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I just want to say great thread. I'm getting the same feeling I got when I read the Southeast Asia thread a few years ago and I am posting this while wearing a jacket I bought in Thailand, so I can see where this is going. I have a feeling a 6 month trip to South America is in my far future. I have to work for 16 more months to be a CPA but that travel bug has been killing me the last 6 months. I hope I can stick it out without dropping everything and ditching my career for the second time
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Mar 27, 2009 01:59
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If you basically know zero Spanish, how long would one of those immersion schools take to get you up to speed conversationally? Can you even go knowing almost no Spanish? My friends and I had an argument about this for like 20 minutes tonight. Also, has anyone done one? I was looking at them during the argument and apparently you can go to them in Guatemala for under $1,000 a month with room, board, meals, and like 25 hours of instruction a week.
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Nov 19, 2010 03:10
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sacred posted:To Ribsauce:
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Nov 23, 2010 01:23
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Would anyone who did a spanish immersion class with little to no previous knowledge of spanish be willing to answer some questions from me? Preferably one in Guatemala although anywhere is fine, the major concern I guess involves the little to no experience. thanks
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Nov 30, 2010 01:55
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Can anyone explain how these surf camps work? Only curious about ones in Central America, the best would be for beginners, cheap, and have spanish lessons too. My friends and I think that would be an awesome vacation. We looked at one called El Paredon in Guatemala ( http://surfguatemala.net84.net/ ) but I don't think they have spanish lessons. Then there is this one in Nicaragua ( http://rancho-esperanza.com/index.html ) which mentions spanish lessons. We have not looked too much. Ideally we could wake up, hit the waves when they are awesome, and take spanish lessons when they are not. I surfed in high school but not (much) since and a couple of us have literally never touched a surf board, so that factors in. Time we would be willing to spend range from a couple of weeks (minimum) to a month. A couple of people would like to keep the price as low as possible, 40 per day for all this if we could. We would like to not be in the middle of nowhere so we could go to town a couple times a week as some people will have to use the internet a few hour two or three times a week for work and whatever. If anyone wants to preach south America go ahead. I and possibly someone else would like to do this for a couple of weeks and then travel for maybe another month-6 weeks hitting trying to do the entire region, which seems more possible in central america. For the total region max budget is $4,000 after airfare and the longest time available is 12 weeks. This budget and time seems more Central America friendly especially considering up to the first month will be sunk in spanish and surfing (hopefully)
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Mar 23, 2011 02:31
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Macunaima posted:GREAT STUFF Thanks a ton man, that was a lot of information to process. I can look into Mexico I guess, we never really thought about it. It does look nice. I will definitely follow up with you as I look into it and get more questions
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Mar 26, 2011 22:54
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Is there a way to use GPS on that blackberry curve also?
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Apr 16, 2011 14:15
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out of the different Central America guidebooks can anyone tell which is better than the other for budget traveling? If it includes Mexico that would be super awesome, although it looks like the footprint one is the only one which does, although Lonely Planet includes southern Mexico
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May 6, 2011 21:55
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Do they have an all in one guidebook? I do not see one.
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May 6, 2011 23:37
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Is Central America like SE Asia where you can buy a huge variety of awesome clothes for practically nothing or should I bring most things with me? Basically, the clothing situation in Asia was so cheap and full of options compared to America that if I were to go again to backpack I'd literally bring a backpack, my .mp3 player and kindle, toiletries, the clothes I was wearing, and literally nothing else. Also, is it unacceptable to wear shorts most of the time? In America I wear shorts and sandals (when not working) as soon as it gets over 50, so almost year round in the south. I sort of get the feeling in South America this is not really cool, but I am going to central america and southern mexico. My trip is centered around learning spanish in Guatemala and Honduras first (~5 weeks I am guessing) then seeing the highlights but focusing on surfing the rest if that matters. I am putting together a list of items I am considering bringing right now. I plan to have one of the carry on sized bags like in the travel thread, either a Osprey Porter 46 or the ebags weekend convertible etech (which is only 50 bucks but I think the design is much better than the osprey, reviews seem to suggest good quality, and the price is awesome). Also I sweat a lot, I mean a TON, so a premium is placed on anything which helps keep you cool, so if I need to buy that stuff in America I will.
