About Us
Spanish School Jabel Tinamit is run by married couple Gregorio and Candelaria. That's us, below, with our sons Pablo and Brian. Our language school is the only one in Panajachel that's both Mayan owned and operated. Jabel Tinamit Spanish language school is authorised and registered by the Ministry of Education and the Tourist Commission of Guatemala.
Objectives
To promote the teaching of
Spanish as a second language through practical, fun and
efficient methods, tailored to the needs of each student.
To share the Mayan culture with
students from all over the world through the presentation of
documentaries and visiting villages of indigenous people. You can
study Kakqchiquel one of the Mayan language of Guatemala.
To motivate students to continue to
study and practice Spanish when they are at home with online
lessons and conversation.
To be a catalyst for change in the
lives of the most needy people in rural areas, through our social
programs that have been created to help achieve the Millennium
Development Goals.
Gregorio
Position - Teacher and
manager of the school
Profession - Teacher, business
management, network management (hardware and software)
Over 20 years teaching Spanish, managing the school and IT for the
online lesson program with special online Spanish teachers.
"I simply asked Gregorio how I would go about
visiting a local Mayan site and before I knew it, he had planned
it as a school-wide activity!"
Candelaria
Position - Teacher and
manager of the school
Profession - Teacher, social worker,
Master Degree in Community Counseling.
Over 20 years teaching and managing the school, Online Spanish
Teacher and Founder and Director of the Jabel Tinamit Social
Projects called Forjando
Mi Mañana.
"Candelaria is so very dedicated to making
sure you get the full cultural experience during your time in
Guatemala."
Our Location
Spanish School Jabel Tinamit is located in the heart
of Panajachel, 147 km from Guatemala City. Pana, as most people
call it, is on the shore of Lago de Atitlan, one of the world's
most spectacular natural environments. From the beach, a few
minutes walk from our school, you can see no less than three
towering volcanoes: Vulcan San Pedro, Vulcan Toliman and Vulcan
Atitlan.
We are in the centre of Panajachel very near the main Church. From
the main bus stop (which is at the cross roads of Calle Principal
and Calle Santander & Avenida de Los Arboles) walk up Avenida
de Los Arboles for 2 minutes and we are located just inside the
entrance to Callejon Las Armonias, on the right hand side.
Panajachel
Living and working in Panajachel are Guatemalans of
indigenous and Spanish descent. Kakchiquel and Tzutuhil Mayans
from the surrounding villages sell all manner of handicrafts in
the main street. At the weekends the population swells as visitors
from Guatemala City come to relax and get away from it all. For
more about our location please click
here.
The town always has a bustling atmosphere so
there's never a dull moment. We're sure you will enjoy your stay
in "Pana" whether it's just a week or for six months.
Live & Learn
Many students love the Homestay option where you live with a Guatemalan family in Panjachel and fully immerse yourself in the Spanish language. We can also offer a beautiful rental apartment, a rental house, and many recommendations on other apartments and hotels within a few minutes walk of the school. For more details about accommodation in Panajachel please click here.
Excellence In Partnerships
Excellence in Partnerships for Student Learning has
been created by Portland State University (PSU). Their program,
Connecting Educational Communities, takes students to Guatemala
every summer to work in Mayan schools. PSU could not do this
without the help of our community partner, Jabel Tinamit, a
language and service organization located in Panajachel,
Guatemala. Spanish School Jabel Tinamit is recognized for helping
PSU realize its motto: “Let knowledge serve the city.” This
organization achieved this by facilitating student learning in a
community based context; providing venues for faculty to advance
their community-based scholarship; serving as a co-educator with
faculty; and suggesting creative ways to work with students and
faculty in an educational, community development context.
Jabel Tinamit Spanish School was honored to get the "CERTIFICATE
OF EXCELLENCE" from Tripadvisor in 2018.
Jabel Tinamit Spanish School is member of the Guatemalan-Canadian
Chamber of Commerce (CAMARA DE COMERCIO Guatemalteco-Canadiense).
The Story of a Dream
The history of our Spanish school written by Melody
Goetz (Canada).
Both Gregorio and Candelaria Xep dreamed of a better life while
they were young. As is typical of many Guatemalans, they grew up
in large families who had little money, and had no access to
education. Although illiterate and unable to help their children
financially, their parents had "big hearts", and were supportive
of their children's efforts to work and pay for their tuition as
they grew up. Though they didn't know each other at that point,
Candelaria and Gregorio shared a conviction they purposed to prove
- that, despite obstacles faced along the way, education was the
key for a better life.
