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Posted by Cynthia G. (Boquete - USA)
on May 2013 - USA
Fulfilling Experience
Habla Ya is an amazing Language School..Not only in learning Spanish but the whole environment and extra curriculum. They offer day trips to the beach, movie nights, salsa evenings and much much more...Also I must mention the entire staff is so friendly and helpful..
But for me it was spending the last 3 years (as I moved here permanently 4 years ago) learning to speak Spanish...I went twice a week for private lessons with an wonderful teacher, Araliz Veliz...Because of her I am confident and communicate in this delightful community.....She truly enriched my life in so many ways and we have become fast friends....I thank you Araliz...Un abrazo, Cynthia Gould
Posted by Cole C. (ANCHORAGE - USA)
on May 2013 - USA
Learning in Bocas with Habla Ya
I had a great time in both my group classes with Diogenes and my private classes. I spent two weeks there and left feeling much more confident in my conversation skills. I would definitely do it again.
Posted by Larry M. (Kansas City - USA)
on May 2013 - USA
Learning at Habla Ya
I came to Habla Ya in Boquete in March of 2013 and was so impressed that I returned in April for more. As a career teacher, I know a good teacher when I see one, and Leidys fits the bill. She´s kind and very knowledgeable and professional. She´s preparing me for the DELE exam. Be sure to request her. The Panamanian host family has made me feel very welcome and comfortable in their home. I can reccomend Habla Ya to anyone of any age at any level who wants to learn Spanish.
Larry Marshall
Kansas City, MO USA
Posted by Lindsey C. (Olathe - )
on May 2013
rigorous and fun program, great teachers
I took 4 weeks of Spanish instruction at Habla Ya in Boquete, and I had such a great experience. My teacher Ivonne was very patient with me, she challenged me just the right amount, and I felt like I left Panama at a "conversational" level in my Spanish (and I started with just one semester of college Spanish under my belt, which I took 9 years ago). I was very lucky and got one-on-one instruction for three weeks and only had the price of group lessons (there just happened to be no other students at my level at the time). So I ended up having more of a private lesson experience -- 4 hours of one-on-one instruction each day. I loved working with my teacher Ivonne-- she led the class in a very conversational manner. She delivered direct instruction, but the greatest lessons I learned were from our conversations.
The school also set me up with a family, who I absolutely adored. I think if you're going to try to become proficient in a foreign language in a short period of time, it's very important that you live with a family who speaks the foreign language only. I was very blessed to get to know the amazing people of Panama through my experience at the school and in my home stay.
I will say the one major drawback of the school is the volunteer component. I didn't go there to volunteer, but three people I met through the program wanted to volunteer and were led to think they would get to take part in volunteering each day, and the volunteering experience seemed very inconsistent and disorganized.
Personally, though, I wouldn't change a single thing about my own experience. Thank you, Habla Ya!
Posted by Juan camilo H. (Montreal - )
on March 2013
great teachers
During my stay in boquete I also Had a really good teacher named YUBAl!
he is another very good teacher at habla ya. he is a great person, very outgoing
and was able to teach me in a very fun matter where it was not just
going through books and papers but also doing lots of activities.
He also gave me information on things to do in David such as shopping
and fun places to go out!
I would really like to thank Yubal because he is a part of the reason
that i Learned spanish up to a level I have always wanted to be at
Thank you!
My first Day at Habla ya I came in very tired after taking the bus all night from
Panama city. I came in and was greeted and welcomed in a very friendly way
I was given a tour of the school and was then tested to make sure I was at the right
level.
At 1 that afternoon I got to meet my first teacher, her name is Tamara
she is very friendly and we quikly got along.
She is also from David and a very good teacher at habla ya. When I was switched to
another teacher later we kept talking and conversating and she is also a great person!
Thanks Tamara!!
PAOLA is also one of the teachers I had alot of conversations with she is very
nice, She talks very clearly and always has interesting topics to talk about
GRACIAS PAOLA!
Posted by Mel I. (Stuttgart - Germany)
on March 2013 - Germany
Careful and friendly
we appreciated very much that the explora ya team cancelled the overnight camping tour to vulcano baru because of upcoming bad weather. we got all our money back!! instead we enjoyed the hot spring tour with our guide israel which was a lot of fun and an fitted much better to the weather conditions...
Posted by Juan camilo H. (Montreal - )
on February 2013
GOOD EXPERIENCE
I have studied at hablaya for the past 2 and a half months, im very glad to say that my experience was more than
excellent. the staff is super helpfull, they helped me with everything I desired. I started at habla ya in december
with some spanish but it was all in a big mix. When i entered i was helped in a very friendly manner which immediatly
made me feel at ease which is ofcourse important if you are travelling alone in another country.