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Jun 12, 2011 22:20
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I have a question from my parents. For years they have wanted to go to Costa Rica, but they are not sure the best way for them to do it. My parents are in their early 60s and in very good shape. They want to see a lot of cool stuff, they are really into artwork, active stuff like hikes (especially waterfalls), and would enjoy anything historical. They are unsure the best way for them to visit. They do not really want to rent a car (they are afraid of the traffic, unsure if this should be a concern or not) but they also do not want to be part of a group tour with a bunch of fat rear end in a top hat loud tourist (which is not how they behave). On the flipside, I doubt they would enjoy getting in a van with 15 kids backpacking (like I will be haha) to go to whatever site there is to visit. Any ideas of what to tell them? I guess cost isn't really an issue for them either. I will be in Costa Rica before they go and they asked me to see if I could find out the best way for them to visit. This place is probably as good as any.
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Jun 21, 2011 19:57
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Macunaima posted:They'd probably like Mexico more than Costa Rica. CR really is the most overhyped destination I can think of. Culturally, there's nothing going on there, while Mexico is fabulously rich in art. There are great waterfalls in Chiapas state at Misol-Ha and Agua Azul, an easy daytrip from the Palenque ruins. thanks for all the answers
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Jun 21, 2011 21:12
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bam thwok posted:But Ribsauce, if your parents are really set on seeing historical sites, they probably should consider somewhere else. Costa Rica's value is in its natural parks, well-developed tourism industry that caters to outdoor activities, and beaches, not in its local lore. All the things you mentioned you did my parents would enjoy, as long as the beach was not trashy. Do you mind saying what tour guide you used? Can the tour guide also dip into Nicaragua possibly to see some historical stuff Macunaima mentioned? Was the guide just your family? Beer prices don't matter, neither of them drink anymore.
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Jun 21, 2011 22:20
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Alright I could use a little advice. On July 11th I am flying to Guatemala. My plan is to do Spanish immersion school for ~5 weeks around Guatemala, taking classes in the cities I want to visit anyway (as of right now Antigua, Xela, San Pedro de Laguna, Coban) and then once I can speak traveling around Central America just seeing whatever sites and surfing a lot for a few weeks. The only thing I have to do is get down to Costa at some point to visit some friends from high school who live near Playa Hermosa. Here is where I stand now. For Spanish I will have done the first 2 CDs of Rosetta Stone Latin America, if there are different types I am not sure, it is whatever my roommate bought like 2 years ago. That is it. Some schools said 4 weeks and I should be able to communicate well enough to speak while traveling, where I imagine it will continue to improve. My question (for now) is what order of places should I go? I was thinking Antigua first for 2 weeks since I read it is a more english friendly town and I won't know Spanish yet, then from there just tick through the list of places. Also, my hope is while I am there studying I will meet travelers who can tell me what "not to miss" for the rest of my trip. Can anyone share their experiences with an immersion school? edit How much do they use tree nuts in their cooking? Almonds, cashews, etc....peanuts are no problem Ribsauce fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Jun 29, 2011 |
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Jun 29, 2011 18:22
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28 years of life and I have never gotten even a stomach bug from eating food or drinking water and that includes a long list of suspect sources. All ended in under 48 hours in Guatemala. This first week has been awful....hope things improve haha
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Jul 16, 2011 00:44
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Macunaima posted:Rub some Immodium on it and get back in the game. Pussy. edit how worth it is Copan if there is nothing nearby I am interested in? I am going to Tikal, will Copan just be an êh after it? Ribsauce fucked around with this message at 03:08 on Jul 18, 2011 |
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Jul 18, 2011 02:58
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Cool, I am going to do a couple of weeks here http://cooperativeschoolsanpedro.com/ I did my first day today, it went really well. I suck at Spanish but I feel like in 2 weeks I can limp my way through conversations from here to Costa Rica.
