"I spent an amazing six weeks studying
in Celas Maya. I stayed with a fantastic
family, really felt I got to understand
Guatemala and made huge strides forward
with my Spanish. The school itself is
very professional and the teachers I had
were so well structured that you could
literally chart your progress. I have
also studied in Spain where it was too
expensive to have one-on-one classes and
Nicaragua where the schools were nowhere
near as professional or effective. And
once you're done studying for the day,
Xela is a great town with so much around
it to see and do that you cannot fail
to have a great time!!"
-Andrew Cockburn
London, England
26 January 2005
"I traveled to Xela during the "slower"
season of September and October when many
schools struggle to have more than five
students. Indeed, I met several folks
that were the only student in their school.
Celas Maya always had a consistent 15-20
students. Despite the large size, the
office and teachers do a great job of
still making the experience very personal
to you. I also like the bigger school
size because I was able to easily meet
people from throughout Europe, Australia
and the Americas...many of whom I still
stay in contact with. I spoke very little
Spanish when I came to the school, so
I was very relieved that an International
Coordinator was in the office to guide
my transition. The school is very close
to Parque Central, as well as a number
of bars and night spots for those looking
to experience Xela after dark. If you
have any questions about Celas Maya, feel
free to email me. Jim Elfers jjelfers@hotmail.com.
Enjoy your travels in Guatemala!"
-Jim Elfers
Cincinnati, Ohio USA
26 January 2005
"As someone who wanted to build
upon the Spanish I had learned in high
school and college, I decided to study
Spanish in a foreign country. I spent
a great deal of time researching my options
online throughout Central and South America.
After deciding to study in Guatemala,
and then specifically in Quetzaltenango,
Celas Maya stood out as the only option
for me. Through my six weeks of study,
my decision was reinforced time and time
again. Through a combination of great
teachers, a knowledgeable and professional
school staff, a welcoming learning environment
and a friendly host family, I felt that
not only did my Spanish improve dramatically,
but I also learned a great deal about
the Guatemalan culture. By tracking weekly
progress, the students are encouraged
throughout their learning and if a student's
style did not match that of the teacher,
they are free to switch to gain the most
out of their time at the school. The additional
activities offered by the school, as well
as the convenient location of Quetzaltenango
for weekend travel to other communities,
allowed me to explore the culture beyond
the school walls. I am thankful for the
opportunity I had to spend time at Celas
Maya and look forward to the possibility
of returning in the near future."
-Megan Callan
Chicago, Illinios USA
26 January 2005
"Our four weeks of study at Celas
Maya were excellent. The best way to learn
a language is one-on-one, and all of our
instructors were competent and highly
adaptable to our specific needs and interests.
The wide variety of optional presentations,
cooking and dancing classes, and excursions
helped us learn a lot about Guatemalan
life and culture as well as language.
Celas Maya is systematic in its operations
and very effective in improving Spanish
language skills."
-Kent Macaulay and Thomas Knutson
Saskatoon, Canada
31 January 2005
''I studied three weeks at CELAS Maya
with a focus on Spanish conversation to
attain greater fluency. However, I also
wanted to learn something about Mayan
culture and Guatemalan history and politics.
The conversation with my teachers ranged
from Mayan food customs and marriage practices
to the present political situation, the
role of women in the community, education,
and the effect of the low price of coffee
on the Guatemalan economy. Besides, the
school invited experts to come and talk,
organized field trips that were both educational--e.g.
a visit to Abaj Takalik, an archeological
site--as well as useful--e.g. working
on houses for Habitat for Humanity. The
school is well-organized and the staff
is very professional yet takes an interest
in the well-being of each student.''
- Nell Mascall, ESL Teacher
Seattle, WA, United States.
"Hola- just had to drop you a line
to let you know just how much we loved
the experience at Celas Maya. Our home
stay was exceptional. The family we stayed
with - Guadelupe Del Carmen and family
have become fast friends and they included
us in everything for the whole week, includking
taking us to their daughters 15th birthday
quince años celebration- a huge
and very special affair. Because this
family interacted so well with us, we
felt that you should know how pleased
we were. We felt very much at home the
whole time we were there. Thanks again
for everything- we were certainly impressed
with how well run everything was at your
place and I am sure we will return."
