Llama Education - Our Guestbook

Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd & Nancy Pinnell (Canada)

We have been very pleased with the tours Maria has set up through her travel agency. She attends to every detail and is quickly able to deal with last-minute arrangements and changes. She is knowledgeable about all of the areas we visited and has good relationships with hotels, restaurants and local guides. Maria accompanied us on some of our tours, which was both fun and helpful. She is able to ascertain the type of lodging, transportation and tours best suited for each person and is able to find great deals. Our lodging suited our taste--economical, clean and comfortable.

We also went on one of Maria's mystical tours to the Colca Canyon and appreciated her knowledge of and respect for local traditions and rituals. She always works with a local, indigenous shaman and prepares herself and her guests according to the shaman's instructions. Maria is sensitive to the energy of the earth and helps us pay tribute to Pachamama and receive her gifts.

We highly recommend Maria as a travel agent and guide on both regular and mystic tours.
Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd & Nancy Pinnell

Meg Frey, Greg Corbin, Tyler and Andi (USA)

Our family, including 2 children ages 7 and 10, spent 11 days in the Spanish school. Our entire family was welcomed graciously by everyone. We stayed in a local family home where every meal was a new typical peruvian meal.Yum! Each day began with a short walk to the school where we spent 4 hours a day in Spanish classes. Maria was quite intuitive in picking appropriate teachers for all of us. Additionally, she provided alot of information regarding local tours and neccessities around town. We would highly recommend Llama Education.

Adam. Amina and Leila (UK, France and Trinidad)

We had a fantastic time studying at Llama Education and cannot recommend the school highly enough. From the very first e-mail contact we had with Maria (the school's director) we found her to be exceptionally accommodating and efficient. All the arrangements for our tuition and accommodation were made for us effortlessly and all that we asked for was made possible. The school's atmosphere is friendly and welcoming and we really felt at home there. We'll always remember our time studying at the school and enjoying the company of Maria, her family and the other students. I hope we'll have a chance to go back one day. Thank you, Maria and Llama Education!

Lisa Hattingh (England)

I spent a week (5 hours a day) at Llama Education. I am at a beginner level and I knew I wouldn't leave the school having mastered the Spanish language in just 5 days... However, I am very happy (and somewhat surprised!) at how much I learnt within the week. Maria's experience in teaching Spanish certainly shines through in her assessment of student's needs and my classes were structured to allow me to walk away with a vastly increased Spanish vocabulary, better understanding of Spanish conversations either directed at me or going on around me and more confidence to actually attempt to converse in Spanish. Muchas gracias Maria y Idalia! I would certainly recommend the school to anyone (at whatever level) seeking to improve their Spanish. I enjoyed my time at the school and with "my" family - it was so much more than just going to school! Everyone is warm, friendly and do their best to look after you, and ensure you get the most out of your time in Arequipa. An enriching experience all round - and I have some wonderful new friends!

Madeleine Chiasson (Canada)

This is my second time at Llama Education and I feel that Maria's family is an extension of my own family. I was able to go faster with the theory this time as I had continued studying the theory on my own after the first session in 2009. However, I will make sure to continue speaking spanish on a weekly basis and not forget entirely what I learned during the last 4 weeks. I understand more, can communicate fairly well and can write and make myself understood. Of course, the oral part is always the most difficult but it is so gratifiying to be in a taxi or in a store and actually be understood by a local. I am really satisfied with both of my stays.

Jonny Smith & Cathy Padgett (England)

Many thanks to Maria and her teachers. We really enjoyed our stay with you and it has helped our spanish immensely. Our travels through South America were made far more interesting once we had the ability to communicate properly. We are now in Mexico where Jonny is teaching kitesurfing.

Thanks

Roger and Alison Pickering (Canada)

We stayed with Maria and our teachers were mainly Ursula and Angela. Maria and her family are warm, relaxed and love to chat so we had lots of oportunity to practise what we learned. The food was good,the accommodation spacious and comfortable. Arequipa is a beautiful colonial town with lots to see and do. There are fascinating weekend trips available to Lake Titicaca and the Colca Canyon (Condors plus). We have been to several other Spanish language schools over the past 7 years and the teaching here was amongst the best.
In summary: very highly recommended.

Alison and Roger Pickering.

Maryfaith Marshall (USA)

I have been studying and teaching languages for many years and have multiple degrees and certificates from American universities and language schools in France, Canada, and Mexico. My ten week experience at Llama Education was, without competition, my most successful and rewarding language learning experience. Maria, the founder and director of Llama, is an extraordinary person and educator who places her focus on the goals of her students. She also makes every possible effort to enhance her students’ cultural experiences and there are many, many opportunities to practice Spanish in so many varied settings. By the time had to return home (most regrettably as Maria and her two charming daughters made me feel so welcome and comfortable), I was speaking Spanish comfortably in just about any situation and I didn’t feel like a tourist. All of the teachers at Llama: Keyla, Carlos, Lisett and many others share Maria’s enthusiasm, dedication and level of competency per providing students with the most comprehensive learning experience possible. I am so grateful to all of them.

