Our School
 

    Tecún Umán is located in the center of Antigua, in a friendly and hospitable environment.  Tecún Umán was founded in 1983, and has grown due to our reputation as one of Guatemala´s best Spanish schools.  Because of our excellent curriculum and teachers, we are recognized by the Ministry of Education and by INGUAT, the Office of Tourism of Guatemala.  We also are one of the few schools to offer credits to college students who want to attend Tecún Umán, through La Universidad Rural de Guatemala.  In addition, we are noted as one of a handful of reputable schools by the Lonely Planet Guide to Guatemala.

    We have made a constant effort to continue our curriculum development, meeting the individual needs and goals of each of our students.  Tecún Umán´s owner Mario Castellanos, and his staff, make every effort to help students not only learn the Spanish Language, but learn something about the "Spanish-Way-Of-Life".

********For students interested in obtaining college credits for studying at Tecun Uman, we have provided a link to the Universidad Rural de Guatemala(in English), which describes the details of this option.  If students need more credits than the 2 offered, they should consult with their university department to get approval for an additional project paper or internship project to increase the college credits available to them.********

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    Antigua, planned by the Italian architect Juan Francisco Antonelli in 1542, was the first planned city in the New World. Outstanding architects, among them Diego de Porres, developed a creative spirit in buildings and public works, such as the Fountain of the Sirens in the Royal Plaza.

    Antigua, the city, conserves all its colonial charm. Public buildings, churches, convents and old residences are examples of the baroque architecture and the prosperity of the past of this ancient capital, declared a Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, in 1979.  Another interesting aspect of Antigua is how it blends this old Spanish colonial charm with the indigenous Mayan peoples who live in and around Antigua.

    You'll be charmed by the narrow cobblestone streets and by the 16th-century churches and convents, whose beautiful fountains and gardens have been well preserved.  Antigua maintains an excellent quality of life, which makes it an excellent place to study. It´s close proximity to other attractions, within Guatemala and neighboring countries, also makes it an ideal jumping off point for weekend excursions.

    Antigua is especially beautiful during Semana Santa, when the streets are carpeted with elaborate decorations of colored sawdust and flower petals. During the month of March, at Easter time, we have Holy Week, also known as Semana Santa. Antigua is known throughout the world as one of the most popular locations to celebrate Semana Santa, second only to the one in Seville, Spain. Every day there are processions, intricate mosaics made of colored sand and flowers. It is the biggest celebration of the year in Guatemala.
  

TECUN UMAN´S SPANISH SCHOOL AT
BEAUTIFUL LAKE ATITLAN

LEARN SPANISH AT LAKE ATITLAN (SAN ANTONIO PALOPO)
.- One and one private Spanish classes.
.- live with Mayan Family in a quiet, clean, beautiful, comfortable home stay
Right on the .
LAKE ATITLAN SAN ANTONIO PALOPO
 

Includes:
5-6 nights accommodation in your own private room.
3 meals a day for 5 days.
20 hours of one and one Spanish class for 5 days.
San Antonio Palopó with the most beautiful views on the lake.
Easy transportation from Panajachel.

Cost: full program: $ 195.00
We offer only accommodation too…!!!
 

    In Tecún Umán, the system of teaching Spanish is one of total immersion. Total immersion is the most efficient manner in which each student can realize his/her objectives. This method allows the student to learn the language more quickly and thoroughly. The fact that we offer each student their own teacher(ratio of 1:1) Allows the student to develop a good working relationship whit his/her instructor In addition, students will think, listen, and speak in Spanish for a period of 4, 5 or 6 hours per day.

    We have developed a highly effective and engaging approach to teaching Spanish that has come from many years of teaching experience . We have made a constant effort to keep up-to-date on the latest teaching methods and materials, incorporating them into our system.  At each of the eight levels we offer, we focus on all the important elements of language acquisition; reading, writing, vocabulary development, audition, pronunciation, and (most importantly) the art of speaking Spanish.

    We have developed a system with 8 levels, from "inicial" to "superior".  Assuming a standard 4 hour course, each level has been designed to last between 3 weeks to 1 month(depending on a student´s effort and ability). Of the 4 hour course, one third of the time is spent teaching our students new useful grammatical concepts, with the remaining time devoted to practicing these structures with many activities.

    To make students feel comfortable speaking, we use highly interactive and communicative activities such as; role-playing, games, structured and guided conversations, and much more . We have chosen these activities with a student´s total communicative progress in mind, while also having fun.  This structured approach ensures that our students make steady improvement , each level building on the last. Though we offer this structure, we are always ready to accommodate a students´ particular needs and desires.

