LEARN SPANISH ABROAD PROJECTS

Most Affordable – PMGY’s programs are accessible to everyone who wants to make a difference, through low fees and high-impact projects.

 

Best Support – Our international and local teams provide extensive around the clock services to assist you every step of your PMGY adventure.

 

Safety Prioritised – With safety a PMGY number-1 priority, we have taken all necessary precautions to ensure our programs are as safe and structured as possible.

 

Extraordinary Experiences – With PMGY, you have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in amazing cultural and travel experiences, ensuring you leave with unforgettable memories.

 

Friendships for Life – Your PMGY experience not only opens up a doorway for new experiences and exciting memories, but also life-long friendships when meeting new people from around the world.

Learning any new language will open many doors for you. The benefits of learning Spanish are plentiful. Most noteworthy, being fluent in Spanish increase your chances of being able to work anywhere in the world. Similarly, it will allow for new cultures and experiences to be explored.

 

Spanish is recognised as one of the best languages to learn for travel; particularly if you are travelling in Latin America. Developing your Spanish will allow you to become a better-equipped traveller/volunteer. Furthermore, learning Spanish will enrich your own personal experiences and allow you to meet even more people.

 

In addition to this, learning Spanish will make you more employable. After all, it is the second most spoken language in the world. Other benefits of learning Spanish will see a world of art, literature and pop culture open up to you. If you choose to learn Spanish with PMGY, you will get to experience first-hand the rich Hispanic culture.

LEARN SPANISH IN COSTA RICA - LANGUAGE PROGRAM

PMGY’s Costa Rica volunteer programs provide a great foundation to improve your Spanish. The learn Spanish in Costa Rica language program is a core aspect of this. Spanish classes will be tailored to your ability, whether you are a complete beginner or an intermediate looking to improve. The classroom will be a fun environment that provides you with lessons that are Instituto Cervantes Accredited. For this reason, we recognise this language program as the best place to learn Spanish in Costa Rica.

 

PMGY Costa Rica Spanish School

 

PMGY Costa Rica is proud to be one of the first Spanish schools in Costa Rica. More specifically, the Spanish Institute is one of the first in Coronado, a suburb of San Jose. This makes us a little biased to recognise the school as the best place to learn Spanish in Costa Rica!

 

The lessons provided by PMGY Costa Rica are recognized and accredited by the Instituto Cervantes. The school hosts group and independent classes using communicative methods following the Common European Framework standard. Whether in a small group as many as 6 or learning independently, you will have a teacher that is personalised to your level of Spanish. This will enable you to be in the best place to learn Spanish in Costa Rica.

 

This teacher will instruct you in a classroom setting. You will also venture out into the city of Coronado to markets, venues and popular areas where locals hang out. Students learn the underlying theory from a functional and grammatical standpoint.

 

The belief of the school is that students should practise grammar by using it regularly. The teacher will explain and expand on what rules to apply while speaking. This time in Coronado is to help you gain confidence in communicating with native speakers. Furthermore, it will also introduce you to a side of the country you may not see as a tourist.

 

The time in class will be around 4 hours each morning. In addition to this, there are also cultural activities to get involved in during the afternoon. Activities include salsa classes, Costa Rican fruit tasting and visits to museums. More adventurous activities extend to hiking in the Coronado cloud forest, trips to volcanoes and coffee tasting!

 

Such activities usually run a couple of times each week and change on a weekly basis to keep the variety. Some of the activities may have small fees associated with them for logistics and materials. In addition, the activities usually require a minimum number sign up to ensure they run. The best part of these activities is that you are interacting with your peers and other Spanish speaking locals. Such an experience allows volunteers to learn Spanish and the culture of this beautiful country.

 

This program is available for those with no experience with the Spanish language. In contrast, the program is also available all the way up to a C2 level. More specifically, for those that are hoping to advance their ability to communicate on a culturally appropriate level. There are open opportunities for all volunteers to join these courses. The hours for any private classes can be tailored to the liking of the volunteer.

 

Group classes will be 2-6 volunteers for 4 hours of the day Monday-Friday. These hours will be appointed at orientation. The level volunteers are placed in will be established by a placement test on your first morning. Don’t worry, the test is relaxed and simple!

 

Your Role & Typical Study Day

 

The program has no formal volunteering and is centred around learning Spanish. Thus participants are encouraged to demonstrate lots of enthusiasm and learning ability when completing the learn Spanish in Costa Rica program. The time spent in the classroom will be 4 hours per day Monday-Friday studying Spanish.

