RESOURCES >> FAQs

First, create an account on our web site if you do not already have one. Once you create an account, you will be able to purchase points and schedule online classes. If you already have a My MAA account, just log in to your existing account. You can pay for classes using credit card, PayPal, PayPal Credit, or Venmo (on Chrome for Android).

Each point represents one hour of online class time. You can purchase as many points as you wish at one time. One point costs US $12, and there are discounts if you purchase 5 or 10 at a time. Once you have points in your account, you may schedule online classes. For each hour of class that you schedule, one point will be deducted. Unused points do not expire.

Currently, online classes are offered Monday through Saturday, beginning each hour from 8AM to 6PM (except 1PM) Guatemala time. Guatemala is in the same time zone as US Central time, but does not observe daylight savings. For convenience in scheduling, class times are shown in both your local timezone and in Guatemala time. Each hour is scheduled individually, so that you can mix and match days and times as desired. If you wish to study for more than one hour at a time, just schedule multiple consecutive classes. Classes must be scheduled at least the day before, and may be scheduled up to two months in advance. If a class timeslot is already full, it will not be shown.

The teachers have many years of experience teaching Spanish and are the same ones that teach our one-on-one classes in Guatemala. You can learn more about them on our teachers page. Not all our teachers are available for online classes. When you schedule an online Spanish class, you may make a request for a particular teacher if you wish. We can not guarantee your teacher, but will fulfill your request if possible.

All levels, from beginner through advanced, are available.

Your teacher will discuss with you what you wish to work on and make a plan. Classes are usually a mix of grammar, vocabulary, and conversation, but can be tailored specifically to your requirements. For example, you may be an intermediate or advanced student who wishes to have intensive conversation practice. Or, you may be a (human) medical student or veterinary medical student and wish specific vocabulary and conversation. Or, if you are enrolled in a Spanish class locally, you may wish to use your online time to practice and reinforce topics that you are working on. If you wish to work on writing, you can email your writings to your teacher and go over them in class. Students who have attended our Spanish language program in Guatemala take online classes to keep practicing and improving their Spanish.

After scheduling a class, you may change the date and/or time or cancel the class up until the day before it is due to start. The point(s) that you used will automatically be returned to your account. If it is less than the day before, you may cancel the class but the point will not be automatically returned. If you canceled due to unavoidable circumstances, let us know and we may return the point(s) if we are able to schedule another student at that time. If you have multiple family members on the same My MAA account, you can assign the class to a different family member at any time.

If you are unable to make a connection and have the class due to problems beyond your control (Skype network issues or problems at our end), then let us know and we will return the point to your account.

We currently support Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet (formerly called Hangouts). If you prefer a different app, please discuss it with us.

Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet may be used from your desktop computer or mobile phone.

We recommend that you use a high quality headset/microphone or good earbuds with a microphone. You can also use headphones along with a camera that has a microphone. This will help to give good voice quality, eliminate background noise, and free up your hands to write or type at the same time if desired. Be sure to position the microphone close to and pointing towards your mouth to avoid muffled sound. Please avoid using the microphone built into laptop computers with a hard drive, a fan, or a noisy keyboard.

Please make sure that you have a good cellular or WiFi connection. It can help to reboot your WiFi router from time-to-time. Make sure that the connection is good and that you are not too far away from your WiFi router. Position yourself so that a bright light or window is not in back of you.

Yes, if you need help or for any reason are not happy with your class, please phone or email the US office.

First, create an account on our web site if you do not already have one. Then, in your account, you can add a tentative reservation with no obligation. Once you have done this, you can update it at any time and pay the $40 registration fee to hold your space when your plans are set.

As our school is very popular, we suggest that you register at least one to two months in advance to guarantee a space. You may register later than that and be admitted if space is still available. As soon as you make a tentative or firm reservation online, our system will instantly tell you if the dates are not available.

A tentative reservation starts the process and puts you on the tentative schedule. If space is running out on the dates that you selected, we will attempt to contact you, but we can not guarantee this as many people may register at the same time and some dates fill up quickly.

A tentative reservation is converted to a firm reservation when you pay the $40 per person registration fee. You do not have a reserved space and your teachers and family will not be scheduled until you pay the registration fee and make a firm reservation.

