainwater and recycle as much as possible, including grey water. The hotel sits in its own organic farm, which provides coffee, bananas, free range eggs amongst other things. Students always have in season, locally sourced fruit and vegetables. We welcome vegetarians. Meals are home-cooked with typical Nicaraguan breakfast on offer, family style lunch and dinner. The hotel rooms are all decorated differently, using locally produced handicrafts from beds to pictures each with their own bathroom and fan. The rooms all have great views over the lovely gardens, to which all students have access. We also have our own riding horses and provide locally experienced guides for hiking or just visiting the local town.

Alternatively you can stay with a local family - great for continuing to speak Spanish. Our homestay option is normally designed for students wishing to participate in volunteer work in the community, however, we have packages to accommodate students wishing to do afternoon activities as well. All of the homestay families are known to the Mariposa - very friendly and happy to have guests. The lodging is basic, but clean and secure.

Project information

We are a non-profit Spanish school and small eco-hotel, in which our main goal is to provide employment to the local community. We also use the income generated by our guests to fund a range of environmental and community projects, which are designed and run by local people. Our volunteer packages allows students to participate in community projects, while learning from local people and improving their Spanish.

Your income currently funds
* Organic farm projects
* Wildlife and animal rescue projects
* Panama Primary School
* Ruben Dario Primary School
* Santiago After School Reading Corner
* Reforestation projects

In addition to these projects, we continually support the community in a number of small ways, helping with various projects based on requests from the community and from individuals. We often finance parties for school children, provide prizes for contests, lend our automobiles out for community events, and work to promote and coordinate with other nonprofits and development organizations in the area.

For more details on either our projects or volunteer scheme see our webpage!

Highlights

* Responsible and rewarding travel
* Learn Spanish in an ecologically sound and beautiful environment, using solar power, organically farmed and locally sourced products. We recycle kitchen waste, grey water and conserve rainwater.
* Learn Spanish through classroom methods PLUS a range of interesting and fun afternoon and weekend activities designed to help you learn more about the history, politcs and culture of Nicaragua as well as improve your Spanish.
* Visits to many of Nicaragua's most important and lovely places, including Masaya, Granada, Leon, Laguna de Apoyo - all within easy reach of the Mariposa.

Travel Types

• 4th World Studies
• Birdwatching
• Ecology
• Heritage Tourism
• Hiking
• Homestay
• Horseback Riding
• Language Immersion
• Nature Tours
• Volunteering

Languages

• Spanish

Languages Used as a Medium of Teaching

• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Eco-hotel - 350USD per week/1200USD per month, Cabin (upstairs room) - 300USD per week/1000USD per month, Cabin (downstairs room) - 250USD per week / 800USD per month

Program Fees Include:

* Private room with own bathroom in eco-hotel or private room with shared outdoor bathroom in cabin
* Access to solar powered wireless internet
* 3 simple and nutritious meals per day, using locally sourced and in season produce.
* 20 hours grammar and conversation class in the mornings
* All afternoon activities, deigned to help you get to know Nicaragua as well as continue to improve your Spanish
* Access to our library, gardens, local guides and use of our riding horses

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently

The Mariposa Spanish School and Eco Hotel's Mission Statement

The Mariposa Spanish School and Eco-Hotel aims to create a learning environment where visitors, Nicaraguans and ex-pats come together to learn more about the world around us as well as learning the Spanish language. We offer our students the opportunity to learn Spanish through day-long immersion doing grammar and conversations in small groups in a fun relaxing environment. We have a range of activities designed to help you learn about all aspects of life in Nicaragua including history, politics, culture as well as visiting its beautiful landscapes. In our Eco-Hotel, we have incorporated features such as solar panels to try and minimise our impact on the planet.

Year Founded

2006