Ratings and Comments for Encuentros Spanish School
- More language schools in Mexico
- Return to the Spanish Language Schools Directory
Student ratings for Encuentros Spanish School
Overall Ratings:
Evaluation from hschaefer:
Evaluation from lthomas:
The school far exceeded my expectations. I have recommended it to many friends, and I intend to return for further instruction.
Evaluation from cthomas:
Encuentros is housed in a lovely home that is both charming and comfortable. Each time I return feels like a homecoming.
Evaluation from dwhite:
The facilities at Encuentros are excellent -- beautiful, clean, well kept, very welcoming. I will continue to return and I will continue to recommend Encuentros to my colleagues and associates.
Evaluation from vhbrown:
I searched for months until I found what I thought would be a good school for me. At Encuentros, my Spanish has moved forward at lightning speed.
Evaluation from ehsmith:
My first host family was not a good match and the school rapidly remedied the problem with grace, leaving no hard feelings with the family.
Evaluation from mttaylor:
At my request, the school pared me with a student who was learning english. This allowed me to quickly improve my conversation skills and she quickly became my best friend!
Evaluation from fpmoore:
During my 6 weeks of study I have had 4 different teachers. All are highly qualified and their teaching methods flexible enough to be able to work with various learning styles.
Evaluation from Brent Walker:
An absolutely wonderful school and experience!!! My very highest recommendation!!! Sincerely, Brent Joseph Walker Lecturer in ESL, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. and Lecturer in the Japanese and French languages, Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio, U.S.A.
Evaluation from jhatch:
AAA+ school. Great teachers, excellent facility, great weather, good food, close to the center of a dynamic and interesting city. I learned a lot in three weeks and am returning for more instruction next month.
Evaluation from ward.mg:
Excellent school. Great balance among various teaching techniques.
Evaluation from Ccowan:
The school is beautiful, the teachers are excellent and welcoming. My home stay was everything I could have hoped for. I would recommend Encuentros without reservation.
Evaluation from dnrgould:
I really had an excellent experience with my Spanish immersion at Encuentros. The family I stayed with was also extremely nice and I could not have asked for more. I can't think of anything to recommend improving. I think I learned a lot and that my teachers were very motivated and helped to improve my language skills as best as anyone could expect. For me, as a mature professional, the small scale of Encuentros was perfect. I am very glad I did not go to a "factory-type" program for college students.
Evaluation from TonyLouis:
This is an excellent school for professionals and older adults. I went in at an advanced intermediate level and felt that the instruction was very good, but no syllabus was provided so I wasn't clear why the teachers were covering some topics and not others. Also, very few written material were provided for study and I regretted not having brought a good grammar book with me for study and reference in the evening. The quality of the teaching was generally excellent. The focus on cultural themes really rounded out the experience and gave me a chance to practice didactic Spanish in real-life situations. There were about 40 students my first week, which was too many for this small school. Sometimes the noise of one class would make it hard to hear in an adjoining class. It was much better the second week when there were only about 30 students at the school. The staff went out of their way to accomodate student needs. The school itself is small and quite beautiful but does not have enough bathrooms for use during the breaks between classes. The family stay was friendly and comfortable. I would recommend this school highly, especially for adults beyond college age, and I myself would return without hesitation for further study of the Spanish language.
Evaluation from mexico:
I just spent 6 of the most amazing weeks in Cuernavaca at Encuentros! I could not have asked for a better place to resume my study of Spanish! I loved every minute with my host family, the teachers and the friends I met along the way. Jeannie Anderson, the director, was very responsive to any needs, and I felt that my program was tailored to my style of learning at the speed I needed to learn. I highly recommend attending Encuentros, especially for professionals and "mature" adults!
Evaluation from Kathy:
The place is lovely. Although the teachers are individually good, I thought the program was not really that strong. They make you feel good, and you will probably learn some Spanish, but it's not very intense or focused. And since classes start anew every week, class size and class level change all the time.
Evaluation from jimbode:
I just came back from this school and would rate it very highly. The setting is lovely and the teachers are excellent. Especially helpful is that the student is able to choose from several families for the homestay. The addition of visits to interesting places in Cuernavaca and weekly movies adds to the experience. Probably a better school for adults than for teenagers or 20-somethings.