Melanie Hartman (Germany)

Llama education is a wonderful place to stay, study Spansh and learn about the culture of Peru. Maria is one of the nicest people you will meet in Peru. She really makes the extra effort and will take you to the local market and show you how to cook peruvian meals and make the ever so importnat Pisco Sour.

All classes are taught one on one, so you always learn at your own speed and get the most of your lessons. You get different teachers for conversation and grammar and all are excellent.

I truly enjoyed my time at Llama education and highly recommend it!

Birgit Binder (Germany)

For 6 weeks I stayed at Llama Education, which I liked very much. So I can fully recommend it to others.
My teachers Rosa, Carlos and Pablo were competent and efficient, and their lessons were full of variety.
I enjoyed to live in Maria's house. Together with her daughters Diana and Sonja she really made me feel at home. My special thanks go to Maria who also organized some perfect travels for me. So I could see quite a lot of beautiful Peru and make use of my freshly acquired language skills.

Tobias Hagemeister (Germany)

During my South American travels last year I stayed for 4 weeks at Llama Education. From the first warm welcome at Maria's house until the good bye, I really enjoyed every day in Arequipa. The teachers Pablo, Keyla and of course Maria are very friendly, and now I have to say my Spanish increased a lot. At someday I want to come back to Arequipa. I can as well strongly recommend Llama Education for learning Spanish. And of course to become familiar with the delicious Peruvian food, Maria is preparing every day. And as well the kids are so cute, greetings to Peru. Tobias

Amy Morris (United States)

I had a great experience at Llama Education. The teachers are excellent at presenting the material in an organized way and they are very professional. Maria, the owner, is very welcoming and helpful also. I definitely recommend learning Spanish at Llama Education.

Mark Reimer (Canada)

When I arrived I knew how to identify myself and ask for a bathroom in Spanish. After four weeks of very well designed and structured classes, I could participate in one-on-one conversations on far ranging topics including education, life in Peru compared to life in Canada, societal constructs and problems, prejudice, theology and more. Living on site made the experience that much better too as I was always just a few steps away from the classes. Arequipa is also a wonderful place in which to study as it has multiple and interesting options for visiting, and there are beautiful places near by for extended excursions.

Gregory Stewart (United States)

I had a great experience with Llama Education. The teachers were excellent and the schedule was perfect. Also, when I got sick and had to cancel a day, they were not only flexible with the schedule, but Maria brought me soup and offered to get me a doctor. And they helped with transportation to my next destination! It was great to spend time with a Peruvian family. The girls are as cute as can be!

Graham Tillotson (England)

I can endorse Llama Education wholeheartedly. I had travelled to Arequipa for a specific purpose but decided I would benefit from more Spanish lessons while I was there. (Although I’m not a beginner, I still have a long way to go with my Spanish – and fluency continues to remain a distant dream!) I had nine days of lessons: four hours of classes each day plus study and homework.Llama Education’s owner, Maria, put together a well thought out programme for my short stay which was pitched just perfectly for my level (i.e. I was really challenged). Each day I spent two hours with Maria in conversation, then two hours of more formal grammar with another teacher, Ángela. The exercises I had to do in the classes, the extensive notes with which I was provided and the homework I was set, combined with all the Spanish conversation, were all excellent. I met other teachers during mid-morning breaks and found them to be excellent too.Five years ago, I spent a week in a language school in Mexico and was extremely disappointed by both the quality of teaching and class sizes in relation to the cost. The one-to-one tuition at Llama Education, the quality and intensity of teaching and the very reasonable cost makes this package extremely good value for money. This is especially so when you also bear in mind the accommodation and wonderful meals.I came away with my Spanish much improved and with very fond memories of the warm and friendly atmosphere of the school.

Thomas y Sanne (Holanda)

This school is probably the best you can find! If you want to study spanish go here!

Kris Caldwell (USA)

The Llama Education intensive Spanish language classes are outstanding! When I started the classes, I had 2 years of high school Spanish from 35 years ago. I could not speak Spanish or understand spoken Spanish, but had a limited knowledge of written Spanish. By the end of 4 weeks of intensive Spanish classes, I am now able to communicate effectively in Spanish, both for communicating needs while traveling and conversing and getting to know local people. It is more difficult to communicate in a foreign language over the telephone because there are no visual cues, but after taking the classes at Llama Education, I feel comfortable and confident communicating in Spanish, even in difficult circumstances. The founder of the school, Maria, encourages the students to speak Spanish and provides a secure environment in which to try speaking and understanding Spanish. I highly recommend Llama Education as an ideal place to quickly learn to speak and understand Spanish. The instructors are excellent, allowing the students to proceed at their own pace.

Susan (Alemania)

A very recommendable little language school with great personal attendance by Maria, the owner. Teachers available for every level, Angela very good for advanced. Living with the family (room with private bathroom and balcony) and taking clases in the same house is the best option. Arequipa is a nice place.

Denis Guimond (Canada)

Thank you Maria I have studied spanish in more than 5 country's in latin america and spain and I have to say that you have made this experience one of the best. The teachers are great and your love for the language and the students will live in me forever. Thank you for a wonderful experience