Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad

The Mélida Anaya Montes Spanish Language School is one of the principal programs offered by CIS, a community advocacy organization founded in 1993 by foreign and Salvadoran solidarity workers following the signing of the peace accords. Courses incorporate progressive social and political themes into assignments and discussions. Students live with local families and classes, taught by Salvadorans, are held weekday mornings.

Afternoons are reserved for the school's 'Political Cultural Program,' which entails daytrips (and occasional weekend overnights) to coffee plantations, women's' cooperatives, health centers, social organizations, and other sites, to give students an insight into Salvadoran life, culture and current social issues. Fees include 20 hours of classes, a homestay (including breakfast and dinner), the afternoon program and administrative costs. There's also a once-only application fee. You can also volunteer to teach English for a minimum of 10 weeks. In exchange, CIS provides training, materials, and offers half-price Spanish classes and two free weeks of the afternoon program. The school is located across the street from a high school basketball court, a half-block from the Universidad Nacional's brightly painted sports complex.