  
Isn’t what Anders Languages calls a ‘residential Spanish course’ the
same thing as what others call ‘learn Spanish at your teachers home’ or
‘home tutorial’?
ANSWER: No.
Home tutorial is close to the concept of our residential courses, yet
there are many differences… We don’t want to express an opinion about
what’s best. It’s just different! Anders Languages focuses on teaching a
language and the culture it represents in a short period of time by
applying a personalized approach, while not interfering into your
private live. It also offers you comfortable facilities, perfect for
relaxing or enjoying your free weekend at the pool. Home tutorial is
another approach by which you learn a language by literally stepping
into the daily life of a local family and sharing with them. A great way
to learn a language, but it requires flexibility and an effort to adapt
yourself to other, sometimes lower, living standards. There are more
structural differences, too.
- THE TOTAL IMMERSION EXPERIENCE. The
‘home tutorial’ experience is less intensive than a residential course.
It is common sense that no teacher can attend professionally to a
student all day long without sometimes losing his/her patience. That’s
why you will have different teachers at Anders Languages. This will
guarantee you full attention and concentration from your teacher, and
allow you to focus on different topics, while enriching your language
and cultural knowledge.
- INTERCHANGE WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS. An important part of a total immersion experience is the
interchange with fellow students and teachers, where you can share
experiences and learn more about each other’s cultures. Generally, a
teacher offering ‘home tutorial’ receives only one student in his/her
home, making it difficult for students to meet other people. At Anders
Languages, you will have your very own private teacher, but you will
also have the opportunity to easily meet other people at the residence,
other students attending the residence, their teachers and, of course,
your hosts, the owners of the Anders Languages.
- ACCOMMODATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. A
relaxing and comfortable environment, free of worries, along with
advanced learning materials (video, DVD, audio, computer) are essential
tools to guarantee you short term results. The Anders Languages
residence has been designed to provide students the perfect study
environment, setting a balance between study and relaxing. Home tutorial
can’t offer this, mainly due to the costs involved.
UP
Nice
facilities, a proven learning methodology, one-on-one classes and highly
trained teachers… All this sounds quite expensive!
ANSWER: Definitely not! A course at
Anders Languages is certainly not expensive when you consider what you
will get in return. It’s true that when you compare prices on a “one
week” basis, Anders Languages appears to be more expensive. Certainly,
if you compare it with group programs offered worldwide at other schools.
Nevertheless, if you compare the cost of a residential course based on a
“what will I learn in one week?” basis, you will find our prices are
very competitive! In order to progress ONE level, a one week stay at
Anders Languages is enough. In order to progress similarly at another
‘total immersion’ school, you will have to spend between three and six
weeks. Add it all up (don’t forget to include the cost of accommodation
and course materials) for a 3 to 6 week course in a traditional school,
and you will see it would be difficult to beat the price of the
residential course at Anders Languages. If you want a price quote,
please click here
UP
Which airlines fly to Mexico?
Mexicana
and Aeromexico are the country's two major airlines and provide
extensive service throughout Mexico, and to major U.S. cities and
Canada. More than 25 of the world's major airlines serve Mexico
City and include Alaska, American, British Airways, Canadian,
Continental, Delta, United, Air France, Japan Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Avianca, LAN Chile, Varig,
Aviansa, Aeroperu, Tacsa and Aeroflot.
We advise
participants travelling from a different continent to arrive a
day or two in advance to overcome their jet lag before being
totally immersed in the ANDERS lifestyle.
UP
How can I verify that Anders Languages
® is a reputable firm?
You can verify with the following
sources:
1. Contact our
former students. Send emails to them by clicking here.
2. Visit the
SIEM website
to verify that we are a registered company.
3. Inquire if we
have ever had any complaint about our services at
Profeco (Mexican
consumer organization).
4. Check out
Internet forums on Spanish Language schools. These are good
sources for information on Anders Languages ® and our
competitors.
5. Feel free to
contact us should you have any queries or doubts
about Anders Languages ® or our services.