 

Cultural activities will be hosted in the afternoons such as cuisine night and salsa dancing. These activities usually take place twice a week. Participants are encouraged to get involved in such activities. For the reason that such activities provide a further mechanism to improve and reinforce Spanish learning. The Spanish school is located adjacent to the volunteer in Costa Rica accommodation. As a result, participants only have a short 1-minute walk to the classroom.

 
 

LEARN SPANISH IN ECUADOR - LANGUAGE PROGRAM

Ecuador volunteer programs provide a great foundation to improve your Spanish. The learn Spanish in Ecuador language program is a core aspect of this. Spanish classes will be tailored to your ability, whether you are a complete beginner or an intermediate looking to improve. On completion of your learn Spanish in Ecuador course, you will receive an accredited certificate from the local team. For this reason, we recognise this language program as the best place to learn Spanish in Ecuador.

 

PMGY Ecuador Spanish School

 

Founded in 1994, the PMGY Spanish school in Ecuador is considered to be one of the oldest and most successful Spanish schools in the region. This is notably because of the professional and extensive experience the teachers and administration staff bring. Because of this, the school recognises itself to be the best place to learn Spanish in Ecuador.

 

Over the years, the Spanish school has built a strong team that enables the best teaching Spanish learning experience. Such an experience is catered directly to student’s individual needs. You will be made to feel right at home from your very first day. Whether in a group of 5 or learning independently, you will have a teacher that is personalised to your Spanish level. This teacher will instruct you in a classroom setting.

 

You will also venture out into the city of Quito to markets, museums and popular areas where locals hang out. This time in Quito is to help you gain confidence in communicating with native speakers. Furthermore, it will also introduce you to a side of the country you may not see as a tourist. This will enable you to be in the best place to learn Spanish in Ecuador.

 

The time in class will be around 4 hours each morning. In addition to this, there are also cultural activities to get involved in during the afternoon/evenings. Across the week, the local team offer optional afternoon and evening activities for participants to enjoy and partake in. Activities include salsa classes, Ecuadorian cuisine classes, trips to nearby mountainsides or even a cocktail hour!

 

Such activities usually run a couple of times each week and change on a weekly basis to keep the variety. Some of the activities may have small fees associated with them for logistics and materials. In addition, the activities usually require a minimum number sign up to ensure they run. The best part of these activities is that you are interacting with your peers and other Spanish speaking locals. Such an experience allows volunteers to learn Spanish and the culture of this beautiful country.

 

This program is available for those with no experience with the Spanish language. In contrast, the program is also available all the way up to a C2 level. More specifically, for those that are hoping to advance their ability to communicate on a culturally appropriate level. There are open opportunities for all volunteer in Ecuador participants to join these courses. The hours for any private classes can be tailored to the liking of the volunteer.

 

Group classes will be 2-5 volunteers for 4 hours of the day Monday-Friday. These hours will be appointed at orientation. The level volunteers are placed in will be established by a placement test. Such a test is usually an informal verbal question and answers with your Spanish teacher at the start of your program. This is done to ascertain what level you need to begin at. Don’t worry, the test is relaxed and simple!

 

Your Role & Typical Study Day

 

The program has no formal volunteering and is centred around learning Spanish. Thus participants are encouraged to demonstrate lots of enthusiasm and learning ability when completing the learn Spanish in Ecuador program. The time spent in the classroom will include 4 hours per day, Monday-Friday studying Spanish.

 

Cultural activities will be hosted in the afternoons such as cuisine night and salsa dancing. These activities usually take place twice a week. Participants are encouraged to get involved in such activities. For the reason that such activities provide a further mechanism to improve and reinforce Spanish learning. The Spanish school is located nearby to the volunteer accommodation. As a result, participants only have a short 10 minute walk to the classroom.

 
 

LEARN SPANISH IN PERU - LANGUAGE PROGRAM

Peru volunteer programs provide a great foundation to improve your Spanish. The learn Spanish in Peru language program is a core aspect of this. Spanish classes will be tailored to your ability, whether you are a complete beginner or an intermediate looking to improve. The friendliness and support of the Spanish teachers make us recognise this language program as the best place to learn Spanish in Peru.

