Guatemala: Spanish Language Intensive (Summer)

My time in Guatemala with Dragons was deeply impactful. The connections I made with locals have shaped the way I think about the world. From my more traditional, indigenous-rooted host family living in a more isolated town near Lake Aititlan to my more modern host family in Quetzaltenango, I was able to connect with people who were different from me while discovering the humanity we shared. The program was thoughtfully planned, and the instructors were knowledgeable and supportive, and I know the friends I made on the trip will remain some of my closest friends throughout my life. Not only did I improve my Spanish, but I also learned more about myself and the world around me.

My summer in Guatemala was an amazing experience. The Program Where There Be Dragons provided fantastic opportunities with many learning experiences and awesome instructors. The living situations were at times difficult, but I also think that enhanced our full cultural immersion. I loved this program and would recommend it to any teen interested in learning more about not only spanish, but themselves.

Over the course of 6 weeks, we trekked for 4 days, learned Spanish at a Guatemalan school, and learned about everything from a Guatemalan weaving to their Mayan ceremonies. Academics: Over the course of 6 weeks, we did not simply walk around Guatemala, but actually were taught the sad yet very interesting history between the United Fruit Company and Guatemala. We also learned about being social activist and also worked at a microcooperative. Cultural Immersion: The cultural immersion was okay, but I felt that there could have been more Spanish spoken. However one of the leaders of the group was someone who actually lived in Guatemala his entire life and so it was immersive in other ways than language. We also were at a homestay program which was really fun.