UP
Banks & Money:
The national currency
is the Mexican Peso. ATM's (electronic cashiers) are available throughout
the country to withdrawal money (Mexican Pesos) with Visa or
Mastercard. Credit cards are widely accepted. US Dollars will be
accepted by taxis, hotels, and restaurants but at higher exchange
rates. European currencies will be accepted in the major banks
and changing houses. Traveler checks are only accepted in banks
and changing houses if in US$ or €uros. Banking hours generally
run from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Monday through Friday; although
certain banks open Saturdays. The Peso is the only legal tender
in Mexico.
USEFUL
LINKS. We are about to open a new navigation window if your
browser supports it. When your visit is over, just close that
window.
UP
How can we reach ANDERS LANGUAGES ® ?
We have a luxury automobile with
private driver to pick you up at the airport in Mexico City. The
Anders Languages Residence is located one hour from Mexico City.
UP
Crime in Mexico:
The Mexican
government fights to reduce crime in order to protect tourism and
foreign investments; this makes Mexico one of the safest
countries in Latin America. Crime is often concentrated in
certain areas and does not exceed the levels of crime in major
European and North-American cities.
USEFUL
LINKS. We are about to open a new navigation window if your
browser supports it. When your visit is over, just close that
window.
UP
Doing business in Mexico:
- Mexico opened its doors to
foreign investments in 1994. The NAFTA free trade
association among Mexico, US, and Canada and the free
trade association Mexico / European Union, points Mexico
to a new economic decade. A recent survey (American
Chamber Mexico) of 130 companies operating in Mexico
revealed that the 9 most positive factors for investment
in Mexico are:
-
- - Potential of the domestic
market
- - Low cost of labor
- - The North American Free
Trade Agreements (NAFTA)
- - Mexico's strategic global
location
- - Mexico's other regional
trade agreements
- - The quality of the labor
force
- - The quality of Mexican
management
- - The current size of the
domestic marketplace
- - The telecommunications
network
If you wish to contact companies
or organizations in Mexico, ANDERS LANGUAGES can make initial
contacts for you.
UP
Use of electric equipment:
110 - 125 Volts.
American system.
UP
Traveling in
Mexico by plane:
USEFUL
LINKS. We are about to open a new navigation window if your
browser supports it. When your visit is over, just close that
window.
-
Aeromexico & Mexicana: national & international flights.
-
Aero California: mainly
national flights to northern Mexico.
-
Aviacsa: mainly national flights to Southern Mexico.
UP
Traveling in
Mexico by bus or car:
First class busses
with regular schedules are available to almost all destinations.
But it can take time to travel when covering large distances.
Driving in Mexico requires some adaptation to the folkloric
driving of the locals.
UP
National Holidays
Mexicans are party-makers
and every event is a reason to celebrate. If possible, we
recommend your stay during one of Mexico's National Holidays in
order to share with the Mexicans this folklore.
Commerce is open 7
days a week/365 days a year in the major cities and tourist areas.
ANDERS LANGUAGES ® starts courses every Monday of the year. No classes are held on January 1, Easter
Friday-Sunday, September 16 (Mexico’s national holiday) and December 25.
Nevertheless, we will reschedule these lost course days, so you won’t lose
classes you’ve paid for.
UP
Other
places in
Mexico to travel to:
Should you be interested
in cultural and / or sightseeing activities, the ANDERS LANGUAGES ® staff will gladly provide you with a broad
choice of local points of interest to visit.
Sun & Beach:
-
Cancun & Cozumel: the
Mexican Caribbean
-
Los Cabos: Southern Point of
the California Peninsula
-
Ixtapa: exclusive resorts on
the Pacific
-
Puerto Vallarta: Pacific
-
Acapulco
Culture:
NON-TOURIST:
-
We know some nice places far
from tourist centers. Ask us, we will be glad to
recommend you some places we've visited ourselves. If you
want to travel further in Mexico after (or before) your
stay with us, you can book hotels, airlines and busses on
your arrival in Mexico. But we do recommend making
reservations before traveling to Mexico if you want to
stay in one particular place or during high season: (Christmas,
New Year, Easter, June, July and August).
