We felt safe and had a great time. We visited the Mayan/Pipil ruins of Tazumal, San Andres, and Joya de Ceren, Cerro Verde, Volcan de Izalco, and Lago de Coatepeque.

I shouldn’t have wasted my time listening to language tapes. I was speaking the language a few days after I arrived.

El Salvador does not get many tourists these days, and that is unfortunate because it is a beautiful, fascinating country. The city of Santa Ana, where Escuela Sihuatehuacan is located, is a great location because it is very walkable, relatively safe and provides access to many attractions in the western half of the country. At this point the program does not have a school building per se, rather the Spanish teachers come to one's homestay or hotel, which is actually convenient. My teachers were very good, the director of the program was very caring and accomodating and my homestay family was wonderful. I also had the opportunity to do a lot of sightseeing. I would highly recommend this program.

Teachers are great, but be careful of paying for accommodations in advance. No refunds, even though bedrooms at school did not have showers - we were to use buckets to pour over ourselves in old unfinished "bathroom". Bedroom was small and dark with just two mattresses (apparently no pillows/top sheets or blankets), with screaming children and blaring cartoons right outside. Was told that the accomodations were typical of (or better than other) homestays in El Salvador. Checking with other Santa Ana residents, they said that the situation did not sound normal. We could have gotten a reasonable air conditioned hotel room for the same price. (We actually ended up upgrading and paying more.) I have been to several other language schools in other countries and have friends who have been to even more and the business about the accomodations is unacceptable. But, as I said, the teachers are knowledgeable, helpful, hardworking and accomodating. I just hope that they are paid a reasonable rate.