Evaluation from Redfoxjwp:
Encuentros far exceeding all expectations. Classes were small with dedicated, trained, and cheerful teachers. It is amazing how much Spanish they were able to teach us in only one week. Those staying longer quickly develop a proficiency in Spanish. The program is well organized for all ages and skill levels. Short cultural visits to internationally know artists during school hours were a highlight of the program. Optional day trips are available on weekends. The stay with a Mexican family greatly enhanced the learning environment. For Americans, having a main meal at 3 p.m. and a light snack at 9 p.m. took getting used to, but the exposure to home cooked Mexican cuisine was outstanding. Doctors, lawyers, other professionals, and students of various backgrounds all have a home at Encuentros.
Evaluation from ZeroTX:
My wife and I spent 4 weeks at Encuentros in Cuernavaca. It was an amazing experience. This small school is focused on ADULT learning and is not suited to college kids looking for a good time in Cuernavaca (for that, try the Centro Bilingue at the Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca... great place for college students). For adults who are serious about learning, but also want an adventurous vacation, this is the place! Frankly, if you can go anytime other than summer, do that. It will be more busy during the summer (June to August)... If you want to keep it super personal, go during a slow time of year. I agree that 40 people would be too many for this small facility. When we were there, it began to feel a bit crowded when we were at just over 20 people. I feel they should cap it at 25-30. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this school. After seeing this place, I can see why one of the school owners came to Cuernavaca from California and decided not to go back home! :) Note: on "visita" days, be sure to wear closed-toe walking shoes and preferably pants... you will see culture, but culture isn't always friendly on "tourist" attire!
Evaluation from aliciap:
The school is beautiful, organized, and accomodating. My host family was warm, and helpful. Cuernavaca is gorgeous and full of life!
Evaluation from nrosenthal:
Encuentros is one of the best language schools I've been to in Mexico (and I've been to six in the past seven years). The staff is welcoming and helpful, and the integrated program of lessons and activities works very well. The teachers are well-credentialed; their lesson plans are well-organized and interesting; and they are exceptionally warm and friendly.
Evaluation from vannah:
the owners husband called one of the students a "mexicana basura" & a "cuccaracha". I am not a doctor but i think he may be a bit bipolar. the school is also the house of the owners. the children of the owners are extremely "messed up". Way too much drama going on here and also we were suppose to have classes beginning at 9 a.m. and we didnt start until 10 but were still charged full price. there is a lot of confusion at this place. I left after 1 week and went to another school and also had paid 80.00 on pay pal with their on line classes just before I got there to freshen up my spanish. I never used up my remainder of the online class after I got back because of the way they treated us. I refuse to continue the class. They can have my money for all I care. Its really sad because they have some decent teachers there.
Evaluation from Yoseph:
Hello, I want to speak spanish
Evaluation from rhatch:
My wife and I and a friend just returned from 4 weeks at Encuentros. It was all we had hoped for and more. The school advertises: "each student's language course and housing accommodations are prepared on an individualized basis. We make every effort to fit the school to the student, rather than vice-versa." We found this to be very true. We intend to return.
Evaluation from Jhenri:
I just spent a month studying Spanish at Encuentros in Cuernavaca, Mexico and cannot praise the school enough. I consider myself a beginner plus- that is, a beginner with a little more than a year of college Spanish. The classes at Encuentros were designed to “fit” the needs of the students. Since I was the only real beginner, much of my instruction was individualized, although I participated in all of the conversational sessions with the more advanced students. The teachers were wonderful – extremely competent, extremely friendly, and extremely helpful. I learned more in a month than I had in a year of college classes. The experience has motivated me to continue practicing my Spanish and I look forward to returning to Encuentros for another month in the near future. I should mention that the accommodations provided by the school were excellent and at no time did I experience any reason to be fearful for my safety. I can’t speak for other places in Mexico, but Cuernavaca was perfectly safe. I strongly recommend Encuentros for anyone who wants to learn or improve their Spanish, and who is willing to take their studies seriously – but who also wants to experience the delights that Mexico has to offer. I learned about the language, the culture, and I had fun. All in all, a wonderful month.
Evaluation from areuter:
Encuentros is an excellent value for the money. My teacher, Isabel, was very knowledgeable and was able to tailor classes to my advanced level of Spanish. The school offers fieldtrips, dance classes and cooking lessons so that language instruction is not just during class time. The school is located in a beautiful house overlooking a ravine and classes are taught outside on the patio, which is perfect for the climate of Cuernavaca. My homestay experience was also very enjoyable. My hosts were extremely welcoming and friendly and made me feel right at home.
Evaluation from jeromebos:
EXCELLENT SPANISH SCHOOL!!!
Popular Phrase: vaca lechera | Present subjunctive | Conjugated Verb: cuidar - to take care of, look after [ click for full conjugation ]
Encuentros is of exceptionally high quality and the instruction is excellent. I would recommend it without reservation.