 

PMGY Peru Spanish School

 

Founded in 2005, the PMGY Spanish language school began in Cusco with a vision. The founders’ vision was to increase the spreading of the Spanish language. In addition, the school wanted to play a vital role in contributing meaningful work to the Cusco community. A team network of local and international people have been developed over the years to help achieve this vision.

 

The foundations of the Spanish School remain for native Spanish teachers to teach and spread the Spanish language. As a learn Spanish in Peru participant, you will benefit from this in addition to a cross-cultural rewarding experience. However, the School’s work in the community stretches further.

 

The Spanish school invests directly into local community projects. It also collaborates with local families in the Cusco community to host Spanish learners and volunteers. Consequently, local families can obtain extra income. A host family setting coincidently allows participants to further improve and practise Spanish in their free time. Combining all these reasons, the school recognises itself to be the best place to learn Spanish in Peru.

 

Our local team hosts group and independent classes that you can take to solely learn or improve your Spanish. Alternatively, you can take independent classes in addition to your volunteer work in Peru. In the learn Spanish in Peru program, you will apply yourself from 1-12 weeks. This will take place both inside and outside the classroom. Whether in a group of 5 or learning independently, you will have a teacher that is personalised to your Spanish level. This teacher will instruct you in a classroom setting.

 

You will also venture out into the city of Cusco to markets, museums and popular areas where locals hang out. This time in Cusco is to help you gain confidence in communicating with native speakers. Furthermore, it will also introduce you to a side of the country you may not see as a tourist. This will enable you to be in the best place to learn Spanish in Peru.

 

The time in class will be around 3-4 hours in either the morning or afternoon. In addition to this, there is also an optional weekly evening activity for participants to join every Thursday. Activities vary on a weekly basis. They include salsa classes, Peruvian cuisine classes and day trips to local Incan museums.

 

The weekly activity changes on a weekly basis to keep the variety. Some of the activities may have small fees associated with them for logistics and materials. In addition, the activities usually require a minimum number sign up to ensure they run. The best part of these activities is that you are interacting with your peers and other Spanish speaking locals. Such an experience allows volunteers to learn Spanish and the culture of this beautiful country.

 

This program is available for those with no experience with the Spanish language. In contrast, the program is also available all the way up to a C2 level. More specifically, for those that are hoping to advance their ability to communicate on a culturally appropriate level. There are open opportunities for all volunteer in Peru participants to join these courses. The hours for any private classes can be tailored to the liking of the volunteer.

 

Group classes will be up to 5 volunteers for 3-4 hours Monday-Friday. These hours will be appointed at orientation. The level volunteers are placed in will be established by a placement test. Such a test will be sent via email and this is done to ascertain what level you need to begin at. Don’t worry, the test is relaxed and simple!

 

Your Role & Typical Study Day

 

The program has no formal volunteering and is centred around learning Spanish. Thus participants are encouraged to demonstrate lots of enthusiasm and learning ability when completing the learn Spanish in Peru program. The time spent in the classroom will be 4 hours per day Monday-Friday studying Spanish.

 

Cultural activities will be hosted every Thursday evening such as cuisine night and salsa dancing. These activities usually take place once a week. Participants are encouraged to get involved in such activities. For the reason that such activities provide a further mechanism to improve and reinforce Spanish learning. The Spanish school is located a 30 minute walk from the volunteer accommodation. Alternatively, participants can choose to take a 5 minute taxi ride to the classroom.

Flights

 

After confirming your place on a PMGY volunteer program, we strongly advise that you book your flights as early as possible. This is since it will help ensure that you get the lowest airfare. You can choose to book your flights independently or we can help you with arranging them. PMGY has a wealth of experience in travelling to and from our host countries. Therefore, we know the most affordable ways to travel and the best airlines to use. Therefore, if you would like any assistance booking your flight, you can request an optional flight quote during your online application. Alternatively, feel free to contact us on the phone or by email.

 

Your arrival airport and date are dependent on the specific destination you are joining us in:

 

🇨🇷 Coronado – To join our learn Spanish abroad program in Costa Rica, you should book your flights to Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose on the Sunday start date. The airport code is SJO. Volunteers in Costa Rica can arrive at any time on their designated Sunday start date.

 

🇪🇨 Quito – To join our learn Spanish abroad program in Ecuador, you should book your flights to Mariscal Sucre International Airport iN Quito on the Sunday start date. The airport code is UIO. Volunteers in Peru can arrive at any time on their designated Sunday start date.

