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[El Turista]

Does anybody have a recommendation for a good Spanish-language school either in Queretaro, DF, or Puebla?

I will be visiting Mexico in a little over a week and am planning on taking a week of intensive Spanish study, not tied to a home stay.

I was once told by a Spanish teacher that my proficiency is intermediate high on the ACTFL Oral Proficiency scale (whatever all that means) and I will be a fifth-time "veteran" of these week-long, 3-4 hour a day private or class Spanish language experiences: Xela, Guatemala (very good); Oaxaca, Mexico (Becari, the best ever!); Cuenca, Ecuador (terrible), Arequipa, Peru (very good). I found all of these schools by just walking through their doors very early on Monday morning and signing up on the spot. I have never registered and signed up from afar and have never before asked for a recommendation from a forum of wise ESL specialists such as you all are.

You may be asking, "Why only for a week?" I am only able to take Spanish classes for one week (in the morning hours). After a week, my post-50-year-old fossil brain routinely shuts down and everything beyond a week gets lost in a haze of half-forgotten conjugations. On the other hand, throughout my travels I have been fortunate enough to have always met interesting and fascinating locals with whom I had the pleasure and privilege to speak in Spanish, often for hours over a few brews, and from whom I have learned as much or more about their countries, their customs and their worries as from the instructors that taught me from 8-12 am.

I don't know the reasons why, but Queretaro especially intrigues me. Any school recommendations there?

Thank you all in advance!

[BadBeagleBad]

I don�t have a school recommendation, but since you are already at an intermediate level, why not just come, do some cultural activities in Spanish, do some guided tours in Spanish, and then just talk to people. I don�t teach Spanish, but I tell all my Intermediate and up English students that what they really need to do is talk, not learn more grammar. You would probably find fewer English speakers in Puebla and Queretaro to distract you, and people in Puebla are very friendly, so you shouldn�t have a hard time finding people to talk to. If possible, rent a room in a home and you�ll have built in people to talk to. Also, I have another suggestion that you didn�t ask for. Pick a random small town and go there, you likely won�t find any English speakers so you will have a built in Spanish Immersion course. You might find you learn more than way than taking classes. And you won�t spend a lot of money either, nice clean hotels in small towns tend to cost in the 200 - 250 peso range.