Where in South America is Best to Take Spanish Classes? (Part II)

La Paz, Bolivia

I spend quite a lot of time in La Paz and it is officially the wackiest city I know. The traffic whizzes past your ears as multi skirted women sell milkshakes at the side of the road and people with typewriters fill in official forms while sitting on the pavement. All of the action seems to take place out of doors and as Spanish is a second language for a lot of the residents they speak it slowly and clearly. The big downside is the number of strikes and protests which bring the city grinding to a halt on a regular basis. Choose La Paz if you want to live cheaply, to enjoy some action and to embrace the chaos for a while.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

If you like a few home comforts then this could be the best place for you to learn Spanish. The infrastructure here is vastly superior to that in the other cities mentioned, and it isn’t that much more expensive these days. If there is a drawback then the local accent could be it. After I had spent a couple of days there I started adding the local “sh” sound into words which don’t even use it. I remember asking for my “mochisha” at the bus station and ordering a “tequisha” in a bar. Go to Buenos Aires if you want a big city, great food and lots to do.