Spanish Immersion Program for Adults: Spanish in Nature

I have recently spent two weeks studying Spanish with my daughters (aged 13 and 7) at “Spanish in Nature,” the family-run language school at the foot of the mountains outside Madrid. Having come across this school on the Internet last year, I did not know what to expect. It was a wonderful experience. Not only are Alvaro and Esther, the school’s founders and its principal teachers, competent and professional, but also welcoming and generous. From the moment we arrived we felt part of their family. Classes took place in the mornings in the well-equipped “aula” in the family home. Alvaro diligently prepared each class, effectively alternating tough grammar drills with interesting lessons on Spanish and Latin American literature, cinema and current affairs. Esther was the warmest and most loving teacher to my youngest daughter, who was at her very first experience with formal training in a foreign language. The afternoons were dedicated to excursions and visits. El Boalo, the small town where the school is based, is blessed with cool temperatures and a great location, less than one hour away from terrific mountain hikes in the Sierra de Guadarrama and the major sites of Madrid and its museums and parks, the Escorial palace, the Valle de los Caidos, etc. Beautifully preserved historical towns of Avila, Toledo and Segovia are also close by. I would be seriously remiss not to mention the cuisine. Esther is a fantastic cook and we got treated to an ever changing variety of gazpachos and salmorejos, paellas, asados, pistos, tortillas, croquettes, barbecoas, and more. A great feast indeed. Most of all, it was our hosts’ warmth and generosity that made our time in Spain so precious. We are grateful to Esther and Alvaro for a great time, and very much look forward to returning to “Spanish in Nature” next year.

My husband, daughter and I had an amazing week staying with Alvaro and Esther and their three lovely children in August. It exceeded all expectations. As any family would be, we were really apprehensive, before we went, wondering and worrying about what it would be like to stay with complete strangers in their home but our worries vanished instantly on arrival because we were made to feel so welcome and by the end of the week, we felt that we had known the family for years. No family could be more friendly and hospitable.
The purpose of our visit was for our 12 year old daughter to improve her Spanish beyond the little she had done in a term and a half in her first year at senior school. She had a three hour formal lesson each day, being one-to-one tuition with Alvaro and she thoroughly enjoyed her lessons.
We went on some really interesting trips during our week, including spending a day exploring Madrid. Our daughter enjoyed rock climbing with Alvaro and Lucia, his elder daughter and canoeing with all the family.
Our first meal soon after arrival was a lovely lunch of paella, cooked outside by Alvaro and all the meals in the week were mouth-wateringly delicious. The weather was fantastic and we really enjoyed the Spanish way of life with the afternoon siesta out of the heat of the day and lovely after dinner chats late into the evening.
The house was situated in beautiful surroundings and it was all so peaceful.
It really was a most idyllic week and one we very much hope to repeat. The worst part of the week was saying goodbye at the end and we were so sad to leave. However, we left in the full knowledge that we intended to return the following summer and for two weeks instead of one and, of course, we knew that we would have our happy memories of our time spent with Alvaro, Esther and family.

Having studied Spanish as an autodidact for several years I needed an immersive experience that gave me a chance to practice and extend what I had already learned. For me Spanish in Nature provided just what I needed, and a little more besides.
Most importantly Esther and Alvaro were fantastic hosts and went out of their way to ensure I got the most out of my stay. Their home and its setting were lovely and being made to feel one of the family allowed me a proper glimpse into Spanish culture first hand.
What I especially liked was their willingness to adapt the programme to my needs and interests.
I like being outdoors and active, and I found learning Spanish in these environments was especially enjoyable and beneficial. Walking in the nearby National Park was the perfect backdrop for conversation, and playing golf with one of Esther's friends who spoke no English was just the sort of challenge I needed. Another highlight was playing Padel for the first time with Alvaro and a couple of his friends. Of course we went for the obligatory cañas after the game, which provided a great opportunity for me to practice my Spanish in a natural social setting.
Esther readily helped me too with some of my written Spanish, which meant that the grammar didn't get ignored, even if this was not my personal focus.
I really enjoyed the range of Spanish dishes Esther cooked for me, many using ingredients from their own vegetable garden, and had relaxed chats at dinner time with their children too.
This was a challenging but memorable week and the programme Esther and Alvaro provide is one I would strongly recommend to anyone who wants to take their Spanish onto the next level.

At the end of May I stayed in El Boalo, Madrid for an immersion course called "Spanish in Nature" (as it’s located in the heart of Guadarrama National Park, in the mountains). It's been an unusual experience to me, first of all, since I had been lucky to win a contest and got a week of the course absolutely for free, and also, as the family that provided me with everything in their own house were amazing. They've treated me like one of them, cooked delicious Spanish food and spent with me a lot of quality time. With the variety of activities I had every day (like participating in the local events, family life, hiking, rock climbing, swimming, cycling, visiting Madrid and Segovia and so on) it was impossible to be bored. To combine such entertainment with speaking Spanish all the time, to me, was the best way to acquire the language. Apart from that, I had 3 hours of proper classes every day. I’m surprised how one week of the course made me more confident speaking Spanish and not Spanglish.
Esther, Álvaro and their children are particularly open, caring, patient and interesting people and I would totally recommend their courses to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish.

I had a fantastic week “STUDY AND LIVE IN THE TEACHER´S HOME”. What a wonderful time, I have learned a lot. From the first moment I felt welcome, Alvaro and Esther are very passionate teachers, the lessons were tailored to my needs, the use of multimedia (newspapers, journals, video) made the lessons very versatile. The daily activities included nature (national parks behind the village and sight seeing). I have also been introduced to friends in the village which all are very welcioming.
This was certainly on of the best weeks I ever had

Soy de Inglaterra y soy aprendiendo español me ayudar en mi vacaciones en Perú. Empecé estudiar español hace diez meses. Toda día hablamos español y no permitía hablar inglés. Es difícil pero la familia fueron muy agradable y más importante hablaron despacio. Ahora tengo más confianza, puedo entender más español y generalmente él gente me puede entender.
Highly recommended. I will be going back.

I came on this trip with my friend in the hopes of gaining more Spanish grammar and culture knowledge before the start of my further studies in A level Spanish. This trip did not disappoint. One of the best things about Spanish in Nature is that it is situated in the beautiful Guadarrama National Park. This in itself opens up a wide range of fun activities for those interested in sports such as trekking and canoeing. El Boalo, the village is conveniently placed in the middle of mountains yet near Madrid and other beautifull towns like Segovia.

The host family were incredibly welcoming and we had a lot of fun cooking Spanish recipes, watching Spanish films and meeting the friends and family of my Spanish host family. The no english speaking rule, whilst initially hard to maintain lead me to see improvements in my speaking and confidence within just one week. This was of course helped by the tailored study sessions.

Overall, this was a brilliant end to my summer holiday and it was nice to stay in a peaceful setting surrounded by mountains (a change from London). I will miss the weather, the family and of course the awesome Spanish food, ¡Qué rico! :)

I booked a two-week homestay learning course with Spanish in Nature for my 13 year-old daughter, who was just starting Spanish. This was an adventure and a risk, as it was the first time she had ever been in a non-Polish, non-English speaking environment without her parents. No need to worry! From the first contact prior to reserving, and all the way through the course, the organisers, family and friends were extremely friendly and helpful, and put in 100% effort to ensure my daughter would feel at home. The setting is wonderful, in the hills outside Madrid, in clean nature while less than one hour by car from the shopping in the capital. The programme was full of interesting activities and my daughter loved every minute of her time there. It's obvious that after coming back to Poland, she is now top of her class in Spanish. Highly recommended!