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Flor del Maiz Spanish School
1 Av. B 4-055 Zona 1, Canton Pacuchá
San Pedro, Lake Atitlan
(+502)-5691-3810, 4285-5015
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| Rank |
84% |
| Prices |
145 USD for 20
hours per week including host family
80 USD for 20 hours per week without host family
Study one hour daily more or less: add or subtract about USD 20 per week.
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| School Size |
1 - 10 students |
| Openings |
This school currently has openings! |
| Summary |
This is small school near the central park of San Pedro. You will be in good hands. For those who want to get to know something about Maya Tzutujil culture, Flor del Maiz Spanish School is especially recommended. Classes are taken on the second floor in a open space overlooking the center of town and the beautiful Lake Atitlán.
The school was founded in 2005.
Note that, part of the students weekly tuition costs goes to help support the schools local children educational project; donations are welcome for the reforestation project!
Total Spanish immersion in San Pedro is moderate because of many tourists, but you come close to it at this school. |
| Registration |
This is a small school which fills up between January, February, April and November. During these months it is recommendable to register at least two weeks in advance.
If you arrive by boat, please call the school or take a small taxi better known as "tuc tuc" and ask the driver to take you to Flor de Maiz Spanish School, up near the central park. Do not take a "guide", because he will ask the school for a percentage of your fee. |
With a timely registration, the school can assign you the best teacher from its list. (Contact us for group discounts). |
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| Teachers |
There are 5 permanent teachers with a salary of US$40 per week. The teachers have an average experience of 5 years minimum. Some of them have gained their experience teaching at other schools. Classes are taken on the second floor in a open space overlooking the center of town and the beautiful Lake Atitlán.
[Show Details] |
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School's specific Information:
The experienced instructors offer beginner to advanced lessons, with flexible schedules to meet students needs. With years of experience they have developed an effective method and structure of learning that they believe is very beneficial for the students.
Recommended teachers: Demise, Javier II.
(Roman numbers refer to the numbers of recommendations.)
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General Information:
Spanish language teachers in Guatemala are mostly young people like University students who do this job for very little salary (US$30-$60 per week) and are trying to continue their education. Teachers in our recommended schools have undergone a formal training and know how to make students enjoy learning. By enrolling in advance, you are likely to get a better teacher. This holds especially true during high season.
If you are not happy with your assigned teacher, don’t hesitate to ask the director for another teacher. How to get a good teacher.
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| Methods |
Methods are similar to other schools in Guatemala, one-on-one. Teachers also tailor lessons to meet each student needs.
[Show Details] |
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School's specific Information:
The classes are structured, but flexible to suit the needs of each student. The lessons combine grammar and structure with conversations, excursions in the village, word games and exercises or tests.
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General Information:
Spanish Schools in Guatemala promote the most effective 'one student one teacher' method. You spend your time talking and listening with your own personal teacher. This is why Guatemalan schools are probably unmatched in the world. Go to a good school, and get the grammar right, too.
A typical school day:
8:00 to 10:00 Grammar and exercises
10:00 –30 -minute break for coffee, tea, and socializing with teachers and other students
10:30 to 12:00 - Conversation, pronunciation, reading comprehension
After 12:00 - lunch with your host family
Afternoons: previously scheduled activities and homework
(See your curriculum of learning Spanish)
Most schools offer a diploma stating the amount of time studied and the level of Spanish attained (minimum of two weeks).
See more information about diplomas and university credits.
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| Materials |
Photocopied papers, old text books and literature are used in teaching. There is a small library with about 50 books including literature texts.
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School's specific Information:
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General Information:
At most Spanish schools in Guatemala, teachers write examples and grammar on paper; at others, blackboards are used. And at some, students receive a notebook for their own use. Teachers generally have to supply their own teaching materials. The most widespread book is AMSCO “Spanish Three Years” (Nassi, Levy), a very helpful grammar and exercise book in three levels, written in Spanish and English. A few schools have good libraries, video collections, and many have board games like Scrabble and others, to make teaching more entertaining.
If you are not an English speaker, you may want to bring grammar- and exercise books in your language. In any case a good and small dictionary is very helpful for homework.
(See recommendations on good Spanish Textbooks.)
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| Location |
Lessons take place in small shaded individual huts throughout the school campus, which is also part of an organic garden.
