SPANISH IN NATURE reviews

I spent the week of June through 28th of June 2015 at the Spanish in Nature School, taking the Teacher at Home course. Having self taught myself Spanish over 5 years I was nervous to say the least.

However, upon arriving, any nerves were soon blown away, with a warm welcome from Alvaro at the airport, then an equally warm welcome from Esther, Lucia, Amor and Javier, allowing me to relax immediately.

The setting is idyllic, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the world in a lovely location just outside El Boalo. The accomodation is more than adequate and you are provided with your own ensuite shower and toilet.

The lessons were tailored to my apparent level of Spanish and they were thoroughly enjoyable. Alvaro uses different media for the lessons, from videos, to music, to books, and the lessons just fly by, before you know it the lesson is over. The learning however isn't, as this actually occurs more away from the desk.

You are treated as a member of the family, and I found it rewarding to pitch in with things, whether setting the table to making a Spanish Tortilla with Esther's help for all to enjoy. If they go out, you go out with them, all the time talking Spanish, and improving with every passing hour.

The excursions provided were of great interest, from walking in the mountains to wandering around Madrid for an afternoon and into the evening. Nothing is too much trouble, and if you just want to relax, that option is always available!

I wouldn't change a thing about my experience at Alvaro's and Esther's, and although I arrived as a stranger, I left as a friend. If you really want to test your Spanish, then this is the course and the place for you, go on, jump in at the deep end, it's not as scary as you think, trust me.

This year’s winter holidays were exceptional - my children and I spent one week in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere at Esther´s and Alvaro´s. Since I had the pleasure of visiting them before, I knew that they would try their best to make us feel at home with them. Meanwhile, I didn’t know how my six and nine-year old children would react to the Spanish food, foreign language, and an environment to which they aren’t accustomed. However, when we came into their house these fears disappeared, and I was completely calm.

From the first meal they really enjoyed the food and they were pleasantly surprised. After that the children disappeared to find out about the new surroundings and play with Javier, Amor and Lucía. Each day gave us many new experiences: lots of different games and activities, preparation of meals, horseback riding, a visit to the fire brigade, trips to the mountains and to the centre of Madrid, a visit to an unusual museum dedicated to the mouse "Perez", breakfast bar tasting "churros con chocolate" and finally an unforgettable visit to the Spanish school, where children spent the morning attending classes with Javier and with a nice and friendly school staff.
Not only did the children have a nice time, but they also wanted to learn Spanish. In fact, they learned more than I could have imagined. They learned a lot during the classes with Esther, Amor and Lucía and were inspired to learn more. From morning to evening my children bombarded them with questions about everything. They tried to communicate in Spanish and when they saw that they were able to do it, they were very proud of themselves.
Amazingly, I even had time to deepen my knowledge, to practice the language and also to relax and reflect.
The time flew by and one week went by quickly. It was difficult to say goodbye. But we have already booked our next visit!

My husband, daughter and I had an amazing week staying with Alvaro and Esther and their three lovely children in August. It exceeded all expectations. As any family would be, we were really apprehensive, before we went, wondering and worrying about what it would be like to stay with complete strangers in their home but our worries vanished instantly on arrival because we were made to feel so welcome and by the end of the week, we felt that we had known the family for years. No family could be more friendly and hospitable.
The purpose of our visit was for our 12 year old daughter to improve her Spanish beyond the little she had done in a term and a half in her first year at senior school. She had a three hour formal lesson each day, being one-to-one tuition with Alvaro and she thoroughly enjoyed her lessons.
We went on some really interesting trips during our week, including spending a day exploring Madrid. Our daughter enjoyed rock climbing with Alvaro and Lucia, his elder daughter and canoeing with all the family.
Our first meal soon after arrival was a lovely lunch of paella, cooked outside by Alvaro and all the meals in the week were mouth-wateringly delicious. The weather was fantastic and we really enjoyed the Spanish way of life with the afternoon siesta out of the heat of the day and lovely after dinner chats late into the evening.
The house was situated in beautiful surroundings and it was all so peaceful.
It really was a most idyllic week and one we very much hope to repeat. The worst part of the week was saying goodbye at the end and we were so sad to leave.

