Panama City (City of Knowledge)

Program Outline

We offer both private and group immersion programs. Group programs consist of Group 4 and Group 4+. Group 4 is four hours of intense instruction with no more than 4 students per group. Group 4+ is the four hours in the morning from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. plus two additional hours of one-on-one tutoring in the afternoon from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Morning courses will focus on Spanish for everyday use. In the afternoon class, special attention will be given to your particular needs and interests. Many students use the private tutoring to improve their proficiency and extend their active vocabulary through conversation and review.

In the rare event that we are unable to place you in a morning group class due to differing skill levels, we shall instead provide you with 3 hours of private classes each morning. All study materials are included and the teachers are native speakers.

Home Stay

Home stays include breakfast, dinner, and laundry service. Host families are mostly located in the El Dorado suburb a neighboring community to the Clayton area, which is about a 10 minute bus ride to school. All students will have a private room. All the host families are middle to upper-middle class Panamanians and are very proud of their country and culture and enjoy sharing both with students.

Cultural

Weekly lectures and mini field trips that will provide information about Panama’s and Central America’s history, culture and people are offered. You can participate in guided visits to museums, historical landmarks, musical events and Latin dance classes or join lectures by local experts.

Location

The school is based in the City of Knowledge, a Panamanian government initiative to create a cluster of academic organizations, technology companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in what use to be Ft. Clayton. At only a 10 minute walking distance from the Panama Canal’s Mira Flores Locks and 15 minutes from the town center our spacious campus is surrounded by a national park on 2 sides, including an Olympic size pool, tennis courts, and jogging trails

Climate

The warmest part of the day in Panama is between 10am to 3pm, afterwards cools off and becomes the perfect climate to do sightseeing or exercise. At the school we have air conditioning as do most businesses. In general Panama’s tropical climate has two seasons: rainy/green and dry seasons. The green season brings rain during the months of late April to November. Showers normally last for a few hours and the rest of the day is dry. Then December through April is the dry season. The biggest variance in temperature is between daytime and night, which can be as much as 18 degrees. The average daytime temperature at sea level is 87° F/31° C and 74° F/23° C at night. At higher altitudes the averages range from 50° F/9° C to 60° F/16° C.

Local Color

Panama City is a diverse cosmopolitan city with the fascinating history of the colonial period, the construction of the transcontinental railroad and the canal and much more. The cultural diversity of its people reflect its past and presence to come. Panama City is also known for its large and growing banking district and commerce. Also, Panamanians love to go out. There are a number of international restaurants, bars and discothèques.

Points of Interest

The Panama Canal is known as the 8th wonder of the world. Visit the Mira Flores Locks to observe the ships as they cross into the Pacific. Other points of interest include Casco Antiguo, which is 1 of the 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Panama, located in the downtown area. Also visit Panama de la Vieja, Panama’s first city that was sacked and destroyed by the famous buccaneer, Englishman Henry Morgan. Neighboring rainforests surround the city with an abundance of wildlife and a birders paradise. Also Panama is home to seven indigenous tribes which are a true cultural treasure. Beyond the city there are archipelagos, cloud forests, islands, beaches and much more!

Hot Tip

At about a 45 minute ferry ride form the city is the island of Taboga. This island in the Bay of Panama is picturesque with lovely wooden houses and lush vegetation. It offers the most spectacular views of the Panama City skyline. It is a great day trip with a wonderful, clean beach for swimming.

Start Dates

Classes start every Monday of the year except on Panamanian National Holidays. In the case of Monday holidays classes will begin on the following Tuesday. Missed days will not be made up and there is no refund of money for lost class time.