Your registration fee helps to cover the time and expense of processing your registration, providing personalized support, publicizing the school, and maintaining the web site. When you confirm your reservation and pay the registration fee, we schedule you for classes and a teacher and family prepare for your arrival. The registration fee is non-refundable and does not apply towards tuition. Registration fee discounts are available for larger groups. We do not use agents or pay commissions. 100% of your tuition in Guatemala goes towards operating the school and paying our teachers and families.

Due to our popularity, spaces for the dates you want may be filled a number of months in advance, so it is highly recommended that you register as soon as you know your plans. In addition, pre-registration gives you all the services of the US office, such as filling out documents for you to receive University or Medical School credit, personal answers to all your questions, assistance if necessary while traveling, and more. After you register, you may adjust your attendance dates if needed up to one week before arrival with no penalty, as long as space is available. An additional benefit is that even if tuition prices increase in the future, you will not have to pay any more than the price that was in effect at the time you registered.

We understand that sometimes plans change, so we try to be quite flexible! As long as you let us know at least one week before your classes start, you may change your arrival date without having to pay the registration fee again. You may also change your end date without penalty. Before your arrival, please contact us with any changes. If you change your plans after you arrive, please let the school director Edna know by Wednesday of the week preceding any alteration of your original planned stay. We will guarantee space for any student who is currently studying who wishes to extend their studies.

If you need to cancel, you can also do so without penalty up to one week before classes begin (although the registration fee is non-refundable). If you cancel less than one week before classes begin, or don't show up, your tuition for the first week will not be refunded. We regret having to do this, but since your teacher and family will be anticipating your arrival we need to have this policy in fairness to them.

It may seem like a lot to have a five hour class, but the one-on-one experience is totally unlike being in a regular classroom with other students, and the time will pass quickly. You've made the effort to come to Guatemala to study, and we want you to learn as much as you can while you are here. For these reasons, we do not normally offer less than 25 hours/week (5 hours/day). We can make exceptions in special cases, such as if you need to work or study elsewhere full-time remotely while attending our school, or if you are unable to sustain a five hour class for personal reasons.

We are not currently requiring proof of vaccination.

We currently are not requiring testing prior to arrival. Please bring self-tests with you so that you can test yourself if you have symptoms.

Yes. All teachers and all homestay family members have been vaccinated and boosted.

Yes. If you do not feel comfortable in a homestay, you may make your own hotel arrangements in advance and we will deduct the homestay cost from the tuition.

Classrooms normally hold one or two student-teacher pairs. Weather permitting, you and your teacher may also study outside on the patio, the roof, or in town.

Yes, everything is currently operating normally.

No, but you may wear a mask if you wish to.

At MAA, we go to incredible lengths to ensure that the quality of our program is second to none.

1) Teachers with up to 30 years experience teaching immersion Spanish, with rigorous training and certification.

2) One-on-one instruction that results in far greater progress than is possible in a classroom.

3) Deep involvement in helping the community, including rural development, education, health care, and humanitarian efforts. Projects have included traveling to remote villages to provide health care, providing counseling and assistance to storm victims, hosting classes for street children in our school, and more. Our Spanish students have the opportunity to get involved in projects like these and others.

4) Extensive library of books, videos, and multimedia that students can use in the school or check out and bring home.

5) Excellent homestay experiences, with families who make our students feel welcome and included, as well as agreeing to our high standards for cleanliness and food preparation.

6) Owners who are highly experienced Spanish teachers and run the school on a day to day basis. They are always there to support our students and teachers and maintain the high quality of our school.

7) Complete student support from the US office, including live phone help during daily business hours, fast email response, and cell phone contact numbers in case help is needed while traveling to Guatemala.

8) Rave reviews and recommendations from our former students!

Quetzaltenango (aka Xela, pronounced "shay-la"), is the best place in the world to study Spanish!

1) Guatemalan Spanish is universal and clearly spoken, making it easier to learn and useful for speaking with native speakers from any other Spanish speaking country.

2) Only Spanish is heard on the street, and few Guatemalans speak English, so it is a true immersion experience (all the tourists go to Antigua!).

3) Affordable one-on-one individual classes. The only way to really excel learning a language, and just not economically feasible anywhere else.

4) Incredible setting high in the mountains, surrounded by volcanoes. Old cobblestone streets and Spanish architecture.

5) Incredible people and culture. Learn about and experience what life is like in Guatemala and Latin America.

