 
               |
Testimonials! See what former students have to say about Vida Verde!
I spent 5 weeks with Vida Verde and really enjoyed the whole experience. My host family was very friendly and the teachers were great. They are professional but good fun and, by studying one-to-one, you can make 
progress at your own pace. Vida Verde organises study
trips to different parts of Ecuador and I had a
wonderful time at Alandaluz (on the coast) and in the
jungle near Puno. This is a great way to experience
some of the vastly different regions of Ecuador and to
carry on learning Spanish - I would definitely
recommend it. The school is also very flexible at
arranging day and weekend trips to other parts of
Ecuador and is always keen to accommodate what
students want to do - it's like a school, travel
agency and general source of advice and friendship,
all wrapped up into one. And finally ... Vida Verde is
special in its concern for environmental and social
issues. It is very keen on recycling and contributes
towards many community projects in Quito and beyond.
All in all, I would not hesitate to recommend Vida
Verde to anyone who wants to learn Spanish in Latin
America.Tamsin Alger, UK
My stay in Ecudaor and the days at the Vida Verde school were a real eye opener. I came not knowing what to expect –
visiting for the first time one country in South America – and left with full heart and great desire to come back.
The school and the professors, the warm atmoshphere and the “home feel” of the place helped me not only imporve my Spanish
but also were a magnificant experiance and a great introduction to the people, culture, history, natural beauties and the
life in Ecuador. I loved staying with the family and I am greatful I had the most wonderful people – Elena and Gustavo -
as my hosts. I do hope that I will be able to go back soon to Ecuador because there is so much more that I haven’t seen and
there is still so much to learn...It is a good feeling to know that one has friends there.
This past summer I spent two wonderful weeks at Vida Verde studying 6 hours a day with Patricia and Marlene. This was my fifth time at a language school and I found the academic standards of Vida Verde to be quite high. My homestay was very comfortable and the family most hospitable and attentive. Jill Savage, USA 
If you are undecided about where you would like to learn spanish, let me share with you my experience at Vida Verde, it may help you decide. I came to the school with no previous knowledge of spanish and I was concerned that this would be a giant obstacle. Well, my worries were for nothing. Ecuador is a beautiful country, and my ability to explore was not hampered by my initial non-fluency in spanish. In fact, people were quite patient and waited while I conjugated verbs in my head in order to communicate. As for my lessons at Vida Verde they were great. You begin to speak spanish from day one. The instructors are professional, and possess the ability to recognize the different learning styles of students. I was exposed to several different tools of learning. Through the use of cultural films like A la Costa, and Alonso De Illescas, I was able to reinforce my spanish lesson of the day, in addition to understanding Ecuadorian culture. At the end of my 4 month visit, I am happy to say that i have a solid foundation spanish of which i will continue to build upon. Many thanks to ALL of you at Vida Verde. I definitely plan to visit again in the future.Olga James, USA
Study in the Jungle / Study on the Coast / More Information Register / Volunteer / Ecuador Links / Photo Gallery
Copyright 2000 Green Life Spanish Center. All Rights Reserved. |
I spent four weeks at the Vida Verde Spanish Center, and I could not
be happier. Everybody at the school (students and faculty) were very
warm and welcoming, and made me feel right at home. All of my
professors were very professional, and offered a unique learning
experience. I learned more in my 4 weeks at this school than I did in
my 3 semesters at the University of Pittsburgh.
I spent one week in the jungle, which was well worth it. I continued
to learn Spanish, but also had the opportunity to experience the
jungle and be adventurous. It was a wonderful and unique experience.
I had a homestay which I highly recommend to anybody attending the
school. This enhanced my ability to learn, but, more importantly,
helped me to feel more "at home" while in Quito.
I would return to the Green Life Spanish School in a heartbeat (and
likely will).
I can honestly recommend the Spanish school "Vida Verde" in Quito because they virtually facilitated my first time here in Ecuador and improved my Spanish up to a professional level in rather a short time.
