Eunice 'Flory' Hurtado Sanchinelli founded La Democracia in 2004. Prior to opening the school she worked as an instructor and administrator at other language schools for over 15 years. This experience has allowed her to design a flexible curriculum that fits the individual needs of students.
The school has a social mission to support the community; it employs local instructors, host families, administrative staff, and a gardener. In addition, it provides 27 education scholarships for children and supports 3 senior citizens who have no families or financial resources.

Host families welcome you into their homes and give you an insider's perspective about the lives of Guatemalans.  Living with a family gives you the perfect opportunity to practice Spanish skills while immersing yourself in local culture and celebrations. Many of our students develop meaningful relationships and maintain contact with their families long after they leave the country. 

A homestay includes: a private room, 3 meals a day, hot shower, and pure drinking water. (Vegetarian meals available upon request. Private bathrooms are also available for an additional fee.) 


Other Lodging: Live in a hostel or hotel. Upon request we will be happy to arrange a safe, clean, and cost effective hotel stay for you while you study Spanish at our school. You will be responsible for your meals.

The instructors at La Democracia are professionally certified to teach beginner - advanced language learners. Many are professional instructors while others are students pursuing advanced degrees at the well regarded universities in Xela. All of them have years of experience in language instruction and enjoy working with foreign students.

Scholarship & Volunteer Program Part of your weekly tuition is donated to help young students in financial need.  All of our Spanish school students are invited to volunteer some of their time before or after class to visit the students and work with them in a variety of activities.  The program has been operational since 2005. Please checkout our Google Album (pictures). It is a wonderful experience to watch children and adults learn from each other.  The Children who receive scholarships are truly inspirational! Their families struggle with poverty, but they are committed to their education.  Many of our "becados" are on track to finish primary and secondary school and go on to study at university. Some day maybe they'll even work at La Democracia as Spanish instructors. In the meantime, there are opportunities for you to volunteer to teach them English. And of course, they are always excited when students join them on the fútbol pitch.