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Jul 19, 2011 01:55
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Feltch posted:My aims in Colombia are pretty much to eat lots of good cheap food, learn Spanish, and learn to salsa. Any tips on what to do to avoid any trouble? Im not much of a drinker and don't consider myself to be an obnoxious tourist, more like one who tries their best to blend in.
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Jul 24, 2011 23:38
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Quick hits: Tikal is awesome. Would recommend. Rio Dulce and Livingston: not so awesome. I went to these places instead of Semuc Chempy (?) and it was a horrible decision. The boat trip which is rumored to be so awesome is certainly not, and Livingston was a pile of crap. The beach was horrible, the worst I have ever seen. The only redeeming factor was Casa De Iguana, the most fun hostel I have ever stayed at. Missed Copan and the Bay Islands...if I would have known Roatan had the only international Bojangles I would have gone! I am in El Tunco, El Salvador and it is great. I have been surfing every day since Saturday and bought a board. It is beyond cheap and there are so many breaks a 25 cent bus ride away. It is odd how they use the dollar though. If anyone is in Central post in this thread (or if you are coming soon)
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Aug 23, 2011 16:54
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I am going to vomit some words here looking for advice. I spent 5 weeks in Guatemala (3 in spanish school in San Pedro) and 15 days in El Tunco, El Salvador trying to surf. I did not see the rest of El Salvador. I am now in Leon, Nica about to head to San Juan Del Sur and then the Isle de Ometepe. I had planned on going to Costa Rica after but I am thinking about returning to El Salvador for my last 20 days to surf and see the rest. All I really want to do is surf and see a few random sites, I am done with Volcanos, Canopy Tours, Ruins and that type of stuff. Basically, I am thinking about skipping Costa Rica. From what I understand it is expensive (although I have budgeted for it, it will not bankrupt me), touristy and crowded. The expensive part is not a bother really, if El Salvador is half the price then that is just a bonus. However, if all I am going to see are crowded waves, touts and drunken Aussies acting a fool* I think I would prefer El Salvador. Is there a bunch of DO NOT MISS stuff in Costa Rica? *nothing wrong with this by the way, but I just want to surf and hang now
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Sep 8, 2011 20:21
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Macunaima, I am really bad at surfing. Salsa Brave would probably end with me in traction. I met a guy from Puerto Viejo in El Tunco and he told me all about it. Have you been to El Salvador yourself? The soccer game sounds cool, but I am not sure if I can make it there by the 14th. If I do go to Costa instead of back to El Salvador I will try to be there.
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Sep 9, 2011 05:18
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In Puerto Viejo are the beginner breaks decent pretty much all the time (ie right now)? For El Salvador I would estimate I was spending at most 25 a day (8 for private room, 2 for breakfast, 4 lunch, 4-6 dinner, couple beers, random expense). Food in El Tunco had the best quality cost ratio I have found. Awesome fish burrito 3.50, Steak and Sasuage dinner with sides and beer 5 bucks, etc. Anyway, I think I am going to go to Costa. I really wish that soccer match was a week later or I knew about it earlier because it would be awesome. But 5 days is too tall an order unless I skip San Juan Del sur, which I do not want to.
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Sep 9, 2011 16:37
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It seems to be pretty universally agreed on Guatemala has the best spanish schools, as well as the most inexpensive. I am not sure your plans, but why would you start in Leon for your trip? It is in the middle so you cannot just head in one direction. I only did 3 weeks of school, I can get through the necessities of travel now and hold a basic conversation, but advanced is out of the question. My spanish was close to non existent prior. Also, it did not help I only heard English in El Salvador (btw my favorite place so far, most people skip it). I did a hotel the first week then a homestay for 2 weeks. The homestay was cool except I was sick for a week of it. If you know the basics, 3 weeks with a homestay will probably get you started right, as long as you talk to your family and locals.