At the end of May I stayed in El Boalo, Madrid for an immersion course called "Spanish in Nature" (as it’s located in the heart of Guadarrama National Park, in the mountains). It's been an unusual experience to me, first of all, since I had been lucky to win a contest and got a week of the course absolutely for free, and also, as the family that provided me with everything in their own house were amazing. They've treated me like one of them, cooked delicious Spanish food and spent with me a lot of quality time. With the variety of activities I had every day (like participating in the local events, family life, hiking, rock climbing, swimming, cycling, visiting Madrid and Segovia and so on) it was impossible to be bored. To combine such entertainment with speaking Spanish all the time, to me, was the best way to acquire the language. Apart from that, I had 3 hours of proper classes every day. I’m surprised how one week of the course made me more confident speaking Spanish and not Spanglish.
Esther, Álvaro and their children are particularly open, caring, patient and interesting people and I would totally recommend their courses to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish.

I booked a two-week homestay learning course with Spanish in Nature for my 13 year-old daughter, who was just starting Spanish. This was an adventure and a risk, as it was the first time she had ever been in a non-Polish, non-English speaking environment without her parents. No need to worry! From the first contact prior to reserving, and all the way through the course, the organisers, family and friends were extremely friendly and helpful, and put in 100% effort to ensure my daughter would feel at home. The setting is wonderful, in the hills outside Madrid, in clean nature while less than one hour by car from the shopping in the capital. The programme was full of interesting activities and my daughter loved every minute of her time there. It's obvious that after coming back to Poland, she is now top of her class in Spanish. Highly recommended!

having spent many holidays in Spain I knew a number of words, but I could not really speak Spanish. Fed up with this, I had decided to attend a Spanish course.
As I love outdoor activities, the natural choice was "Spanish in Nature" living at the teachers home.
What I fortunate decision: Alvaro and Esther are passionate about teaching. They showedg me the area. We have visited El Escorial, Segovia, the Pedriza and Peñalara national park and more. I received an introduction into cuisine and lifestyle. Living with the family was a brilliant experience.
The Spanish lessons were intense but tailored to my needs, and after one week I am looking forward to return for a holiday, to use my acquired knowledge.

Having arrived as a student, I felt that I had to leave friends after this week.

I spent a highly memorable week being fully immersed in Spanish culture, thanks to Spanish In Nature. I felt welcome from the outset, meeting Esther, Alvaro and their three children, who accommodated me, my interests, and tailored my Spanish experience. They even surprised me with a little Spanish celebration for my birthday, cake and all!
The lessons in the mornings were always interesting and challenging, with the use of music and videos - I always learnt something new and surprising, both about the language and the culture. Each afternoon was a chance to explore another aspect of Madrid and the surrounding areas, and I particularly enjoyed the hiking in Guadarrama National Park, with some absolutely stunning views. The week was busy and varied, but with many opportunities to relax and enjoy the landscape and culture of El Boalo and Madrid. It was great to see the real Spain, and not just the tourist attractions, making it feel like I had a more authentic experience. They encouraged me to practise speaking in Spanish throughout, so much so that I even found myself thinking in the language. I don't think I spoke English at all until I returned home.
For me this was a really fun, rewarding and memorable experience, and it has improved my confidence, both in Spanish and in general. It has definitely inspired me to plan my next trip to España.

Wonderful environment for Spanish learning. Small village setting with easy access to historic cities and national parks creates a unique way to experience Spanish culture while being immersed in a supportive language learning environment. Highly recommended.

Maravilloso sitio para aprender español. Un pueblo pequeño muy cercano al centro de Madrid y rodeado de montañas y naturaleza. El mejor lugar para aprender la cultura y la lengua española, mientras estas inmenso en la vida cotidiana y en un entorno precioso. Altamente recomendable.