I showed up in Granada in Feb 2008 without reservations or plans, and wandered into Casa Xalteva. Right away, the staff was welcoming and more than willing to work with getting me started in classes and a homestay. I started classes the next morning and went to my homestay that afternoon. The director also listened to my volunteer ideas and interests and went with me to check out several locations to find the right fit for me. I've been to language schools in Mexico and Guatemala that specialize in language/volunteer opportunities, and this was by far the best. Casa Xalteva lives its mission everyday and is run by people who embody integrity. I highly recommend this school and am so grateful for my time there.

I went to Casa Xalteva back in 2006 and was blown away by its combination of great classes, ambitious and important mission statement, and familial environment. Part of the class fee money is used to run a children's education program and the kids are all awesome. Class sizes were always under 4, and most commonly 2 students. Daily excursions were awesome and they offered free salsa dance lessons. But, this speaks the most to my experience there: I planned to study 1 month before going south to Argentina. After my 4 weeks, I moved onward. Then, on my way back to the United States I stopped in and a year later I was there for 10 months volunteering. A truly life changing experience.