Gregorio started work at 6 years of age - one of eight children in
his family, selling small items along the main street of
Panajachel. In four years he had saved up 300 Quetzales - about
$40 American - and went to school to learn to be a tailor. By
eleven years of age, he was a professional tailor; with the money
he earned, he was able to pay his tuition, and continue his
studies. Hard work and a willingness to sacrifice was fuelled by
hope; Gregorio's resolve was strengthened by what his father had
taught him, "If you buy land you can lose it, but if you invest in
education, in a profession, it will always be with you."
Candelaria: "I have had many challenges in my life, but I think my
vision and determination helped me face them one by one. As a
Guatemalan woman, I had to struggle against discrimination, and
then again because I was indigenous and poor. My mom used to tell
me that when I was born, her relatives told her, 'You are not a
woman because you didn’t have a boy.' Because my mother didn't
have access to education, she did not know that it wasn't her
fault."
Candelaria's parents sent her to school when she was six, as her
parents thought she should know how to read and write. After her
third school year, her parents pulled her out of school; relatives
had told them that they were foolish to educate a woman, since she
was just going to get married anyway, and education was only
useful for men. "The day my parents went to enrol my brothers for
school my teacher asked, 'Where is Candelaria?' My parents told
her that I was going to work at home now, and wouldn't be coming
any more. My teacher said, 'That's not possible - she's a good
student,' and convinced my parents to keep me in school. In
Candelaria's sixth year of school, her parents told her she'd need
to pay her own tuition, as her younger siblings were now also
studying. Candelaria worked several jobs, and studied in the
afternoons. "My dream was always to be a teacher; when I graduated
as a teacher, my parents were very happy - they could not believe
it, that their daughter was a professional!"
Gregorio and Candelaria met during her internship in his
community, where he was interning also. Strengthened by their
shared vision, they planned to open their own school, in spite of
their lack of financial resources. Candelaria comments, "We had
the determination that we will be successful if we worked hard; I
believe that our way was made to meet each other!"
Candelaria and Gregorio had studied to be teachers through much
sacrifice and effort; still, their road was not easy. Bureaucracy
made it difficult to get a job as a teacher in the government, so
they decided to direct their studies towards being teachers of
Spanish as a second language for foreigners. They discovered that
they enjoyed it so much that they wanted to start their own
Spanish school, implementing new ideas and methods to make it
relevant and successful.
Candelaria says that one of the biggest challenges they faced in
starting their Spanish school was, "we looked so young that none
would trust us." When they applied for a bank loan, they were told
there was no hope, because they had no collateral. In addition,
high interest rates (about 31%!) made a loan prohibitive.
Meanwhile, one of their German foreign students demonstrated his
trust by giving them the loan they needed for two years.
Candelaria says, "And so it was that we started with a small
amount of money but a big amount of confidence, energy and
willpower."
And so, yet another dream was achieved - their Spanish school
"Jabel Tinamit" was established in 1998. "Jabel Tinamit" is a name
derived from Kakchiquel, a Mayan dialect; it means "Beautiful
Town". The Spanish school has room for cooking lessons, a sitting
room, a library, internet café, booth for online lessons, and
more.
As if there wasn't enough on their plate, during this time, they
also began university studies - Gregorio in Administration, and
Candelaria in Social Work. With this combination, they hoped to
bring together business and community service, as they had
experienced first-hand how difficult it was to pursue one's dreams
with few financial and educational resources at hand. Continually
looking to support the community, their Spanish school is growing
to include community projects to help children, young people, and
women improve their conditions. All of these projects focus on
education as the way for development.
Candelaria and Gregorio are happy with the success of their
school, recognizing the importance of having experienced teachers
and host families in order to provide a great learning experience.
Their commitment to paying their host families and teachers a good
wage has resulted in an ability to keep the same staff with them
since the school opened. An ongoing commitment to learning and
innovation - for example, in 2005, Jabel Tinamit became one of the
first schools in Guatemala to expand their service to teaching
Spanish on-line - means that their school materials are
continually being updated, and their services expanding.
Candelaria and Gregorio are committed to seeing hope and
possibility where others might see obstacles. They are committed
to education, believing that even the very poor in Guatemala can
improve the condition of themselves and their family. This
hard-won belief is one they have proven in their own life
journeys.
We welcome students from around the world, please click
here for an introduction to our school in various languages.