Our teachers have up to 30 years of experience teaching Spanish. They are all Guatemalans (of both Ladino and Mayan ancestry) and are either university graduates or attending the university. They have completed the certificate program at the University of San Carlos, Guatemala, for Teaching Spanish as a Second Language, and have also passed through our rigorous teacher training program. Every student receives a detailed evaluation form to fill out at the end of each week, and we carefully review these to assure that our program is always meeting the highest standards.

Miguel Angel Asturias Spanish School was founded in 1995 by three highly experienced Guatemalan Spanish teachers, and continues today under the same administration and ownership. As the school has grown, many more teachers have been hired. We are not part of a chain nor owned by a corporation. Our primary focus is to provide the absolute highest quality language instruction and the best experience possible, while contributing to and helping our community.

The tuition of US $210 per week covers 25 hours of private class and homestay, including three meals a day seven days a week. In addition, our program includes guest speakers (in Spanish with optional translation), video documentaries, and optional afternoon and weekend trips included at no additional charge. 'No additional charge' means that we plan and organize the activities, provide staff and/or teachers, and cover any at-school activity expenses. For optional activities that leave the school, you pay for any personal expenses, like transportation, food, park admission, and lodging. The typical cost for a round-trip bus ride to a nearby village is US $1, and a clean hotel room can be found for as little as $5 per night! An optional long-distance weekend overnight excursion may cost approximately $40 for transportation and lodging.

Yes! At the school we have computers available as well as free Wi-Fi, and all of our homestays also have Wi-Fi. In addition, there are numerous Internet cafes in town, with high-speed fiber-optic connections. Internet cafes cost around 75 US cents per hour.

No problem! Since every class is private, we start by assessing your skills and then we gear the class exactly to your needs. You'll be amazed at how fast you'll progress and soon be able to communicate with confidence. Many students who mistakenly though they were "bad at languages" excel in our program!

Classes for advanced students can involve hours of spontaneous conversation, reading books from literature to modern politics, translating, writing, and grammar. The program is designed to be flexible and give you the practice and correction that you need to gain fluency.

You can stay from as short as one week to as long as you want! Most students stay from 2 to 6 weeks. Some highly motivated students stay for three months or longer! Sometimes students may take a week off from studying to relax or travel. If you decide to do this, just let us know by Wednesday of the preceding week. Covering all the grammar and topics from absolute beginning level to advanced takes about 11 or 12 weeks, but of course every student is different. Your studies don't have to end there—we have many advanced students who study additional weeks to refine and improve their Spanish.

Colleges and Universities around the world have granted credit for attending our program. You should contact your department head, dean, instructor, or study abroad office to obtain the required permission and forms before attending our school. We will be happy to assist you by supplying any additional information that you need and by filling out any forms that they require. Since this is time-consuming for us, we're sorry but we can only provide this service for students who have already paid the registration fee. For students participating in our medical Spanish or veterinary medicine Spanish program as part of their medical school rotation, we will fill out all the necessary paperwork and the supervising doctor in Guatemala will evaluate your participation.

One week of our school is equivalent to about 1.9 university credit hours, or 2.25 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) in the US system (you will be learning much faster in our one-on-one classes, but the traditional credit system doesn't take this into account). Optional activities, if counted as lab time (1 hr for every 2 actual hours), would be about another 0.4 university credit hours or 0.5 CEUs. Medical Spanish and veterinary medicine Spanish students may receive up to 25 hours of clinical experience per week (generally in place of activity time). We can issue an official transcript on request after you have completed your studies. The amount of credit ultimately granted will be determined by your institution.

We have specialized programs available for those who wish to study business Spanish, medical Spanish, and veterinary medicine Spanish. The medical Spanish and veterinary medicine Spanish programs combines emphasis on medical situations and terminology in your private classes, with group activities and visits with other medical Spanish students, and optional clinic volunteer placement. For those who wish to study other specialties, our teachers are experienced in designing classes to meet your needs. In addition, we can arrange volunteer opportunities and visits to people and places specific to your interests.

Sure! Please go to our student reference page to see what some of them have to say and to contact them directly.

Modern language teaching uses the target language only (Spanish in this case) for all levels, even complete beginners! This is a proven concept and used around the world. You will learn faster this way and internalize the language rather than translating in your head. Please do not ask for a teacher who knows English. You may experience some frustration, but it is good for you and ultimately you will become a better Spanish speaker!

