I lived in Ecuador for a year back in 2004. I came to Quito with no spanish language skills and left a year later with an ability to speak, engage on real issues and fall in love in Spanish and with Spanish. I dont think this would have happened as gracefully as it had without the love and support of Carmen and her school. She was intellegent, friendly, openminded, and passionate about her work, culture and life. These great characteristics filtered down to the staff and teachers hired. It was a wonderful place to spend my time even if I wasn't taking a class. I started off with five days a week, four hours a day. This shifted to less over time. By the end of my time I was seeing Carmen a few days a week for maybe four hours. What I loved the most was talking about our lives. Carmen and I come from such different backgrounds and experiences but we shared the common language of Spanish to bridge the gaps and share about "our" worlds. We certainly didnt see eye to eye on all things BUT we had mutual respect and care to get us through. I highly recommend Carmen and Beraca as a place to not only learn Spanish but to learn about Ecuador, people and yourself. Carmen, if you read this post--I miss you and will be back to visit in the near future.

I studied in Beraca for 31/2 weeks for 4 hours a day. I never had any Spanish before and I started on level 0. I am an older student, past my 60th so starting a new language is not that easy as if you are in your 20th. My goal was to be able to orient myself with the language and to be able to travel by myself. After my classes I understood much more that I was able to speak, but still did all my traveling using the Spanish I learned. Definitely I got a background in Spanish that I can build on know. The school was very helpful and found me a host family to stay with. It was the great experience by itself. Carmen and Fernando, owners of Beraca are very nice and run the school on professional level. All teachers are very nice. The school is in a great location and at a very good price. The reason I chose the Beraca School was based on the recommendation of other students on the internet and I was very pleased with the choice. Thanks Beraca and everyone in the school for a great time at the school and in Quito. Warmest Regards your “chistoso” Chevere Daniela

I studied in Beraca for 5 weeks for 4 hours a day. In this time I brought my level of spanish from beginner to high intermediate. The school was extremly helpful and found me a host family to stay with. The school is in a great location and at a very good price. I had 2 teachers during my time and both teachers were excellent especially Geovanni. The reason I chose the school was for its super atmosphere. When I first arrived in the school everyone was laughing and chatting. Its the perfect learning envirnment. They also arrange trips out into the city if you are sick of the classroom. Thanks Beraca and everyone in the school for an great time in the school. Best of luck in 2010 Shane, Ireland

Many congradulations to you Carmen and Fernando for the school's success. Obviously you're doing business the right way and God has blessed you abundantly. Ali

I studied Spanish at Beraca for four weeks in February/March 2004 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. no more no less cobro

My wife and I studied with Beraca over a period of about 6 months during 2006/08. We did a great deal of research on Spanish schools in Quito prior to coming, and are so pleased that we did all of our spanish classes with Beraca. We recommend Beraca completely. Carmen and Fernando are incredibly welcoming, scrupulously honest, very flexible, and above all effective in their teaching methods. Our spanish improved greatly through our time there, and we really appreciated the quality of the different teachers who we spent time with. Don't hesitate to go straight to this school. Cheers, Daryl and Julie, New Zealand

I got to BERACA school in March knowing only a few words of spanish...'Hola','cerveza',you know, the important words for travelers! With their incredible teachers, I not only learned how to speak this beautiful language, but I have learned how to truely appreciate the culture. When you have people around you that make you feel at ease, that make you laugh, that make you feel like you are part of their family, it is then that you truely see that the most important language in this world comes from the heart! Thank you to all the teachers that I had the honour to work with, and to all the friends I had the chance to make! Besos! Sophie Bélisle, Canada

Hace dos anos estudie espanol en Escuela Beraca. Mi professora Yadira Bedon (feliz cumpleanos) fue muy excellente, y hasta hoy todavia somos amigos. Es mi gran espera que tendre la opportunidad estudiar otra vez en Escuela Beraca y con una professora no puedo olvidar, Seniorita Yadira Bedon. :---)

As someone who spent 6 weeks at Beraca Spanish School, I can definitely say Carmen and Fernando have assembled an outstanding group of teachers. They work hard to teach lessons appropriate for your level and goals, meanwhile creating a fun and friendly atmosphere. Everyone gets along and helps each other. The school ensures that new students are introduced to existing students during breaks and short Friday excursions around Quito. I especially have to applaud my teacher, Margarita, for her energetic personality that made the four-hour classes fly by each day. My family stay with the Pavon family was also an excellent part of my trip. The family always spoke Spanish and accomodated any dietary restrictions. They also had space to house other foreigners, which added to the homestay experience. Overall, my trip was a great success. Without any hesitancy, I can recommend Beraca as the school of choice for studying Spanish in Quito. Tim Coleman, USA

My wife and I attended Beraca Spanish School in Quito Ecuador for more than 3 weeks and for 4 hours per day. My wife decided to retain the same teacher for all that time but I changed and experienced 3 different teachers. In both cases we were impressed by the teachers. They provided a well balanced mix of theory, grammar and practice in conversation. They were all experienced teachers who used diverse methods of instruction. We especially enjoyed the opportunities to intermix with the other students and the other teachers. The overall atmosphere was very friendly. Indeed when we returned to Quito after 9 weeks absence, we walked past the school and we were noticed by some of the teachers and we were welcomed as if we were part of their family. We had previosly attended another school but Beraca provided a commensurate service at a better price with the additional advantage of a more friendly environment in which to learn. We both recommend the Beraca Spanish School. Bob and Sue Anderson, Australia