    If a student feels the need to spend more time on a particular grammatical concept, we are glad to help ho o she needs it.  For students who would like to study more than 4 hours per day, this system easily lends itself to this. At the end of the course, no matter how long you have studied with our school, we seek your feedback through a carefully designed questionnaire. We hope you will share your thoughts and experiences with us so that we can continue making our school better.
 
 

    We have thoughtfully selected the most up-to-date, insightful, and entertaining resources published to ensure that our students enjoy learning Spanish.  We have also developed our own exercises and activities, using years of experience teaching students from around the world to create these exercises. All of the books and activities are student-centered rather than teacher-centered. This means that the focus of most activities is on the students. We have listed a few of the titles below for your convenience:
 
 

    We also offer many movies produced in Latin American and South American countries, as well as Hollywood productions.
 
 

    Though our resources and methodology are cornerstones of ours students´ success, we pride ourselves on the quality of our teachers. We pride ourselves on them due to the quality instruction they give our students, relying on many years of experience to help every student. We are proud to say that the average experience of our teachers is 13 years. This level of experience also shows that our teachers take their jobs very seriously.

    We have a staff of 35 teachers who have been with our school for many years.  They are all college graduates in Education, and have also graduated from Universidad Rafael Landivar and University Rural of Guatemala with a certification in teaching Spanish as a Second Language.  We have carefully selected them based on their educational training, experience in teaching Spanish, and their qualities of kindness and patience. We believe there should be a good working-relationship between our teachers and our students, so if at anytime a student does not feel comfortable with a particular teacher, there is no problem in changing.
 
  more info click here

    We have attempted to find the best lodging options that Antigua offers, with considerations for our students´  comfort and budgets . Below are listed 5 options we provide, giving detailed descriptions of each to help facilitate the best options for each student at Tecun Uman.

    All of our classes start at 8 a.m.  For those students who are taking only 3 hours of Spanish a day, classes start at 9 a.m.  The class schedule is as follows:  8:00 to 10:00 is focused on grammar and exercises, from 10:00 to 10:30 there is a coffee break, and from 10:30 to 12:00 conversation and activities. This is the schedule for a 4 hour course.   For students who study for 6 hours per day, the remaining two hours start at 2 p.m. and run until 4 p.m.

    We offer a structured and highly communicative system of Spanish courses. We offer 8 levels; Inicial, Elemental, Intermedio, Intermedio Alto, Avanzado Bajo, Avanzado, Avanzado Alto, y Superior. Each level builds on the previous one.  We have allotted an average of one month to each level (This depends on student effort and ability).  An example of what is studied at the Inicial, Intermedio, and Avanzado levels are provided below:
 

Levels	Inicial	Intermedio	Avanzado
Grammar by Level	Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation  Basic Vocabulary  Subject Pronouns - Singular & Plural  Ser & Estar  Por & Para  Interrogative Words  Days of the Week  Numbers  Gender and Number Time  Demonstrative Adjectives  Hacer (time expressions)  Adverbs of Time  Prepositions	Direct Object Nouns/ Pronouns  Indirect Object Nouns/ Pronouns  Gustar  Mucho & Poco  Gerunds  Adverbs  Relative pronouns  Idiomatic expressions  Comparisons of in/equality Por and Para Prepositions  Possessive Adjectives  Superlatives	Review of all the Tenses Subjunctive and Correlation of Verbs(A lot of emphasis on Subjuntive) Idiomatic Expressions  Perifrasis  Past Participles  Conditional Sentences Accentuation  Relative Clauses Vocabulary Building Passive Constructions with Ser and Estar

Although we have this basic structure, it does not mean we cannot meet your individual needs within this structure. We are very flexible when it comes to meeting the needs of every student. This is only a partial view of what is offered in term of the grammatical concepts.

     We make every attempt to bring students closer to their teachers and to other students at Tecún Umán. We have designed our activities with this in mind. There are many activities to take part in both at the school and outside.
 

At Tecún Umán
 

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Collective Classes 
Discussions and Debates
Excursions and Tours
Visits to Ruins and Museums
Visits to a coffee and macademia farm

And Many More Cultural Activities! Some of the activities require the students to pay their own entrances fee and fares.
 

Activities Offered by Local Agencies in Antigua

Climb an Active Volcano with a Guide
Visit the Pools at Semuc Champay

Take Salsa Lessons
Visit the Mayan Market Town of Chichicastenango-
 Thursday and Sunday are the colorful Indian market days, when people flock to buy woven articles, wood carvings and ceramics. Remember to bargain!
 