 

🇵🇪 Cusco – To join our learn Spanish abroad program in Peru, you should book your flights to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport on the Sunday start date. The airport code is CUZ. Volunteers in Peru can arrive at any time on their designated Sunday start date.

 

Travel Insurance

 

Importantly, having an appropriate travel insurance policy during your time abroad is essential. Therefore, it is mandatory for all of our international volunteers to be appropriately covered across all of their trip dates. This includes your travel to and from the host country, as well as any onward travel. Although PMGY does everything to ensure your trip is safe, inevitably things can go wrong. Therefore, having a travel insurance policy in place helps you effectively deal with any problems you may encounter during your time away.

 

We have partnered up with the insurance company battleface to create an affordable and comprehensive optional policy. This has been designed with our international volunteers in mind, to cover our participants for all of their travel essentials. The policy is available to anyone across the globe, up to the age of 65 years. The document will cover you for your time on any PMGY destination and any onward travel (excluding the US and Canada). You can purchase PMGY Travel Insurance during your online application or you can contact us directly to arrange it.

Our International Team will work hard to provide extensive levels of support in the build-up to your trip. From our online chat service to email support and telephone conversations, our team are always ready to help. All international volunteers with PMGY will receive a Volunteer Handbook. This detailed hand guide will provide you with all you need to know in the build-up to your trip. From visa guidance to suggested packing lists, this will be the ultimate guide, helping you plan for your volunteer trip abroad.

 

We have Facebook groups for each of our volunteer destinations. Here you can find members of our international and local teams, as well as past, present and future volunteers. These pages, therefore, provide a great forum for volunteers to network, share experiences and community updates year-on-year.

 

Sometimes it can be difficult to picture yourself abroad without yet being there. We, therefore, do our best to further manage expectations before you arrive through a variety of informative and action-packed videos on our PMGY Vimeo channel. These clips help provide you with a visual perspective of what you can expect during your time volunteering with us. Our webinars are not to be missed either. Running on selected Tuesdays, at 4pm UK time, our International Team provides invaluable advice for your upcoming trip. Each webinar covers something different. Our pre-departure webinar covers all of the essentials you need to know and do before joining us abroad. Our program preparation webinar is more project-specific, with advice and information for the time you will spend on placement. Finally, our safety webinar offers you some top tips on how to manage your safety and wellbeing across the pond. For those who are simply interested in learning more about PMGY, our team also run an introductory webinar. This provides an introduction to the volunteer organisation, our background, goals and volunteer opportunities overseas.

🇨🇷 Coronado – Our Costa Rica volunteer program is based in Coronado, a very popular suburb of San Jose and home to nearly 60,000 residents. The city is located 10km from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. It is set at the foot of Braulio Carrillo National Park, virtually untouched and home to over 150-different species of animals. Coronado offers visitors an opportune ability to encounter both the city life and natural wonders of Costa Rica!

 

🇪🇨 Quito – Our Ecuador volunteer program is based in Quito, the country’s capital in the Andes Mountains. The city is the highest official capital in the world, resting at an elevation of 2,850 metres above sea level. Quito is classified as a UNESCO heritage site, still upholding many of its historical features that date back hundreds of years. This city’s location among the mountain tops leaves volunteers in Ecuador with majestic views of city life, wilderness and history.

 

🇵🇪 Cusco – Our Peru volunteer program is based in the south-eastern region of Peru within in the city of Cusco. Cusco was once the capital of the Incan Empire. This UNESCO World Heritage site rests at an elevation of 3,400 metres above sea level. The city now hosts more than 2-million tourists each year, many of whom are on a journey to visit Machu Picchu. A trip to this World Wonder provides individuals with an opportunity to learn about the origins of Quechua people. While visiting Cusco, you will feel an overwhelming presence of history and culture!

PMGY’s learn Spanish abroad programs are run by our dedicated and experienced in-country local teams. All staff have been fully vetted by our International Team. The committed local community network provides the structure for your stay with us as you learn Spanish abroad. Our local team will arrange your accommodation, airport pick-up, in-country orientation and 24/7 emergency support. Our team provides a great framework for you to enjoy a unique experience with us as you learn Spanish abroad.

When you arrive onto your specific learn Spanish abroad program, you will receive an orientation from your in-country team. This day will usually be broken down into two components. The first portion will usually be dedicated to all the theoretical aspects, from ‘dos and don’ts’, to safety aspects, project information and team introductions. The remainder of the day is usually used to introduce you to the local area. The local team will teach you how to locate every essential you may need during your time. They will also be able to help you arrange your money and a local SIM-card. Please note that the exact itinerary of the orientation will vary from country-to-country.