I studied Spanish with Beraca November and December 2004 . I had a really great time there, especially because the people are so friendly. I had four hours of spanish a day, that was just enough for me to learn it quite quick and to have some free time to do other things. You have one teacher one student so the lessons can fit your personal needs. Beraca is quite a cheap school but they have good teachers and a programme of things they organize for the student. I made a few trips and went studying with three others in the Jungle for a week. That was a really nice experience, spanish lessons in the morning and walks, rafting, kanoing etc. in the afternoon. I would really recommend this school because I have a lot of good memories of my time there and ofcourse because they teach spanish in a good and professional way. Sylvia Braam - Nijmegen, Holland

I just finished 4 weeks of school at Beraca and I learned very much and had a good time. I honestly can recommend Beraca. Of course, what is most important is the teacher. Our teacher was Irma, and she's very nice and very experienced. About the other teachers I can't tell you anything. Beraca is quite cheap, compared with other schools. I think this is, because they don't offer a lot of extra program like other schools (swimming pool, Salsa classes etc.). It's very easy to organize these specials on your own, and then you can select what you really want and pay only for that. Well, I wish you a nice stay in Ecuador . If you have any questions, just write me. Esther Iseli, Switzerland

I studied Spanish at Beraca for four weeks in February/March 2004 and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. As a retired English teacher from Melbourne Australia, I was keen to enrol in a school that would provide the best possible teaching as well as a friendly environment in which to learn. I found that and more at Beraca. Carmen and Fernando, the owners, run an excellent school with very friendly, professional and skilled teachers, who make learning a pleasure. From knowing next to nothing when I arrived I was soon able to converse slowly and after 4 weeks felt capable of travelling in South America and making myself understood. I would highly recommend Beraca to any other students. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did. Ian Linnett, Melbourne, Australia

After much research and checking out recommendations, I took three weeks with Beraca, very basic level, and was very pleased. Michael Schmidt, Juneau, Arkansas

I was at Beraca from 1.12.03 to 28.01.04. Learning Spanish can be fun and I had a lot of it at Beraca. When I first visited and spoke with Carmen, she explained everything very well. I first wasn't sure which school to choose, but I soon realized that I'm making a lot of progress there with my Spanish. My teacher was great and school never had been so interesting. I also learned many things about the culture of Ecuador and where the interesting places are. When I asked for a local family to stay with, Carmen just told me to take bring along my backpack the next day. The family was very kind and I hope to see them soon again. So if you go to Quito and would like to learn Spanish, just have a look at Beraca. Tell them what you like to learn and they will help you make the best of your time here. Thomas Engeler, Winterthur, Switzerland

I have nothing but praise and compliments for Beraca spanish school. The owners, Carmen and Fernando, and all the teachers are always there for you if you need any help or just for a friendly chat. I didn't think it was possible to have as much fun as I did at a school! As well as having a great time, the courses are practical, professional and the teachers will always do what's best for you. The home stays are nothing short of a great experience. They are always there for you and are eager to help you on your way to fluent spanish. If you want to learn heaps of spanish in a friendly environment, while having a great time on the side, give Beraca a go, and enjoy the experience. Henry Durant, Sydney, Australia

We are two students from Germany who have just taken four weeks of spanish classes at the BERACA school in Quito. In our opinion, there can't be a better place to learn spanish than at this school. The one-to-one-course was very efficient in a very relaxed atmosphere with very nice and friendly teachers. After our 80 hours of lessons we can say that we are able to talk to any person on the street in almost every situation. Don't hesitate and go ahead!! We hope we could help you a bit in making your decision! Jens and Bettina, Germany

If I have to say something about "Beraca Spanish School" I would say that it’s the best school we ever met! If you would like to learn Spanish and not only Spanish but also the culture of this wonderful country, just go there! Teachers are very nice and professionals and courses are cheap and really good! There are also opportunities to stay in a family and practice the language if you want to. The owners, Carmen and Fernando, are always there for taking care of you and if you need something, just ask them and they will do the best for you! We really enjoyed learning Spanish here so if you are expecting the same, and want to meet wonderful people, don’t hesitate, just go there and enjoy...

Carmen Garcia [founder and co-operator of Beraca] is a wonderful teacher and a kind, patient and likable person. She is also a politically-astute manager who always has the best interests of the student in mind. She goes out of her way to protect the student. I found her to be indispensable during my two-month stay in Quito in 1995 and grew to completely trust her. We ended up in a friendship that has lasted to this day. I even built this website for her free of charge. 

More importantly, Carmen is of the rare breed of South Americans who have adopted the Western edicts of timeliness and reliability. She is always on time! She is scrupulously honest in keeping track of expenses. If she says she'll do something, you can bet that she'll actually do it. I highly recommend Beraca to anyone planning to visit Quito, especially if you are price conscious and hope to get to know the people and not just some faces. Getting to know Carmen and becoming friends with her is reason enough to go there. Ali Torkzadeh, Los Angeles