Visit Tikal-
Set in a tropical jungle which houses spider monkeys, iguanas, jaguars and many colorful birds.  The ruins of this Mayan city are said to be the best and cover more than 222 square miles..
 

 

Lake Atitlan -
This crystal clear lake is surrounded by volcanoes and is breath-taking. Around the lake, you can find undisturbed Indian villages and towns catering to the tourists (Panajachel is the main tourist town). www.atitlan.com
 

Rio Dulce/Livingston -
Set in a tropical jungle, this river runs from Lake Izabal to the Caribbean.  Different to other parts of Guatemala, Livingston has a strong African influence and is more like the coastal towns of Belize.
http://www.mayaparadise.com/
 

Coban -
Coban (population 55,000) has a semi-tropical climate and is the capital of the coffee producing state of Alta Verapaz. Near Cobán are Mayan Ruins, Lanquin cave and Sierra de Las Minas Biosphere (a wildlife preserve).
 

Copan (In Honduras) -
Although the ruins of Copan are not as towering as those in Tikal, they boast much more intricate and detailed carvings. Excavation continues today with thrilling discoveries occurring regularly.
http://www.honduras.net/copan/

    Many of the these trips and activities can be on one´s own, except the volcano hike. There are many buses throughout the day that depart for Chichicastenango, Panajachel, and other destinations of interest. Antigua is a great location for taking weekend trips!  

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WHY SPANISH?
 

There are more than 30 million Spanish-speakers in the United States

Spanish is one of the most important languages in the world. Currently it is spoken by more than
300 million people worldwide.

It is the official language of 20 countries

There are more than 30 countries or territories where Spanish is widely spoken .

By 2,015), 8% of the world’s population will speak Spanish as their first language  

It allows you to access a wealth of history and culture that would remain outside your knowledge, if you did not speak Spanish. It allows you to have a larger and more cosmopolitan worldview.
  

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Past Students
 

The students listed below have agreed to be contacted and provide feedback
on the courses, the city, the teachers, etc. Please feel free to contact them!

Michael Walsh: Walsh_usa@yahoo.com
Jason Stillinger: jstillinger@hotmail.com
Mike Austin: mikeaustin@mikeaustin.com  
David Wiseman jdavidwiseman@yahoo.com    
MARY HESLER gatensheisler@aol.com
SANDA SPIEGEL sandaspiegel@comscat.net
RONI LEPORE dilbretta@yahoo.com
VALERIE SMITH smtihvrs1@juno.com
BILL GODFREY bdgodfrey@shaw.ca
SONDRA-FARBSTEIN sondra151@gmail.com
KAREN LEVINE klevine02@cs.com
DARYL JURAN daryl_juran@yahoo.com
CHRISTINE GIFFORD latzigane@hotmail.com
YAEL TURGEMAN yael2rgeman@gmail.com
MARY BARTEN heybartens@netscape.net
GREG RUDKOWSKY greg.rudkowsky@eds.com
EMMA LOUISY emmalouisy@hotmail.co.uk
ROBERT BOWNDS bowndsrobert@yahoo.com
LOUISE WRIGHT a-cookiemonstery2k@hotmail.com
VALERIE LEONARD leonrdvalerie@hotmail.com
FAITH HENNION faithahenion@hotmail.com
KELLY GALLOWAY kelgal06@aol.com
MICHELLI RANELLI thisismichellesemail@yahoo.com
JODI SAGASTUME jodishifflet@yahoo.com
LISA BOBINCHOCK songcatlb@aol.com
SHERRIELYNN MORRISSEY jerezlynn@aol.com
STEPHEN BALL ball@crocker.com
STEPHEN HOPPER repp35@hotmail.com
MARCIA TAYLOR mtaylor@lincolnschool.org
Catherine Ball: steadmanj@aol.com
Dawn Koester: dawn.koester@4eyes.com.au

 

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 Prices

Prices
1 WEEK OF 4 HOURS PER DAY	= $ 100.00
1 WEEK OF 5 HOURS PER DAY	= $ 120.00
1 WEEK OF 6 HOURS PER DAY	= $ 130.00
1 WEEK OF 7 HOURS PER DA	=$ 140.00
1 WEEK OF 8 HOURS PER DAY	=$ 160.00

Includes:

HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER (ON AVERAGE 16 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE) THEY ARE ALL COLLEGES GRADUATES IN EDUCATION AND HAVE ALSO GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSIDAD RAFAEL LANDIVAR AND UNIVERSIDAD RURAL DE GUATEMALA WITH A CERTIFICATION IN TEACHING SPANISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. ALL TEACHING MATERIAL: OUR TEXT-WORKBOOK: "TU Español Funcional" .- Paper for homework, notebooks, pen, pencil etc. .- Textbooks, workbooks, Reading books. NO DEPOSIT - NO REGISTRATION FEE. ACCEPTED FORMS OF PAYMENT .- DOLLARS CASH, TRAVELER CHECKS IN AMERICAN EXPRESS, DOLLARS CASH, VISA, MASTER CARD and AMERICAN EXPRESS. (The Guatemalan government charges an additional 12 % tax for credit card) WE OFFER: SPECIAL PROGRAM 20 HOURS OF SPANISH IN THE AFTERNOON. ONE TEACHER AND ONE STUDENT ALL MATERIAL OF TEACHING US$ 90.00 PER WEEK PER PERSON. CLASS IN GROUP ALSO FOR GROUPS: MINIMUM 3 STUDENTS AND MAXIMUN 5 STUDENTS WITH A FEMALE OR MALE TEACHER: COST WILL BE $ 75.00 PER WEEK PER PERSON. WE OFFER SPECIAL PRICE FOR KIDS BETWEEN 4 TO 16 YEARS OLD: $ 95.00 PER WEEK 20 HOURS PER WEEK. DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR GROUPS AND FOR STUDENTS WHO STUDY FOR MORE THAN FOUR WEEKS.

  

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Other Services

TRANSPORTATION

We offer a transfer from: AIRPORT, LITEGUA, TICABUS, PULLMANTOUR,GALGOS and others to ANTIGUA and to our
School or to your Family-Student Residence, Apartment or your Hotel.

AT ANY HOUR…!!!!!

ONE WAY

Cost: One person $ 35.00
2 persons $ 20.00 each one
3 persons $ 15.00 each one
4 or more $ 10.00 each one

MINIBUS 2007


EXCURSIONS, TRIPS OR TOURS.
- TIKAL: 3 days, 2 nights, transfer, hotels
Entrance fee, native teacher.
$ 269.00 per person.

- LAKE ATITLAN and CHICHICASTENANGO
2 days, I night, transfer, tour in the lake, native teacher
$ 75.00 per person.

- COPAN RUINS
2 days, hotel, transfer.
$ 125.00 per person.

- COPAN RUINS, QUIRIGUA and RIO DULCE.
3 days, 2 nights, transfer, hotel.
$ 170.00

- MONTERICO PACIFIC COAST.
Transfer, share room at Hotel.
$ 60.00 Private room $ 70.00


ACTIVITIES MONDAY TO FRIDAY.

- City tour each Monday. (free)
- Conference about subject of Guatemala each Tuesday. (free)
- Excursions inside of the City of Antigua:
Museums, Colonial Ruins, Factories of Handcraft.
Each Wednesday. (Pay Entrance fee)
- Excursions outside of the City of Antigua:
Plantation of : Coffee, Macadamia, Indian Village around Antigua.
(Pay Entrance fee)

VOLUNTEER WORK
- We suggest a few places to work like volunteer.

- SEMILLERO MI ANGEL GUARDIAN
(Work with kids)
www.semilleromiangelguardian.com

- LOS PATOJOS
(Work with kids)
www.lospatojos.com


OTHER

- Reception of: Phone calls.
Fax
E-mail.

- SAFETY BOX
- During your class we offer you: FREE VERY GOOD COFFEE, TEA and PURIFIED WATER.

- Happy hour each Friday afternoon.
- Certificate and Diploma.
- Official receipt. (Invoice)

 

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Average Costs in Antigua
 

It is very difficult to generalize about the average costs in Guatemala, because much depends on your spending habits  and the types of places you like to frequent.  However, we have made an attempt to provide a brief list of the prices of some goods and services to give you a better idea of how to budget your finances, and plan for your trip(assuming an exchange rate of 8 Quetzals to $1.00).  It is a good idea to always check the current exchange rate and do a little research on your own. Here is a link to access a currency converter. http://www.xe.net/

A Movie= $1.25 Museum Entrance= $3.25 Internet (1 hour)= $1.00 Meal in the Market= $2.00 International Phone Card= $12.00(1 hour) Restaurant Meal= $3.00-$6.00 1 Night in Pension= $5.00-$15.00 Bus Fare from Antigua to Guatemala City= $0.65 Bus Fare from Antigua to Atitlan= $3.20 Private Mini-bus to Atitlan= $10.00 Private Mini-bus to the Beach= $25.00 Cup of Coffee= $1.00 Dessert(slice of cake)= $1.00 Fast Food= $1.50-$5.00 A Beer= $1.00

