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For those students of Spanish who want to rapidly improve their language skills, the Latin Immersion Language Network in Santiago (LILN) is a superb choice.  For those students who just want to have a terrific vacation in a Spanish speaking country, LILN is a terrific choice.  But, for those who want both to rapidly accelerate their language proficiency while at the same time having a wonderful vacation, I can’t imagine that there is any better school in all of Latin America. I spent the most fruitful and enjoyable two weeks of my life at LILN.   The teachers were fantastic, the staff was friendly, helpful and always accommodating, and the many activities were well organized, educational, enlightening, and most of all, fun. 
 

"for those who want both to rapidly accelerate their language proficiency while at the same time having a wonderful vacation, I can’t imagine that there is any better school in all of Latin America. I spent the most fruitful and enjoyable two weeks of my life at LILN."

I was very impressed with the quality of the teaching staff.  Group classes were limited in size and the students were well selected at appropriate levels to assure compatibility. Many of my classmates became true friends during my short visit.    I chose, in addition to the group classes, to take private lessons to get the most out of my limited time.  While individual classes are certainly not necessary, they definitely contributed to my advancement with the language at a cost in U.S. dollars that was a bargain by any standard.  All of the teachers I met were experienced, interesting, very friendly and made the classes very entertaining as well as very effective. I always looked forward to the breaks we took which were scheduled at the same time for all classes to give the students an opportunity to converse with other instructors in the school as well as with the students in different classrooms.  The lunch hour each day also offered an opportunity for students and teachers to mingle in Spanish in a relaxed and comfortable setting. 

In addition to the professors, the support staff contributed enormously both to my education and to my enjoyment of this trip.  Cecilia, the director of the school, Yanina, the coordinator of activities, and Carmen, the secretary, to name three, were virtually always present, morning, afternoon and evening.  Not only were they available to resolve problems, but also to coordinate and participate in many activities, in the school facility itself as well throughout Santiago and beyond.  Afternoons and evenings were filled with trips to museums, art galleries and other tourist sites, shops, restaurants and discothèques.  During my two-week stay, activities were planned almost every day, including our participation on a local television program, dancing lessons, and a day trip to Santa Cruz to visit a winery, sample wines, and enjoy a fabulous festival. Of course, we spoke Spanish all the time, assuring that the excursions were not only very enjoyable, but also very functional as well.  The staff at LILN proved that there’s no reason you can’t have a great time while at the same time intensively studying and learning a language. 

Santiago is a particularly ideal location to attend a Spanish immersion program.  The school is situated in the center of the metropolitan area, close to an enormous array of parks, stores, restaurants, museums, historical sites and many activities.  We were only a couple of blocks from a superb subway system that is relatively new, very clean, safe and easy get around, even for those beginning Spanish students who are traveling alone.  The bus system, also operating in the immediate proximity to the language center, is very efficient and inexpensive.  The city is scenic, safe and has beautiful connecting parks located throughout that are especially appealing to walkers and joggers alike who enjoy touring through the area on foot. The citizens of Chile, however, are what constitute the most spectacular appeal of the country.  Chileans are extraordinarily warm, kind, helpful and gregarious people with a true affinity for visitors desiring to learn their language. 

The school is ideal, in my opinion, for students of all ages, backgrounds and levels of language training and proficiency.  Although many participants where recent university graduates, during my stay at the school we had an enormously diverse group that included current college students in their early twenties, businessmen and businesswomen, a construction worker, a fisherman, and teachers and other professionals including myself, a 56 year old lawyer.  Everyone seemed to get along well together, in large measure due to the manner in which activities were coordinated by the staff, guaranteeing that even the shy and more reserved students participated in group events and were able to take advantage of the many opportunities the language center offered.
 

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