My teacher for the majority of the time was WIDAD!! she is a reeeeaaally good teacher over time
we also became good friends, she was able to help me not just with my spanish
but also understanding panamanian culture. she teaches in a way that makes a class interesting which is important
if you are trying to learn.
we had discusions about things, we went out to practice my spanish, listened to music and did audio listening sessions.
she is very patient and explains things thoroughly. I would defenitely reccomend
anyone that is going to study in hablya to ask for her because she is excellent when it comes to teaching, she gives you
all the attention you need,repeats things untill you understand them and she is very good looking too.
thanks to her I now just about speak fluent spanish and that is something i have desired all my life.
I would like to thank everyone at hablaya and especially WIDAD for being the great person she is, and for having tought me
spanish in a fun way which will help me out the rest of my life!
Thanks again
Posted by Jessica F. (Canada)
on February 2013 - Canada
Loved it!
I finished a six day course at Habla Ya with Yary. It was a great experience even though it was a short amount of time. The environment of the class was so open and warming that it was very easy to be comfortable in the room. I know that not everyone is comfortable in a new class and it might also take a long time to be comfortable with the class and the teacher, but with the help of the inviting atmosphere it was easy to be comfortable and learn a lot. Habla Ya’s approach to teaching Spanish is almost the same as a high school Spanish class with the teaching of grammar and verb conjugations, but it is also different in the small class size and with the games that are played in order to help with the learning. Personally I love the small class size; it might be awkward at first but after the first 30 minutes or so I found myself engaged and ready to learn. I also loved how there was so must student teacher interaction. If you didn’t understand something it was very easy for the teacher to explain it to you and that is also was Yary did. She was very patient and didn’t look to you as if you didn’t know anything. She was very helpful and didn’t put you down for getting things wrong which for me is how I normally fell in a high school classroom. The games that we played took a load off from the intense learning and gives your brain a chance to breathe while teaching you at the same time. Over all the experience that I had at Habla Ya was great and I would love to do it again.
Posted by Kathryn C. (Panama)
on February 2013 - Panama
TRY IT!
I just finished a two-week private lesson course in beginner Spanish with Yary. Having studied French in high school and college, I am not new to learning languages. I found Habla Ya's approach fun, motivating and effective. My instructor, Yary, is professional, patient and encouraging. The staff and all Habla Ya personnel were friendly and helpful. Highly recommend Habla Ya!
Posted by Melanie N. (Warwick - USA)
on January 2013 - USA
Great experience
I recently spent approximately ten weeks at Habla Ya. Most of my time at Habla Ya was spent in private classes with Yary. I can't say enough good things about Yary. She is a great teacher with the patience of a saint. I felt like she was very interested in teaching and she went out of her way to thoroughly cover topics that I had trouble with. She is definately an asset to Habla Ya and I plan on returning to take additional classes with her in the future. I had experiences with several other teachers and I have to say that they all seemed very nice. I would say that overall, my experience at Habla Ya was a good one.
Posted by Larry R. (Buena Vista - USA)
on November 2012 - USA
The Best Spanish Teacher in a Very Good Spanish School
My wife and I recently spent 8 weeks in Boquete, Panama. My main reason for making this visit was to learn Spanish, and as such, I signed up for six weeks of classes at Habla Ya language school. I decided to go at it full-bore. For five days per week, for four solid hours per day, with several hours of homework per night, I worked hard at trying to learn the basics of a new language. I must admit, it was one of the more challenging mental exercises I have attempted since graduating college nearly 40 years ago! It was difficult, often frustrating, and sometimes exhausting, but I persevered, and am very glad I did. When I returned to Colorado, I vowed to keep up with my learning. And I have, so now I’m much more prepared—and eager—to return to Panama for three months in 2013 for more Spanish study (and to see other parts of the country, as well). At Habla Ya I had several teachers, but the one I had most often—for private as well as mini-group instruction--and the professor, in my opinion, who was the absolute best, was Donain Alexis C., or just Alexis, for short. I think Alexis is only 26 years of age, but his knowledge of the Spanish language, as well as how to teach it--always with total enthusiasm and professionalism--was stunning. And his abilities didn’t stop there. Totally bi-lingual in English, he is truly a renaissance man. He never failed to amaze me with his knowledge on a wide range of subjects, including world events, history, literature, politics, culture, sports, and social issues. All of these topics, of course, often sparked lively conversations between us, 98% of which were naturally in Spanish. Though always incredibly interesting, it did leave my brain smoking after several hours of conversing in Spanish, trying to make sense of it all! I highly recommend Habla Ya as a school if you wish to learn Spanish. And I even more highly recommend Alexis if you want an excellent teacher who will challenge, inform, and educate you in another language and another culture. I just hope he’s available when you get there!
Posted by Jonathan J. (New York - USA)
on September 2012 - USA
July in Boquete
I was most impressed with the accurate pre-assessment of my Spanish speaking ability, or lack thereof, the day I arrived at Habla Ya in Boquete, Panama. All of my teachers spoke only in Spanish, and my Boquete family helped to make my immersion experience complete. Boquete is a safe and tranquil place to live and learn. I plan to return again soon. I only wish I had more time to study and learn at Habla Ya.
