"I arrived in Arequipa after several months of traveling in South America. I was tired of not being able to speak Spanish. Intending to stay for two weeks, I ended up staying for three months. Surrounded by three volcanoes and with a very mild and comfortable climate, Arequipa is one of the most beautiful cities in Peru and a fantastic city in which to learn the Spanish language."

"With very little traveler's Spanish to begin with, I became pretty much fluent within three months of Spanish lessons for four hours a day. Today, I am able to converse freely, read the daily news and even read books in Spanish. For me, the Spanish language has become an integral part of my life."

"I showed up in Arequipa unable to introduce myself in Spanish, let alone explain that I did not know how to dance. For the first month I was there, I barely opened my mouth. My host family was worried, but after countless classes with Juan Jose, my grammar teacher, things had begun to sink in. Understanding that I needed to experience physical pain and humiliation to truly understand the myriad dimensions of the Spanish language, Juan Jose introduced me to capoeira, a Brazilian martial art. After countless kicks in the head, I finally put aside my fears and opened my mouth. Shockingly, I found myself speaking intelligible Spanish. With the addition of Malena as my conversation teacher and – steadfast guide to the local culture – I was soon able to run the full gambit of topics."

"After three months of classes and hanging out, I was able to speak Spanish well enough to travel independently, chat with anyone I felt like and insult people in great detail. The experience was wonderful and I would prize the opportunity to go back."

"I am Marcus from Baden Bei Wien in Austria and spent a few months in Arequipa a while back. As an introduction I took language classes for a couple of weeks and lived with a host family that was selected through the school. All in all, I had a terrific time. The combination of school and babbling about God and the world with the family afterwards was great ... and maybe also going out and flirting with a couple of Peruvian girls after a couple of Pisco Sours, all thanks to the language."

"The language classes themselves are terrific since the courses take place in small groups and you have the opportunity to choose what to study (grammar or reading) and even the topic."

"Dear Malena and Pepe, thank you very much for the great time that I was able to spend with you in Arequipa. I had a wonderful time and am happy to give you feedback about what you did for me."

"All jokes aside, I didn't think it was possible for me to ever learn a foreign language, and the fact that you taught me Spanish in five weeks is really unbelievable. I know that you didn't have it easy with me since I didn't always have my homework done and wasn't quite awake in the morning hours, which makes the achievement even more amazing. Ok, I still have problems with the subjunctive tense, but I can understand Pepe's Spanish better than his English. He teaches very well but above all makes the learning fun. You live in a nice house, close to the city center, yet in a quiet area with nice guestrooms and even your cooking is brilliant. It is possible that I will come and visit you again soon."

"Dear Pepe and family! Thank you very much for the wonderful hospitality. It was fun and interesting to stay with you and to study the language and culture. I really had an incredible experience!"

"I spent three weeks in Arequipa with Malena and Pepe learning Spanish. Of the four schools I attended in South America, theirs was the only one personally recommended to me by two separate backpackers and was undoubtedly the best that I attended. I had the fortune to have a homestay with Malena and Pepe for the duration of my studies and found them to be the friendliest and most welcoming people I met in seven months on the continent. The fact that I got to practice my Spanish in the home as well really helped with my conversational skills, which I found the hardest part of learning. It was difficult at first but I was very grateful that I had the opportunity to learn in that way, and I would thoroughly recommend it to any student. The school itself was great also. I made lots of friends there and are still in touch with a number of them.

As for the city itself, Arequipa is one of the loveliest I went to in Peru. It is blessed with sunshine and warmth all year round, has a lovely central square and beautiful buildings and museums. The nightlife will also not let you down. There are loads of great bars and a big strip of clubs and karaoke places if that takes your fancy! For the weekends, the Colca Canyon is nearby, or if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can make an attempt on one of the local volcanoes. Beaches are also within a few hours of the city and make a nice getaway. I really couldn't fault anything about my stay in Arequipa!"