[Show Details] |
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School's specific Information:
The school is located well within walking distance from the bus station in the center of town or about 10 minutes from the Panajachel pier. You can also take a taxi (tuc-tuc) and tell the driver to take to Flor Del Maiz School, most of them know this school. |
General Information:
Many schools have big halls or patios in a pleasant environment, with tables that seat two. You can often hear teacher-student conversations from nearby tables. Some schools have separate cubicles for each teacher – student team. Most schools have small patios or gardens to relax and get to know each other at break time. Some schools also have a cafeteria or even kitchens where students and teachers meet to cook local or food from their home countries.
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| Activities |
There are three extracurricular activities per week: a conference, a documentary show, and a dinner for students.
[Show Details]
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School's specific Information:
Conferences are about the Maya world vision, education in San Pedro, local customs and others. The school offers weekend trips for about $20, part of the fees goes to the children′s project. You can choose between camping trips to Mount Paquisis (excellent views) or to a distant beach at Lake Atitlán..
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General Information:
During afternoons, a school staff member takes you to the most beautiful places, interesting projects and Maya traditions of the
area, where you have the opportunity to practice your newly learned Spanish and get to know teachers and other students. These activities make your stay a real holiday. Some activities like weekend trips have an additional cost.
Note: small schools have fewer activities during low season.
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| Host Families |
Host families earn a good $65. You will be placed with one of three experienced Maya Tzutujil families for full immersion. Families host no more than two students at a time during busier periods.
[Show Details] |
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School's specific Information:
Most of the families will go out of their way to make students feel comfortable and welcome to their house.
Recommended host families: Javier & Lola.
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General Information:
Generally host families provide each student with their own private little room and three meals a day/six days a week. On Sundays, most families provide no meals. There is nearly always hot water and electricity. It is recommended that you bring your own towels, soap, shampoo and other personal care from your country or you can buy it here. Your host parents help you with any problems and encourage you to talk Spanish. It is pretty interesting to see how people live in Guatemala.
A word on food:
By looking at what families earn at different schools you can assess the quantity of food given. The range is from US$30 to $85 per week. If you are in a $35 host family, please do not complain about beans every day. Just eat out now and then.
If you do not want to stay in a host family, we recommend you to visit www.guatemalastory.com for a list of good hotels in Guatemala City, Antigua, Atitlan, etc.
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| Volunteering |
This school has ongoing projects; one to support poor local children, http://www.trekforkids.org, and a reforestation project, http://www.bio-cultura.com.
[Show Details] |
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School's specific Information:
The social project helps poor children. You will find more information at trekking and guiding organization. There are currently 5 children which receive funds. You can also be a donor for this project.
In the reforestation project, there have been many Cypress trees planted throughout the years on the mountains of San Pedro. You can learn more about this project at http://www.bio-cultura.com. |
General Information:
Most schools have only loose contact to volunteer social projects or have only poor projects on their own.
If you want to volunteer, it is best to rely on PMG (Antigua, Rio Dulce and Cobán), or Entremundos (Quetzaltenango) or other non profit organizations in order to find an organization that suits students' interests.
More information on volunteering and jobs in Guatemala.
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| Airport Pick-Up Service |
If you do not want to travel alone through Guatemala, the school offers you a couple of transportation options from the airport to San Pedro: in a private taxi for US$95 or public transportation guided by a teacher for $40.
[Show Details]
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School's specific Information:
With a private taxi, they will pick you up at any time. The price is $95 and the trip will take about 3 hours.
In a ′chicken bus′ public transportation, service is limited, they can meet you between 8 AM and 2 PM. The school will send a teacher to meet you, and he/she will pay for the taxi to the bus station and all bus fees. The trip will take about 5 hours. It is very fun but a little risky -- accidents and bandits are rare, but they do happen. The price for this service is $40. |
General Information:
If you don?t want to worry about closed banks on the airport, late night hotel search or unsafe zones of Guatemala City, take advantage of the airport pickup service of your school.
For hotels in Guatemala City please see www.guatemalastory.com.
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How to get there 
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Send yourself an e-mail with information on how to get to Flor del Maiz Spanish School.
If arriving by public transportation, get off at the corner in front of the park and ask locals for the school Flor del Maiz. If you arrive by boat, please call the school or take a taxi (tuc-tuc) and ask the driver to take you to the school, up near the central park.
