Where to learn Spanish???

I think you'll find that Guatemala is the end all, be all place to study Spanish on a budget. I know lots of people that have done it and I spent three months there myself in 2007.

20 hours a week of one on one teaching will run you between 70- 100 USD. Add another 50-100 and you can stay with a family who will supply all your meals. Incredible value for the money.

Antigua is a beautiful colonial town and an ideal spot from which to launch other forays around the country. Quetzaltenango (Xela) is also a popular spot for schools and is nestled in the highlands. You'll probably be more properly 'immersed' there than in Antigua.

San Pedro de la Laguna will have the cheapest digs. Careful if you do a homestay, though, because you'll likely end up with a Mayan family whose first language is not Spanish.

There are a few schools in other cities across the country. Highly recommended!

Including plane tickets, a month of study, scuba certification on Utila and lots of other fun, I spent around 2500 bucks. I had a blast!

You need to determine which countries you are allowed to work in, and what kind of income you could possibly expect.

It would help to know your nationality.

It is very difficult for foreigners to work legally in Mexico or Guatemala, and you will not make enough to both pay for your lessons and eat.

If money is the issus and you must work, then you need to sort out the employment possibilities before you take up a language course.

I learned Spanish in Seville, Barcelona, Nerja and Córdoba in Spain. With Enforex and International House, they were really good. I think somewhere in Latin America is better though, as the cost of living is cheaper. I would recommend Mexico, that´s the only place I´ve been. If you organise everything yourself you can study Spanish at a University in any country, they tend to have private Spanish schools within the uni but they are cheaper. Also find local roommates when you are actually in the country. This would be so much cheaper.

Spain obviously!

Latin American Spanish is not proper Spanish! It's like learning English in Australia, you'll end up with god awful slang.

Spain is more expensive than Latin America these day, living costs I mean. If you are staying longer, Latin America would be what I recommend. The slang is part of the language, and you can learn the "proper" Spanish accent later.

#4 is a troll so don't reply. He delights in interjecting inflammatory when his opinions are unwatned and not called for and in seeing the responses he can get. The best defense against trolls is to ignore them.

hey alexander_vi IMHO #4 is not that wrong if you consider that the thread starter didn't say where he's from nor what he needs his spanish for...

That said, if you want to learn spanish in spain, you have to decide between easy learning but difficulties to understand spanish from any other region and a more difficult learning experience but when you finally get it, you will be able to understand also people from other regions.
For the first option, I'd suggest central Spain, I think Sanatander has the highest density of spanish schools, but Madrid's spanish is also quiet easy. Long long ago I had a two week spanish course in Cuenca which also was quite nice.
It is a bit harder if you go to regions where they speak with a strong accent like Andalucía or Extremadura or (this is where I learned Spanish) Canary Islands. But once you grasp their hard accent, you'll understand spanish from anywhere in the world.

If you opt more for South or Middle America, my experience was that in regions with strong indigenous populations they speak way clearer spanish 'cause for most it is their second language aswel. In Venezuelan or Columbian Cities on the other hand they seemed to had their own accent and slang, so that will be what you learn when you practice on the street...

Jasper, you are hilarious! I'm glad someone pointed out you're a troll - I haven't been on here for a bit.

The fact is there are a hell of a lot more people speaking Spanish in Sth & Central America & Mexico, than there are in Spain - and they actually view 'Spanish Spanish' as inferior!

Within Latin America, the accent & slang varies quite a lot by country. For example, I am perfectly understood & often complemented on my 'intermediate' Spanish in Mexico (my teacher was from Mexico) but I struggle to get by in Argentina! Both these countries have pretty extreme accents.

You really need to decide on the country you want to visit & live in - have you been anywhere already, or do you have a destination in mind?

In terms of combining a more 'neutral' accent, with affordable living costs, you would consider Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua & Guatemala. Bolivia is the cheapest by far - and Sucre is a nice place to study in Bolivia.

Unless you want to do a 'proper' course at a University, you don't need to line up a school before you visit - in most places, you can arrive one day, and start the next. You will also avoid any ridiculous 'registration fees' by showing up in person, and you may receive a cheaper overall rate as well.

Jasper, as an Aussie with a lovely accent I object to your analagy...and can I say, you really aught to have used a semicolon not a comma in that sentence. Having said that, I get your point: I went to Florence to learn Italian and would like to go to the equivalent city to learn Spanish