Si senor - soy yo.
I had a great time and really enjoyed the course, thanks for asking.
I booked my one week intensive course through Languages Abroad
www.languagesabroad.co.uk/
The classes were held at International House (
www.ihspain.com/), which is in the the picturesque Placa Cort in the middle of Palma.
At the time of year I went it wasn't too busy - classes were between 3-5 students.
Most students seemed to be in their early 20s, so bear this in mind as you may have limited shared interests if you're a lot older like I was! However, there are also courses aimed at people aged 55 and over.
I went with a friend who also did the course and we stayed with other students in a huge five bedroomed shared
apartment very near the centre of the city. Furnishings were spartan, but it was quite grand, comfortable and convenient - lots of nice cafes and bars nearby! Apart from personal belongings, you only require your own towel.
However, cleanliness of the shared areas depends a lot on your co-habitees. As we were there only a week we ate out all the time, but the other sharers used the kitchen a lot and a couple in particular weren't too fussy about clearing up after themselves.
The first morning students complete a multiple choice quiz and fill in missing words and phrases on a sheet, and are also briefly interviewed in Spanish. This helps the teachers assess each student's ability and decide which class to allocate them.
It took me ages to complete the quiz, but eventually I was placed in level 3 - the top level being taught that week. At full capacity and with more advanced students the school teaches at five levels. That first morning some students were moved up or down a class depending on how they fared initially.
Classes are entirely in Spanish, which I found intimidating at first, but if you're at the right level you learn to cope, if not understand everything. Our workbook - Aula 3 (
www.agapea.com/AULA-3-ALU...9365i.htm) - is one of a series written by International House teachers. I liked it and still have my copy. Other levels came with a CD of the dialogues, though mine didn't have one.
Courses ran from 9.30am until 1.30pm, with a 20 minute break mid-morning for coffee at a nearby café, or shopping if you want. The rest of the day was free, though on a couple of evenings there was voluntary organised activity. My
stay coincided with a tour of the Patios of Palma, run by the city council, and a medieval food, drink and crafts fair outside the cathedral that were both part of a larger cultural celebration. There was also a Saturday excursion to Valdemossa that I missed as I had to collect a car and a friend at the airport that day.
However, there is also homework to do each evening! After exploring the city or a siesta, we usually got ours done, then ate in some of the huge variety of cafes and restaurants in the city (we also caught Liverpool beating Milan!). Homework wasn't marked, but we went through it first thing in class next morning.
The final morning was an exam - multiple choice questions - covering what we'd done through the week. I got 17 right out of 20, and a certificate to show I'd done the course.
All in all I found it hugely enjoyable and worthwhile and would recommend it to anyone learning Spanish and looking to try a different kind of holiday. If you're young you meet lots of other people your age. If you're older perhaps try the 55+ course or go with a friend. My friend and I both really loved exploring Palma and the challenge of learning. We still socialised occasionally with the younger students and it probably helped that we weren't together in the same class all morning.
I'm hoping to go again soon - but not necessarily to Palma, even though it's a lovely place. There's so much more to explore! I'm also considering doing Spanish GCSE next year.