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Julia Bale
01 / 2013 |
My teacher was called Javier and he is also the director of Flor del Maiz Spanish School. He was a really great teacher and a really interesting guy. I learnt so much, along side Spanish language, such as Mayan history and religion, local environmental issues and recent Guatemalan history. We had a salsa class one evening- with the other students, a guided tour of the surrounding area and on the last night a really good bbq and a trip to the fiesta in the next town - lots of fun!
We stayed with Javier and his family, which was really comfortable, great food and friendly.
I would really recommend the school, especially having spoken to other travellers since who studied elsewhere. I loved the fact it was a really small school, so very personal and friendly. It was also laid back enough to be enjoyable and fun but organized enough to learn a lot - they have a really good balance there.
Correspondence with the school was smooth and helpful, despite the very short notice on our behalf. |
Anonymous
11 / 2011 |
Flor del Maiz was a great little school, with a nice view of San Pedro too boot. The instruction was based upon what I wanted to learn rather then the usual format of a language course. Authentic snacks during the coffee break were a nice touch. All in all a really helpful atmosphere and nice place to learn Spanish in. |
Ian Green
01 / 2010 |
I studied at Flor del Maiz Spanish School for 6 weeks last year. I was learning Spanish and after studying in Antigua and Xela I returned to San Pedro as I prefered the school's teaching which was conversational and lesson time passed quickly with my maestro (teacher) who made the most of my Spanish and helped me build it up.
I was keen to do some teaching myself and the school helped me organize a placement in the local school where I supported and "team taught" with their English teacher which was a great experience.
The school offered a really friendly homestay and also helped me arrange local rented accommodation for a month when I decided to stay longer. I have really fond memories of the teachers of Flor del Maiz and would recommend it for a personalized, high quality language learning experience.
Ian Green - England |
Pauline Dumont
beau1@ntl.sympatico.ca
01 / 2009 |
Hello, I had the pleasure of studying two weeks at the school Flor del Maiz in San Pedro. I recommend it for their professionalism, the individual attention and the relaxed ambience. I take home an enriched level of the Spanish language, of Mayan culture and numerous personal discoveries. The school is located in a quiet part of the village and lessons are held in a pretty garden. Though the school supports two Community projects, there is no pressure to participate in them. Several accompanied activities are organized free of charge. I especially appreciated walking in the mountain, visiting points of interests of the village and meeting people at coffee breaks. There was a small beach not far from the school, where I could relax while admiring the nearby volcanoes. It was my third experience of linguistic stay in Latin America and I must confess that it was the best. Pauline Beaubien Dumont. Canada. |
Sarah Safford
saffo1953@gamail.com
07 / 2008 |
I also, had a great week of lessons at Flor del Maiz Spanish School in San Pedro, La Laguna. This is a small, friendly school with a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere, in a peaceful, beautiful setting. The two men who run the school are excellent people with a strong commitment to social activism and a vision of how they can work toward positive change in their ′Pueblo′, town. My teacher was a lovely young Mayan woman with a good sense of humour and a lot of knowledge about her culture and current events in Guatemala. We had some interesting discussions and I learned a lot of Spanish while building my conversation skills. The family we stayed with was warm and welcoming and they fed us well. I learned how to make tortillas and taught my house mother how to make pesto. There were good snacks and delicious coffee every day and a few fun activities in the afternoons. My godson and I also volunteered in the organic garden, learning about the reforestation projects and growing local produce. The total experience was wonderful and I would recommend this school highly for anyone interested in an authentic immersion in Spanish language and Guatemalan culture. Gracias, Sarah. |
Elaine Toogood
elainetoogood@yahoo.com.au
10 / 2006 |
Hi, I ended up choosing a school called Flor Del Maiz in San Pedro. I studied there for 3 weeks and stayed with a host family. My teacher was excellent and the family stay really wonderful. The school has some great programs happening with children and growing organic food for sustainable community development. All the people studying at the school were great and we had many family meals together, dancing, lake visits etc. I highly recommend this school!! Thanks, Elaine |
Jessie McVeagh
jessiemcv@yahoo.com.au
04 / 2005 |
Now I am studying at Flor Del Maiz also in San Pedro. I have been here now for about three months, as this school not only teaches the Spanish language, but the teachers have an interest in sharing their Tzutujil-Mayan culture, conservation, organic gardening, and political issues. Yes, that′s why I moved schools when Jose did. The family was fine, great food, but the location was very noisy, and I moved to my own rented room. |
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