Ask your local travel agent for
more information as hotels and airfares can be cheaper when
buying abroad.
USEFUL
LINKS. We are about to open a new navigation window if your
browser supports it. When your visit is over, just close that
window.
-
Official Ministry of Tourism
site in English and Spanish, with a wealth of travel info
- from attractions and archaeology to fiestas and beaches.
click here!
-
Lonely Planet: excellent
general overview from this renowned guidebook publisher,
covering history, culture, travel tips, essential info,
transport and travelers' reports. click here!
-
Expansive collection of
travel sites and Mexico-related indexes, from Ron Mader's
Eco Travels in Mexico site.
click here!
-
Comprehensive guide has links
to regional sites, tour operators, travel agencies,
annual country reports, and personal travelogues.
click here!
-
Site directory listing
academic resources, government details and tourist
information on Mexico - from the University of Texas.
click here!
UP
Visas & Immigration
US and Canadian citizens
may enter the country with a valid identification, although a
passport is recommended. Most European nationalities
require a valid passport (valid at least 6 months when entering
Mexico). Tourist cards are granted for free by travel agencies
and air carriers flying into Mexico and allow a stay of maximum
90 days with the possibility the extend your stay with another 90
days. Other nationalities please check at the Mexican Embassies
of your country.
USEFUL
LINKS. We are about to open a new navigation window if your
browser supports it. When your visit is over, just close that
window.
(Please double-check
this information before leaving, we cannot held responsible for
the correctness of this information)
UP
Medical emergencies
For an emergency health problem
there are excellent hospitals in Mexico with modern facilities
and English-speaking staffs. Hospital Angeles, is excellent.
Air Ambulance America is on 24-hours
standby to fly out sick or injured tourists from any point in
Mexico.
UP
The weather in Cuernavaca:
The sun is almost always present
in Cuernavaca. Rainy season starts around June to late September,
but the rain is often a welcome refreshment. Average temperature
from 15°C/59°F at night in the winter to 35°C/95°F during the
day in the summer. Remember, it can get cool enough at night for
a thick sweater.
The weather today
in Cuernavaca:
UP
Are meals
included
in the tuition?
Yes, price includes all
meals from Monday breakfast to Friday lunch. There is no charge
for wine served at dinner.
UP
Do I have to pay any additional fees for textbooks and workbooks?
No. There is no additional fee for them.
UP
Is it possible to extend my stay?
Yes, according to
availability.
UP
I have an overseas
meeting coming up soon and I need a quick review to improve my language skills.
Is there a minimum number of weeks I must be enrolled in a course
at ANDERS LANGUAGES
® ?
There is no minimum
number of weeks. Many businessmen/women have attended for one,
two, or three weeks immediately before a business meeting or
conference and found the time they spent to be very beneficial.
UP
Does ANDERS LANGUAGES
® accept complete beginners?
Yes, of course.
UP
Is there an evaluation system?
Yes. At the beginning of
every course, our teachers organize an evaluation, in order to
analyze your level of the language as well as assess your
personal needs, objectives and your linguistic background.
UP
What is the most recommended
length of
a stay at ANDERS LANGUAGES ®?
It depends on your need
and level, your age and linguistic background. If you are a
beginner, we recommend a course of two or three weeks (in one or
more stays) to become comfortable in the language.
A brush up of your
passive knowledge may be done in one week. The second week will
help you to improve your skills.
UP
How long in advance do we have to enroll for a
course?
The sooner, the better.
According to availability, we may accept late enrolments.
UP
If
I don't speak a
single word of Spanish, in which language can I be helped?
Spanish... It will be difficult
the first day, but you will see remarkable results in your
Spanish very quickly. And if it's getting really difficult, we
can also help you in English, French, Dutch and German.
UP
Can I get internet connection at ANDERS LANGUAGES ®?
Yes, we have internet
connection for FREE.
UP
Can I get course credit?
This will be up to your school,
many do give credit for studies at Anders Languages ®.
UP
|
Mexico