 

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What to Pack

    The climate varies with altitude. Daytime temperatures average 28°C (82°F) in the tropical coastal regions and 20°C (68°F) in the more temperate central highlands. As you can see from the chart above, the climate can vary considerable depending on where you go within the region. We have provided a general idea of what we would bring to Guatemala. Of course, it is not possible to anticipate every situation, nor do we know how long you are staying or where you will go. This is meant to be a guide only. There are a few things to consider when packing your bags.  (Weather in Guatemala)

    The Mayan people of Guatemala's western highlands are modest, so it is respectful to dress conservatively. Women should be sure to bring shirts with sleeves and a long skirt for visiting more remote communities. Although Mayan weavings are a major item sold to tourists, it is considered disrespectful to wear any indigenous clothing when in Guatemala. The elevation in the western highlands makes the nights cold even in summer. Bring a warm hat or look forward to buying one in the markets.

    Rains and heavy mists are frequent weather issues, so bring a good rain jacket that will fit over your clothes. Make sure it is long enough to provide a dry seat for you when you sit down to await your next chicken bus. Earplugs are a very good idea!— to block out street dogs, cackling roosters, and whatever might awake you if you are a light sleeper. Mayans do not like to have their pictures taken, as a general rule… so, you may want to get their permission before doing so, so as to avoid uncomfortable situations. It is advisable to leave your valuable jewelery at home. You do not want to attract attention to yourself.

    Packing list: Jeans, light cotton pants, light cotton long-sleeved shirts, T-shirts, shorts, swimming trunks, underwear, pair of warm socks,cotton socks, hat, sandals/or thongs, good walking shoes, cheap watch, alarm clock, earplugs, glasses/sunglasses, glasses cases, sunblock(high powered and water proof), a medical kit, personal care items, medicines, combination locks for luggage, bag to put dirty clothes in, calling card, one credit card, passport, plane tickets, copies of all important documents put in another part of luggage, money belt, small flashlight, camera with extra film, sewing kit, rain coat, small umbrella, and something small  for your host family. 

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Links for Students

    We have carefully selected these links for students who are interested in understanding the Spanish-speaking world . These links have been chosen for their quality and  value . We hope you will use them to deepen your understanding of the culture, history, art, literature, music, and other aspects of what makes up Hispanic Society .  We have also included a Travel Information Section with these links to make your trip planning more convenient.  We hope you enjoy them and that they serve you well.  

www.NuLengua.com

 

Guatemalans History, Culture , People
http://www.jaguar-sun.com/maya.html

Nice overview of Mayan culture.
http://mayaruins.com/

Mayan ruins.  Explore the temples and sites of the ancient Mayan people.
http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/ca/guatemala/

Lanic is one of the most reputable sites for obtaining great information
about Central and South America.
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/47/index-c.html

World History Archive.  Good reading on the history of Guatemala.
http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/pen-pals.asp

Connect with Spanish-speaking people by becoming a pen pal.
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/types/flnews/spanish.html

Great links to Spanish newspapers from MIT4s website.  Get up-to the
minute news from all over the Spanish-speaking world.

Good descriptions of the regions of Guatemala.
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

Center for Disease Control.  Great information on vaccinations and
taking care of your health.
http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

Currency Converter.  Find out the up-to-date exchange rate.
http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/

Salsa Lessons
http://www.lasalsadance.com

Up-to-the-minute weather forecasting.
Spanish Language
http://www.wordreference.com/

Online Spanish Dictionary
http://www.rae.es/

Academia Real de Espanol.  This is the definitive word on the Spanish
language.

The page appears in Spanish.
http://www.cervantes.es/portada_b.htm

The Instituto Cervantes is one of the best sites for Spanish literature
and language. It appears in Spanish.
http://www.elcastellano.org/ns/edicion/ultima/

Another great site for serious Spanish students.  A wide-range links to
a wide-range of topics.
http://www.studyspanish.com/

Good online Spanish grammar activities where you can practice and check
your  answers.
Learn Spanish Courses

Reu Xtreme
www.reuxtreme.com

VOLUNTEER WORK
www.lospatojos.org

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Reservations
 

Make Your Reservation With
Mario  R. Castellanos
Director / Owner
Escuela de Español " TECÚN UMÁN "
6a. calle Poniente No. 34 "A" Antigua Guatemala,
Guatemala, Central America
P.O. BOX 68-03901
Tel/Fax: (502) 7 832 2792
Cel. (502) 5 513 4349

Fill in This Reservation Form

etecun@itelgua.com
etecun@centramerica.com
tecunuman@centramerica.com



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