What gay students say about ILISA

Today is the last day of the four weeks I've spent improving my Spanish at ILISA.
I had wanted to attend a Spanish immersion school for years, and finally found the time to do it. I used the Internet to search for schools, and looked at about fifteen spread over Costa Rica, Mexico, Uruguay and Spain. However, as a 40-year old gay man, I had reservations about diving in.

Would I feel out of place at the school because of my age? Could I be myself living with a local family, or would I have to be "in the closet"? Would my host family be uncomfortable having a gay man in their home? I figured the culture shock for a middle-aged gringo living with a local family would be severe enough. Throw the gay thing on top and you could have a really uncomfortable situation.

When I found the gay and lesbian pages of ILISA's website I thought I'd found my school. After trading emails with about ten former students, I knew the choice was made. What the former students told me was ILISA is a school that has serious teachers with credentials,
a great location in San Jose, a new comfortable building, and is
gay-friendly to boot.

Now after attending ILISA, I can tell you firsthand that they were right on all counts. This is a very gay-friendly school. From the administrative staff to the teachers to the other students, I never once felt uncomfortable being open. The teachers are all professional, excellent and serious about the language and teaching. What I have to add is that they have a special talent for making the lessons fun. The teachers all seem to get along with each other really well. During the breaks and the weekly happy hour (don't miss it!) there is lots of laughing, music and jokes, and that's just the teachers. Also, while a lot of the students are younger, there are also quite a few students my age or older.

Now here's the icing on the cake. They put me with a gay host family! Two great guys who, although they are ten years younger than I am, will always be my "papis". They were so warm and accommodating. They showed me around the area, I went to their friends' houses for dinner and we went clubbing together. Living in their house was a great experience that I'll always remember warmly. I also learned a lot of Spanish from them that I'd never learn at school!

I know this sounds like a commercial, but I'm being sincere. I'd recommend this school to anyone. When I get the chance, I'll definitely be back. I came into the school at the intermediate level, and now after four weeks I'd rate myself advanced. I've really learned a lot and had a lot of fun doing it! I wish I could spend another month here, but if I do that my boss will kill me.

Keith Jones , from Houston, Texas, studied at ILISA in the spring
of 1999.



At the end of two weeks of a six-week stay, I can report firsthand that ILISA's outreach to the gay community is as sincere as it seemed on its outstanding web site. While "no big deal" seems to be the staff's healthy attitude toward being gay, it goes a lot further than that. The school maintains a list of gay bars, restaurants and discos here in San José and the surrounding areas and has even taken the trouble to assure gay-friendly families for singles and couples who choose that living option. Thorwald Westmaas, the Dutchman who started the school several years ago and runs it with close attention, has assembled an open and tolerant teaching cadre as well as an exceptionally helpful staff - all of whom have participated in administrative discussions on the many issues that can arise for visiting students - including sexual orientation.

If you check out other schools, you'll find ILISA's tuition rates are at the high end - but with good reason. Talking to students at the school who have studied elsewhere, they point to the modern, well-maintained building; the airy, hillside location with its superb view to the mountains across the valley; its pleasant classrooms; and its proximity to the bustling university district east of the city. What they cite most, though, is the caliber of the teachers and the curriculum. To hear them talk, it seems ILISA is head-and-shoulders above most of its competitors, and that's the best recommendation of all.

San José, itself, is far from a prime tourist destination, but is an excellent base from which to see this varied and beautiful country. The rather ramshackle city sprawls around in a confusion of neighborhoods, woven together by innumerable buses and cheap taxis. Finding your way around can be a test of ingenuity and determination, but the population is friendly and ill-disposed to physical violence. (Petty theft, as is true just about anywhere these days, is another matter.)

I suggest checking out a good gay travel web site to get an idea of what's here in the way of night time options - Gaynet had a good run down last time I looked. The only recommendation I'd make is to stop in at Colours Hotel a ways east of the city for a drink or fine dinner. Besides being a taste of gay elegance in an intimate atmosphere, Colours is genially hosted by James and David, who can give you the up-to-date scoop on what's happening where, how it works, and what pitfalls to avoid.

I'm looking forward to every day of the month ahead. The pace here at ILISA is brisk, but I'm having a good time and, as a beginner in Spanish, I'm delighted by my progress. If you end up choosing ILISA, you can be sure everyone at the school will do everything possible to lessen culture shock, make you feel welcome, and go out of their way to help you feel at home away from home. I'd be happy to tell any of you about my stay or answer any questions I can. You can reach me at Bhead@hamptons.com, via e-mail.

Ciao! (oops, make that hasta luego!)

Barry Head

Home - gay students