BASICS - The Rough Guide to Panama - page 70

many speak virtually no English and in a number of the remote indigenous communities some
villagers, especially women, do not even speak Spanish. Your travel experience in the coun-
try will be greatly enhanced by learning at least the basics of Spanish before you arrive. The
Contexts section of this guide is a useful starting point.
Learning Spanish in Panama
A good way of getting to grips with Spanish is to attend a language school . This also gives
you an entrance into Panamanian life, especially if you take up the cultural immersion or
homestay options and become involved in the volunteering projects on offer. Most schools
run an extra-curricular programme, which almost inevitably includes salsa classes and excur-
sions, while some courses specialize in language learning combined with activities such as
scuba diving or surfing.
Group, small group (2-4) and one-to-one tuition is usually available; group classes, the
cheapest option, generally comprise four hours of lessons per day at rates of around
$200-250 per week, not including board and lodging. Make sure the institution is registered,
that staff are qualified and that the teaching methodology is not just “chalk and talk” before
committing any money. goabroad.com/language-study-abroad contains a list of recom-
mended schools, but some of the more established ones are listed here.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
Habla Ya Panama Plaza Los Establos, Boquete 20-22

720 1294; also in Bocas Town on

Av “G” Norte 757 7352, hablayapanama.com .
Spanish by the River Entrada a Palmira, Alto Boquete

720 3456, spanishatloca-

tions.com .
Spanish by the Sea Calle 4a, behind Hotel Bahía , Bocas del Toro, Isla Colón 757 9518,

spanishatlocations.com .
Spanish Panama Edif Americana, 1a, Vía Argentina, Panama City

213 3121, spanish-

panama.com .
Laundry
Most mid-range and top-end hotels offer a laundry service, while aparthotels and some hos-
tels have their own washing machines for guest use. Otherwise you have the choice of a
lavamático (not as easy to locate in Panama City as in the provinces), an old-fashioned laun-
derette, where you bundle your clothes into a machine, and then a dryer, paying no more than
$3-5 for a load, including detergent and conditioner. The more ubiquitous lavanderías , which
more closely resemble dry cleaners, usually cost slightly more, especially if you want clothes
ironed.