We collect nothing for ourselves. However, some of the humanitarian organizations we place you with may request a small donation to help support their operations. For example, the animal shelter we place veterinary medical Spanish students with requests a USD $10 donation per student. Some volunteer activities may require that you take a bus ride, which might cost USD $1 round trip or so.

Generally no — it would be like hiring someone without an interview. Most organizations that we place volunteers with want to meet you in person first, to make sure that you will be a good fit. And we want you to check them out as well, so you can decide for yourself if you'll be happy there or would like to look at other options. You'll have a chance to do this during your first week at school. If you have a very special request, such as a specific medical specialty that you'd like to work in, we can sometimes make exceptions.

Generally, volunteer activities do not start before your second week of school. We want you to first get used to Guatemala, get used to studying Spanish five hours a day, and check out the volunteer options that are available. We also want you to first learn something about the culture and history of the people of Guatemala, so that you will have a greater understanding of the people and situations that you may encounter.

If you are in class for five hours, and volunteer for four to five hours, then you may not have time to participate in some of the optional activities on the same day as well. Remember, you also need time to eat, study and do homework, and just relax. During the first week, you'll be able to judge better how best to use your time. If you decide not to volunteer, that's OK.

In most cases, volunteering requires at least a five week stay, intermediate Spanish, and a serious commitment. It is also subject to the needs of the community. Please do not insist on volunteering if we can't find a good match for you, if you don't meet or come close to meeting these requirements, or if you are not prepared to put your volunteer commitment before all social and travel activities that may conflict.

If it is a good fit, then yes! However, we do not offer "feel good" volunteering. Volunteering for a short period of time, on an inconsistent basis, or to do work that a local person could be paid for, is not helpful. In many cases, you can do the most good by learning as much Spanish as possible. Then you'll gain the ability to be a more effective volunteer in Guatemala or in your own home community in the future.

Many students form close bonds with their host families even for the short time that they are in Guatemala. Our families are warm and hospitable and dedicated to making your stay enjoyable. You'll also get lots of practice speaking Spanish, as the families do not speak English. Families will often invite their students to go with them to the market, visit their work or school, or go on a family excursion. To place you with the most appropriate family, when you register we ask you your preferences about food, children, and pets.

You will have your own private room with a bed, a chair, a desk, and a desk lamp. You'll be given a key to the house so you can come and go as you wish, and you'll also have a separate key to lock your room. We check out every house and family where our students stay, and each family signs an agreement which includes our requirements for cleanliness and purified drinking water.

We normally prefer to place each student who is traveling alone with their own family. As your homestay is an integral part of our program, we feel it is important that you are surrounded by Spanish at both the school and at home. Couples, families, and friends may request to be housed together. Friends may also request to be placed with separate host families that are located near each other. Please let us know any special housing requests when you register.

No problem. When you register, we ask you your food preferences and place you with a family that will cook wholesome meals according to your needs.

We consider the homestay an integral part of our language program, and it is included in the tuition. But if you wish to make other arrangements, please let us know when you register. Tuition without a home-stay is about $30 per week less. If you are not sure, we encourage you to start out staying with a family, as you can change your living arrangements later if you need to. The homestay is appropriate for students of all ages.

The homestay week included with your tuition is Sunday through Saturday. Usually we can bring you directly to your family when you arrive in Xela, and accommodate extra days afterwards. Any extra days before or after cost about $9 a day for room and board, and are subject to availability. If your family is not available on those extra days, we can direct you to a pención a block away or to a nearby hotel.

Yes! We can specially tailor classes for children, including games and activities (all in Spanish!) that are age-appropriate. For those children who will not be studying, we can help you to arrange child care, either with your own host family or with a child care provider. Child care cost is approximately US $10/day but will depend on the specific arrangements. Please understand that in order to maintain a quiet and stress-free study environment, any children who cause noise or disturbance will not be allowed in the school during classes and activities, and children who are not studying will not be able to come to class with you as this would be an unfair distraction to both you and your teacher.

Most students arrive in Xela on Sunday. We recommend that you book a flight that will arrive in Guatemala City by 4PM or so if you expect to travel to Xela (Quetzaltenango) the same day. The latest bus leaves at 5:30 or 6PM. If your flight arrives later, you should plan to arrive on Saturday, stay overnight in Guatemala City. and travel to Xela Sunday morning. Your weekly tuition includes homestay from Sunday through Saturday. Early arrival Thursday through Saturday can usually be accommodated with advance notice at additional cost.