-Brian and Sheila Swan
Wakefield, Quebec, Canada
7 February 2005
''My time in Guatemala was definitely
highlighted by my Celas Maya experience.
Whether it was learning Spanish in class,
hanging out with other students outside
of class, or experiencing Guatemalan culture
with the activities planned by the school;
Celas Maya was a great place for me. Being
able to work one-on-one with a teacher,
in Xela, is the only way to learn Spanish
and the teachers at Celas Maya were wonderful.
Not only did they work hard to teach me,
they were interested in who I am and were
excited about the activities as well.
The activities varied every week, but
they were always interesting. Some of
my favorites were hiking up Volcán
Santa María, a discussion about
the economical climate in Guatemala, and
a trip to Fuentes Georginas (a natural
hot spring). Outside of class, the school
had a wide variety of resources. The internet
café in the school is very useful
to have nearby and be able to use for
a few minutes here and there. There is
also a small library of books to read
and a good variety of movies to watch
at the school. There is even a ping pong
table and I definitely enjoyed watching
movies about Guatemala, like 'La hija
del puma' at the school with other students.
Even without knowing all this, when people
from other schools visited I constantly
heard: 'wow, your school is nicer than
mine.' Most people based it just on the
fact that there is a beautiful garden
and that we study in an open air outdoor
patio, rather than inside a building.
It is definitely very nice, I would recommend
Celas Maya to anybody and hope to return
sometime soon.''
- Kevin Baker, college student
West Virginia, United States.
"First of all I must say that I’m
really enjoying my time here. The school
has a very central location and also its
architecture itself is very nice: the
little garden in the centre of the building
with its open corridors around are suggesting
openness in communication and encountering.
This corresponds to the school’s
climate: one has the possibilities –
besides of learning a new language - to
meet people from all over the world, to
discuss or just socialize. The teachers
are all very nice and friendly, extra-qualifications
to their language skills. Since you are
changing your teacher every week (if you
want to do so), you’re getting a
broader insight in Guatemala’s history,
society and culture. The director-staff
is always trying to solve problems, if
there arise some. The living situation
is also a very positive and enriching
experience because you have the choice
to live with a Guatemalan family, share
their life a bit and of course practice
your Spanish! Finally I must say that
I can hardly find anything to criticize.
So I can only recommend this school to
everyone who wants to learn a new language
and get an insight into a country which
is worth to be explored and experienced."
- Daniel Sanin
Austria
Si no hubiera venido a Celas Maya, siguramente
no habría podido escribir esto
en español. Mi agradecimiento viene
del profundo de mi corazón. El
mérito es de mi maestras KAROL,
MIRIAM, KARLA y maestro CARLOS que con
mucha paciencia, ánimo y psicologia
supieron inculcar las reglas en mi cabeza
dura. El primero contacto con esta escuela
fue con LINDSAY por correo electrónico
y jamás olvidaré su ayuda
preciosa en contestar inmediatamente todas
mis preguntas con abundancia de detalles.
Esto me dio una óptima impresión.
La eficiencia de Lorena y de Martin con
sus sonrisas perennes, la cordialidad
de Leslie y de todos los maestros, de
Doña Isabel, Juana, la presencia
de Dona Rafaela, los miembros de la oficina
del Internet, crearon un ambiente único
donde me sentí feliz. Doña
Doris contribuyó en modo particular
a esto bienestar. Además, no aprendí
solamente una nueva lengua, pero también
la historia y las costumbres de un pais
maravilloso. Sobre todo me siento muy
honrada que algunas personas compartieron
conmigo recuerdos personales tristes y
felices. A todos muchas gracias, mi augurio
que los deseos de cada uno se realizen
y, con mucho cariño, hasta la próxima
vez.
-M.L.-Toronto, Canada
23 March 2005