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Sep 9, 2011 20:10
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Does anyone know how applying for an extension in a CA-4 country works? The US embassy says http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1109.html#entry_requirements quote:.S. citizens and other eligible foreign nationals, who legally enter any of the four countries, may similarly travel among the four without obtaining additional visas or tourist entry permits for the other three countries. Immigration officials at the first port of entry determine the length of stay, up to a maximum period of 90 days. Foreign tourists who wish to remain in the four-country region beyond the period initially granted for their visit must request a one-time extension of stay from local immigration authorities in the country where the traveler is physically present, or they must leave the CA-4 countries and reapply for admission to the region. Is the application for extension pretty much an automatic thing? Also, does anyone happen to know if this is still correct as well? I have heard conflicting reports but if that is the case I guess I can just run to Costa, reset my 90, then kick it in El Salvador for 2 months (which I am considering doing)
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Sep 17, 2011 21:02
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I am in San Juan Del Sur right now. I guess it will probably be easier just to spend a week somewhere in Costa Rica, which is not too bad I guess. I planned on not going there, but whatever. What would be the best place to spend a few days near the San Juan Del Sur side? I know Puerto Viejo and Pavones are cool, but they are on the other side of the country. Down for anything cool I guess. I am going to go to Mexico some other time. I cannot wait to visit it though.
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Sep 17, 2011 21:42
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San Juan has been pretty good. The shuttle thing is very annoying though, I miss walking right to the breaks or taking the buses in El Salvador. I went to Maderas two times and liked it a lot. The second time was bad conditions but still OK. The last 4 days have been a Nica holiday so Maderas has been so packed we went to other beaches. I went to Hermosa once, but it was awful, heavy on shore winds. I went to Remonsa twice as well, great beginner spot, had a lot of fun. I have become addicted to surfing and my plan is to find a cheap apartment in El Tunco for 2 months. I met a girl who had a room in what she said was a decent place for 60 a month, I am hoping to find one for around 100 then just stay 2 months and get good at surfing. It is so much fun, I highly recommend anyone who travels here give it a shot! I will check out Tamarindo. Thanks for your help, you always seem to have a good answer to my questions.
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Sep 17, 2011 21:56
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Well if you choose an island you obviously do not want to rent a car because you cannot take it with you. Macunaima I sent you a PM, thanks again!
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Sep 23, 2011 21:20
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Hey hip hop, when I went to Central I flew RDU -> FLL via Southwest then ran to the spirit terminal and took that to Guatemala. It was honestly half the price flying direct on Delta or whatever out of RDU. Make sure you do a Carry on sized backpack (which you should do anyway, see the travel gear thread) or you might get stuck. Can you take a bus somehow to the airport? May as well get used to riding busses haha. The way you have to break it up is actually not bad. I'd do fly into Cancun -> Belize to dive -> Tikal in Guatemala -> whatever else you want to do there (Antigua, Lake Atilian, whatever) then fly out of Guatemala City. That is probably a good three weeks. Oh, by the way, you are interested in beaches, absolutely do NOT go to the Caribbean beach in Guatemala, Livingston it is called, it was the absolute most disgusting place I have ever seen in my life. Every inch was covered in garbage. All we did was get hammered in our hostel (it was an awesome hostel) for 3 days until we could get the gently caress out! With 2 more weeks I'd probably fly back into Nicaragua, go to Lago Nicaragua, Leon, San Juan Del Sur if you want to try surfing and/or party, then maybe do a couple things in Costa Rica and fly out from there. A year ago today I was booking my bus ticket out of San Pedro De Lago with all of Central America in front of me. Now I'm a sucker with a 9-5...wtf happened to me?
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Aug 3, 2012 15:15
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A couple of years ago I went to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. I loved it. I was there for months though. My friend and I have 10 days and we want to do this. Maybe see a couple cool nature things like a Volcano or Jungle, hang out on the beach and surf, relax, and drink (party) for 3-4 days, and fill a couple random days with neat stuff too. We are looking at Costa Rica or Panama. This trip will be mid-August. Basically the equivalent of it I went to Nicaragua checking out Leon for two days, then heading to San Juan Del Sur for 4 days, then Ometepe for 2 days, and maybe hitting Granda for a night on the way back home. Can you do an equivalent loop in Panama or Costa Rica?
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Jul 5, 2013 15:56
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