If you have not travelled much before, it is really hard to know what to expect. When anticipating their time overseas, many international volunteers (and their loved ones) are often concerned about safety and security. Although we can never guarantee volunteer experiences to be 100% trouble-free, we have taken all necessary precautions to ensure our programs are as safe as possible. Every program that PMGY offers has been personally inspected and selected by a director of PMGY. We have lived in the accommodation, experienced the orientation and worked on the projects. Through our frequent visits and daily communications, we have built strong, trusting relationships with our local staff.

 

In the unlikely event that something was to happen, volunteers have various layers of support available to them:

 

• PMGY Local Team
• Project Staff
• PMGY International Team

 

Projects are monitored on an on-going basis to gauge volunteers’ experiences. With the help of volunteer feedback, we are able to continually improve our placements and volunteer opportunities. Security and safety are frequently assessed as part of this. We ask our participants to raise any concerns with our local or International Team. This ensures that these can be addressed and/or resolved as readily and appropriately as possible.

 

Through pre-departure and in-country guidance, we do our best to prepare our international volunteers for their time abroad. All participants are provided with a comprehensive safety briefing during their orientation period. Our local teams will go through everything from project introductions, to emergency procedures, how to use local transport and cultural differences. During this period, our team also provide participants with a full list of the important contact numbers.

 

Listed below are some general safety tips:

 

• Be modest with the amount of jewellery worn in public
• Do not drink tap water
• Be cautious of beggars or crowds. Incidents can occur when is confusion to distract you.
• Be cautious about removing money in public
• Always try to know where you are going before you attempt long journeys. Be especially careful at night
• Use reputable transport only. Our local staff will be able to recommend some during orientation
• Try to keep in groups at night and never walk alone along dark, empty streets
• The recognised tourist areas can be considered potentially high-risk areas for pickpockets and thieves
• Leave your valuables behind before a night out in the town
• For traffic safety, always keep looking to the left and right and walk slowly when crossing the road
• Do not accept drinks or food from strangers

🇨🇷 Coronado – On the Costa Rica volunteer program, the cost of your project transport is not included in your Program Fee. Transport to the learn Spanish abroad project will be by local bus routes or walking. The bus stop is located just outside the volunteer accommodation and Spanish school. Furthermore, the local team will assist you in learning the routes to your volunteer project. As a result, you will be acquainted with how to get to and from your learn Spanish abroad project.

 

🇪🇨 Quito – On the Ecuador volunteer program, the cost of your project transport is not included in your Program Fee. Transport to the learn Spanish abroad project will usually require a bus ride. The bus stop is located nearby to the volunteer accommodation. Furthermore, the local team will assist you in learning the routes to your volunteer project. As a result, you will be acquainted with how to get to and from your learn Spanish abroad project.

 

🇵🇪 Cusco – On the Peru volunteer program, the cost of your project transport is not included in your Program Fee. Transport to the learn Spanish abroad project will be by local bus or walking. Your bus stop will be located either close to your host family or the Spanish school. Furthermore, the local team will assist you in learning the routes to your volunteer project. As a result, you will be acquainted with how to get to and from your learn Spanish abroad project.

PMGY welcome volunteers of all nationalities and backgrounds. The minimum age to join the program is 18 and there is no upper age limit. All volunteers need to have a good level of English, although it does not need to be your first language. We recommend that volunteers in South America speak a basic to intermediate level of Spanish.

 

Volunteers in South America are only required to speak a basic level of Spanish. However, we find that the ability to speak a good level will greatly enhance your overall experience. English is generally not widely. Consequently, if you do not speak a reasonable level of Spanish, you may find it difficult to communicate. This may make your experience frustrating.

 

All participants must be able to provide a clean criminal background check in advance of volunteering with us abroad. In general, no formal experience or qualifications are required for the projects, just lots of energy, enthusiasm and preparation!

 

In order to confirm your place on a PMGY program, you need to pay your Registration Fee of 249 USD. The remaining fee is then due no less than 60 days prior to your program start date. During this period if you need to make a change to your trip (destination, program or date) then this can be facilitated free of charge.

 

Please check out our Application Process for more info on how to join on a learn Spanish abroad program with PMGY.