The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the Unites States where Spanish is the official language. This and many others reasons make San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, a good destination to learn Spanish.
Sacha Delgado, owner of the Institute for Spanish Language Acquisition (I.S.L.A.), chatted with Speaking Latino and tell us why 80% of their students –mostly Americans- choose Puerto Rico. “It’s a great place to make your first trip, if you have never traveled,” she said.
Here are some of the reasons I identified from our conversation, plus I’ve added a couple of others.
Reasons to Travel and Learn Spanish in San Juan
1. The Spanish immersion experience
San Juan is a modern city and many people speak English to some degree. But when you get out of the touristy areas you will see that Puerto Ricans speak, read, work, eat and live in Spanish.
2. 400 years of colonial Spanish history
Being a Spanish colony for 400 years not only made Puerto Rico a Spanish speaking country, but also a historic legacy of colonial times.
3. Easy flight
Depending on where you are from, flying to Puerto Rico is easy with numerous direct flights from major airports in the US.
4. No passport required
Since Puerto Rico is a US territory; American citizens don’t need a passport to travel here. That also means that you won’t pass through immigration when arriving on the Island.
5. Same currency
Puerto Rico uses the US dollar so you don’t need to worry about currency exchange rates. For example, ATM machines (locally called ATH) will work perfectly. That also means no foreign transaction fees when using your credit card.
6. Same power voltage
In Puerto Rico the voltage and electrical outlets are the same as the United States. You don’t need to be concerned about buying a adapters or voltage that damage your electronic equipment like when you travel to other countries in Latin America.
7. No long distance calls
This might be your first time abroad and you would like to keep constant communication with your family in the States. Major cellular companies, like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon have a presence in Puerto Rico so your cell phone will work fine. Ask your provider if your current calling and data plans will cover Puerto Rico.
8. No vaccines
When traveling to some countries in Central and South America you may be required to get vaccines. This is not the case in Puerto Rico.
9. Endless Summer
Do you want to escape from a cold and dry winter? Puerto Rico is an endless summer with an average temperature of 87°F all year long. The average lowest temperature is 74°F and the highest 96°F. If you come from dry climates, you will find Puerto Rico very humid. You can also visit the beaches any time during the year.
Learning Spanish in San Juan, Puerto Rico offers you the best of two worlds for studying Spanish: the Latin flavor with the comforts of the States.
Read more about learning Spanish in Puerto Rico with the articles 3 Tips to Maximize Your Spanish Lessons in Puerto Rico or in Any Other Country and Learn Spanish Puerto Rico: Immersion Program ISLA.
Check out these other articles to help you Learn Spanish.