I came here to study for one term at the "Universidad Católica" in Quito and at the beginning I didn´t know anybody.
Through the contact with other students at Vida Verde, may it be in classes or coffee break,
I made a lot of international friends with which I also enjoyed a tour to the Ecuadorian rainforest in Tena which was very well organized by Vida Verde.
My teachers aligned my study program according to my personal requirements and worked with me for instance on my University literature.
I recommend Vida Verde because they improve my knowledge in Spanish in a professional manner and make you feel home at the same time.
Vida Verde was an exceptional experience for me. The school was welcoming and friendly. The professors were very impressive,
they quickly discovered what I knew, or rather what I didn't know, and pushed me very hard to study and practice new material.
The classes were well structured and fun, and my spanish quickly improved. My homestay with Rosa and the Proaño family was an
experience that I will always treasure. The family was caring and considerate, the food was great, and I was made to feel like
a family member. I would recommend Vida Verde without hesitation.
My son studied Spanish at Vida Verde for one month last year before setting off on his travels throughout South America.
He built a strong foundation in Spanish at the school and raved about the hospitality of his homestay family, the Proaños.
When my husband and I planned a vacation in Ecuador last fall, we decided to begin the trip with some classes at Vida Verde.
The teaching at Vida Verde is top notch. Studying the language one-on-one with a skilled teacher like Patricia provided an
effective and enjoyable learning experience. We also found the school's staff extremely helpful with advice on getting around
Quito and traveling in Ecuador. Another bonus from attending Vida Verde is the opportunity to stay with an Ecuadorian family.
I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to taste home-cooked Ecuadorian food. The meals at the Proaño's home were absolutely delicious.
While we at were at Vida Verde, several of the students told me that they had chosen this school because it has a family atmosphere.
Vida Verde is a very special memory for our entire family.
My name is Jennifer Cumming.I am a Canadian that travelled to Quito this year to study Spanish. I found Vide Verde online and really liked their website. I went with a gut feeling and registered with them for 10 days study one on one with a homestay.
My gut was right!! The homestay was fantastic (I stayed with Hipatia Alarcon, one of the teachers and her family), private room and bathroom and a wonderful family that felt like my own family after a week. The teachers were excellent and work with you at your speed, which I appreciated as I am a fast learner. Other students that found the language difficult had very patient teachers that were creative in how they taught the language, using games such as Spanish Scrabble.
I studied 4 hrs in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. Most students studied 3-4 hrs per day, which I would recommend for most people.
I enjoyed my ten days in September 2007 so much that I returned at the end of my stay in Ecuador for another week at the end of October - same family, another great teacher.
The students are from many countries and are of all ages. On my last visit there were a couple in their 60's. I am 42 and felt completely at home. Many of the students were in their early 20's - a great diverse group.
And it is still not enough. I am back in Ecuador yet again, mainly to visit friends but I really want another week of Spanish. I will go back in a few weeks to Quito, stay with the same wonderful family and definitely go back to Vida Verde.
Please let me know if you have any questions at all. I would be happy to answer as best I can.
As many students travelling to Ecuador, I have chosen Quito as the ideal place to combine a Spanish language course with my volunteer work.
I decided for a 1:1 tuition at Vida Verde in order to enhance my knowledge in Spanish in a short time and to apply it in a proper manner at
my volunteer foundation CENIT. During my 5 weeks Spanish course I had different teachers and I can admit that all of them had a high level
of competence particularly in explaining the Spanish grammar and expressions to students with a diminutive background in Spanish. I appreciated
to a great extent the assistance in the school, e.g. by the Student Coordinator, and the offered activities to different sights in Ecuador.
Furthermore, I lived with the family of Rosa Proaño for 5 months, had my own room with private bath and the familiar atmosphere marked
a great value for me. One of the most relevant advantages living in a guestfamily is the encouragement of its members to help in any individual affair.