Posted by Salomé B. (Paris - France)
on June 2012 - France
Nice trop
That was a very good stay in Boquete with habla Ya ! I would like to thank my spanish teacher Leydis for the courses, advices...She is very patient and atentive with students and all the activities in class were very interesting.
Moreover, all the staff of the school are very available.
It is a really good place to study and learn spanish and a lot of activities are proposed (panamean dinner, salsa, conversation, movies...). I recommend the hikes in Explora Ya near from the school or the weekend trip.
I wish I came back soon !
Posted by Ellen K. (Bronx - Panama)
on May 2012 - Panama
LOVED IT!
Habla Ya was my first experience with a total immersion school and a very good one. My instructor, Mitchell, was patient, energetic and intelligent. We had many conversations in Spanish (mine halting) about various topics such as equality for women, the quality of today's music compared to past, how cell phones have changed our lives and more. There are activities that students can participate in every single day: a typical Panamanian dinner, salsa lessons, Spanish movies on TV, to name a few. You will not be bored!
Posted by Keishaun P. (Birmingham - USA)
on April 2012 - USA
Great Experience!
I stumbled across the Habla Ya website while looking for a spanish school/study abroad program. The website was up to date and well layed out. The staff was prompt with responding to questions. That was just the beginning. The staff was helpful with arranging transportation once in Panama. Boquete was a beautiful city to live in. I stayed with a great family while there, which the program arranged. There are a lot of different activities you can participate in. My teachers at Habla Ya were great!! Group and private lessons were both very helpful and the teachers are very patient, making sure you understand concepts before moving on. I would recommend all three of my teachers (Paola, Tamara, or Alexis) to anyone interested in the spanish school. The program had a family feel to it which is one of the things I liked the most about it. If you're looking for a well organized Spanish school with awesome teachers, great staff, great location, volunteer opportunities and affordable....Habla Ya is the place for you!!
Posted by Myrthe G. ()
on February 2012
salsa clases in the beautiful island surroundings
during my stay in bocas del toro, panama I wanted to enrich my knowledge of the local culture so I took some salsa clases at habla ya. me and two other girls, some already knew some salsa, were very excited about it. they recieved us very kindly at the school and they gave us a little tour. everything looked brand new. then we met our teachter, christopher. he was really patient with us and explained every step, step for step. in the end we had a lot of fun and all of us improved our salsa dancing. later that night we showed off our skills in the local bar, our teacher watching us proudly.
Posted by Daniel M. (Columbus, OH - USA)
on January 2012 - USA
Habla Ya in Boquete, Panama
I spent little over three months at Habla Ya, studying Spanish and teaching English. When I think of my teachers and students I miss the place dearly. I spent time with several of the teachers; Mónica Vargas, Malkidia García, Minerva Rodríguez, Aráliz Veliz, Christopher Clark, and Yaira Muñoz—all of them were terrific. The teachers and the rest of the Habla Ya staff were very professional, welcoming, fun, and enthusiastic, which created the perfect atmosphere for learning. Needless to say, my Spanish improved dramatically over my stay. I encourage anyone looking for a Spanish language school to go to Habla Ya.
Posted by Lynda F. (Anchorage - USA)
on January 2012 - USA
The Perfect Language Experience
I was fortunate enough to spend 3 weeks in Boquete, Panama, studying
at Habla Ya language school. The experience provided me with the perfect opportunity to advance my language skills and to increase my confidence level when speaking extemporaneously to native Spanish speakers. In private, one-on-one lessons with Mónica, I was able to gauge my progress and prioritize areas of study. Each day the focus of my lessons was on communication, verb tenses, grammar, vocabulary, and conversation. Mónica did an outstanding job of challenging me while providing consistent support and a wonderful learning environment. I would recommend this language school to anyone interested in improving their Spanish. I can almost guarantee you’ll fall in love with the beautiful town, the wonderful people and the opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Posted by Deborah G. (Brooklyn - USA)
on December 2011 - USA
Fantastic
I went to Habla Ya during July 2011 and my experience was fantastic. The instructors used a variety of teaching/learning strategies to get the best out of the students. The instructors are hardworking and made me, among others in my group, become comfortable with the language. I really enjoyed my time there although it was short. I would recommend this school to anyone who desires to embrace the language and grow. Habla Ya you are fantastic. Keep up the good work.
Posted by Arianne R. (Glasgow - United Kingdom)
on December 2011 - United Kingdom
Excellent
I studied in Habla Ya, Bouquete this summer and recently at Habla Ya, Bocas Del Toro. I had a wonderful experience at both schools. The Bocas school was new and therefore fairly quiet when I was there but it has the same excellent teaching standards as Bouquete. As there was no one else at my level, I had private lessons for the same price as group lessons. My most recent teacher, Christopher was enthusiastic and provided fun but challenging lessons. I highly recommend Habla Ya.
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