We recommend that you schedule a flight that leaves Saturday evening or later from Guatemala City. To allow adequate travel time, you'll need to leave Xela Saturday morning (for a Saturday evening flight) or Saturday afternoon (for a Sunday morning or afternoon flight). Your weekly tuition includes homestay from Sunday through Saturday. Late departure Sunday through Tuesday can usually be accomodated with advance notice at additional cost.

We give you detailed traveling instructions about a week before you are set to arrive. The trip is relatively easy, and involves 2 taxis and a 4 to 4.5 hour bus trip. We normally arrange for a taxi to meet you at the bus station in Xela to bring you directly to your homestay. Alternatively, if you are taking a shuttle from elsewhere in Guatemala, we can supply you with your homestay address a few days before you arrive, and the shuttle will usually bring you directly there.

If you prefer to have someone meet you at the airport and bring you to the bus station, we can arrange this for a reasonable cost of US $35, which includes the bus fare. Most students, even beginners, opt to travel to the school on their own following the clear instructions we provide when you register. If you arrive after 4PM or so, you'll need to stay overnight and travel to Xela the next morning. The cost for this, including homestay for one night, meals, and the bus ticket, is US $60. If you wish an airport pickup or a pickup with overnight stay, please add it to your reservation online at least one week before your arrival so that we can confirm the arrangements. Hotel Dos Lunas offers a similar pickup and overnight package and is also a good option.

Citizens of the following countries need a valid passport (not due to expire within 6 months) but do not need a visa to travel to Guatemala: United States, Canada, Australia, UK, all EU countries, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Brunei- Darussalam, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Perú, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of China (Taiwan), Republic of South Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Thomas and Prince, San Marino, San Vicente and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, State of the Vatican City, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vanuatu.

The list of countries is to the best of our knowledge accurate, however it is subject to change and we cannot be responsible for any errors. If your country is not listed above, or you are unsure of the requirements for your nationality, then we suggest that you contact a Guatemalan embassy or consulate for confirmation. We are unable to provide assistance or letters of admission for the purpose of obtaining a visa.

Yes, we are open year round except that there is no class on official Guatemalan holidays, including New Years Day January 1, Good Friday (varies), Guatemalan Independence Day September 15, All Saints Day November 1, and Christmas Day December 25. If the Monday of your fist week is a holiday, your classes will start on Tuesday instead. This is indicated in the registration system when you register. Your homestay still begins on Sunday, and tuition is still the same.

Xela can be quite warm in the daytime and cool at night and in the morning. The high temperature is typically 70–85 degrees Fahrenheit (20–30 degrees Celsius) much of the year. Rainy season is May through October, during which there is often a light rain in the afternoon. As Xela is located high in the mountains, please bring clothes for both warm sunshine and an occasional heavy rain! During your stay you may have the opportunity to travel to the Pacific coast lowlands, which can be very hot with a heavy rain in the afternoon during the rainy season. Current weather in Xela.

Your first week's tuition is due at least one week before Sunday of the week that you start. After you arrive in Guatemala, each week's tuition is due by Wednesday of the preceding week, and you may pay multiple weeks in advance if you wish. You may pay on our website by credit card, PayPal, PayPal Credit, or Venmo. You may also pay in person at the school using US Dollars (we can only accept $100 bills) or Guatemalan Quetzales. Tuition is charged on a weekly basis, and is not pro-rated for legal holidays (Good Friday, Independence Day Sept 15, Christmas Day Dec 25, and New Year's Day Jan 1).

School is offered on a weekly basis, Sunday through Saturday. Full tuition is always due for every week, even if you miss classes, meals, or homestay, with the following exception:

In your first week, if you start both your classes and homestay on Thursday or later, or in your last week, if you finish both your classes and homestay on Tuesday or earlier, you pay a prorated rate. Partial weeks must be arranged at least a week in advance and are contingent on teacher and family availability.

No. Wages are generally low in Guatemala, and we have very experienced and dedicated teachers and families who deserve to be paid fairly for their time. If you are willing to pay the fair tuition rate that we ask, then we would love to have you as a student!