Studying Spanish in Oaxaca

Florent S.

I am really happy with my experience with Oaxaca International. The courses are of good quality and the director Ileana is very friendly and is always available to help to ensure the best stay for everyone. My host family was very welcoming and encouraging in my learning of the Spanish language. I recommend anyone who wants an authentic and cultural experience in Oaxaca to choose Oaxaca International.

Juan S.

Stanley M.

This is one of the best school that I have ever attended since graduating from college many years ago. I traveled a lot mainly for sightseeing , to see incredible sights, to appreciate their culture, music, and their food. Usually I stayed in a city for no more than 4 days so it was like I took a bullet train passing by a city. Everything became a blur after a few cities. I didn’t remember a thing and got confused. Attending Oaxaca International Spanish School was one of my best experience because it was an enriching experience. I got to learn so many things. I thought I was too old to learn but this school is for all ages and some of my classmates were older than me. I thought Spanish is too hard to learn and it is but Spanish and English shared many common words so you won’t be starting off with nothing. I left the school with so much wonderful memories that I will forever treasured thanks to Ileana and her team of excellent teachers. Before I decided on anything like which airlines, what hotel, where to go, I read reviews. I googled different Spanish schools in Oaxaca . I checked the school websites. I reviewed the cost. Oaxaca International Spanish School ( OISS ) has excellent reviews so I contacted the owner/principal Ileana . Based on the email communication and excellent reviews, I decided to attend OISS. I like the school so much that I studied there twice within the past 7 months. The first time was for 3 weeks in late January and the second time for 2 weeks starting 7/22. The teachers there were all very professional, amiable and knowledgeable. All the teachers know English well but the lessons were all conducted in Spanish. They used different teaching tools like board games, flash cards, magazine pictures etc which made the lessons fun. The first 2 hours was focused on grammar. The second two hours ( I took 4 hours of lessons. Some students took 2 or 3) was conversation and the teachers told us about the festivals, the culture, and the tradition of Mexico in general and Oaxaca in specific. To enhance our learning , we had homework for the grammar class. We had different teachers every Monday to broaden our learning experience. Also, every Thursday we had excursions right after school that were included in our tuition. We went to 6 different places during my 3 weeks in Feb and we learned about pottery, wood carving , dye making and weaving which were very enriching. I learned a lot from these excursions. A 3 weeks class only got me started. Before I left Oaxaca I asked Ileana about online lessons and she said the school offers Skype lessons. I asked Maria Teresa ( Mayte ) if she would be willing to be my Skype teacher and I was grateful that she would so now I have for 3 one hour lessons every week. Mayte is dedicated, engaging, extremely patient and resourceful. I was not just studying grammar with her. We had a wide arranging discussion topics. She told me many things about Oaxaca. It was like I was going through a treasure chest. There were so many things to learn from her. In summary, I really like Oaxaca International Spanish School. The school was well organized and well run. We learned at the pace that we could learn so it wasn’t too fast nor too slow. Ileana was so warm, friendly and helpful all the time. The teachers were well prepared and knowledgeable The Skype lessons were wonderful and allowed me to continue my education where ever I am. I highly recommend OISS. You will learn a lot. The lessons are stimulating, challenging but fun. Your time will be well spent because you will bring back not only great memory but also a new way to express yourself other than English or whatever your native tongue is, not to mention getting to know the culture and custom of Oaxaca. My recommendation also is let this class be a beginning with no ending. Continue Skype lessons and complete all 3 books.

roxanne r.

Wonderful school with wonderful people! If you are a beginner then this place is great to get your speaking Spanish within 3 months.

Angie L.

K A.

There are many reasons I love this school. The teachers are lovely people. Always pleasant, friendly and helpful. They all have formal language training and speak English, so if your Spanish isn't very strong you can still communicate. The quality of instruction is very good and their prices are very reasonable, even for private instruction. Class sizes tend to be small so there is plenty of individual attention even in group classes. The school itself has a private courtyard that always seems cooler than the streets on hot days. Also, on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons there are optional free excursions to area sites and artisans, or occasionally a cooking class. If you are debating whether or not to come to Oaxaca for the week of the Guelaguetza in 2016 you will find that it is safe, and that things are cheap right now due to tourists having been scared away by the news of protests. The protests in the city are non-violent and although they are occupying the Zocalo, events are proceding as scheduled though with a few shifts in location.

Horacio C.

The best option to know Oaxaca, they make excurtions to see how the artesanos create art with their own hands! I loved alebrijes !

Nikolaus M.

My wife and I studied here in the mornings for a week. After a placement test, we were assigned an instructor to help with grammar, followed by a second instructor for conversation. Our afternoons were free to wander, or join in excursions and tours. Both teachers were extremely helpful and we learned a lot of useful Spanish. It can get a little noisy in the streets near the school, but that's Oaxaca for you. Very friendly and helpful.

Lost W.

Such a friendly place. The teachers and the other students were really nice and lessons are structured well so you can get to know everyone. I only went for 5 days or so, they were so flexible and accommodating, not to mention the cheapest around!

Britta J.

I was very happy with my classes at Oaxaca International Spanish Language School! Before arriving in Oaxaca, I looked at many schools and this one had the best price. Still, I wrote emails to a handful of them, to see which one would be the best fit for me. Ileana wrote back in a nice and informative way (which wasn't the case with some other schools), so after reading many reviews, I decided to try this school. And I'm so happy I did! Being a teacher myself and having attended many language schools for other languages, I have become quite picky with the quality of classes. After some not so great experiences with Spanish schools in other countries, I told myself that I should stop having such high expectations and simply get the most out of the classes I could. But, wow, I did not have to lower my expectations with this school at all! The day starts with 2 hours of grammar taught by very knowledgeable teachers and the you have 1, 2 or 3 hours of communication with another teacher. I decided to have 4 hours in total and it was perfect! They are also quite flexible, I saw that other students changed the process around a bit and continued with more grammar classes in the second part of the day, for example. The school also does excursions which are great and in those occasions you get to know the other students a bit better. The location is perfect, very central and the school itself is beautiful. The "classrooms" are tables outside in the beautiful yard full of flowers and humming birds. There is free coffee and water available. You do hear the other students but it's not distracting at all, it all adds up to a very communal, summer-y feeling, I really loved this setting! So, if you are wondering which school to chose, take this one, you won't regret it! :)