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Teaching and Helping

Born in Chimaltenango as the eldest son of 10 children, in a family of humble peasant Maya-Mestizo parents, Nicolás managed to graduate as a Teacher of Urban Primary Education with great effort and his own struggle (working and studying). After many difficulties, he achieved a place in the teaching profession, but due to the hard situation in the country, he never got the chance to actually do it; a little frustrated, he decided to work as a Teacher at Spanish Schools teaching the language to foreigners . This way, he had the opportunity to teach in different places in Guatemala, such as Antigua Guatemala, Quetzaltenango, Lake Atitlan and Playas de Monterrico.

After many years of experience, with the need and wish to overcome, he decided to move to Lake Atitlan, where he saw an opportunity to create his own Spanish school for foreign people. At that time, Schools of that kind did not exist in Panajachel. Nicolás realized the ongoing high requirement for new jobs, especially for the locals, and recently graduated young people. They did not have an opportunity to develop themselves as professionals, and could easily fall into vagrancy, drug addiction, and crime. The Spanish School Jardin de America was founded, in 1992, with several objectives: to create jobs for local people, to promote the place, to help the Project for Special Kids by offering special education and other services, and to finally reach self-improvement.

For the life experience he had in his childhood and youth, Nicolás is highly motivated to help others, so people won’t go through the personal and profesional struggle he experienced.

Nicolas currently has the following professions: Urban Mixed Education Elementary Teacher, Specialized Spanish Language Teacher, Biology Chemistry Technician, Clinical Laboratory Technician and General Tourism Guide.

In his life as a Spanish Teacher, Nicolás has had contact with many different people, and even helped young professionals as an Instructor for Teachers of Spanish Schools, teaching them the best way to deal with foreign students. A couple of teachers who were Nicolás’ students, established their own Spanish schools in the region.

Nicholas is currently working with local authorities and the government of Panajachel to create public policies regarding rights and benefits for the poor children with special needs in indigenous Mayas families, around Lake Atitlán.

Nicolás Tichoc Rodríguez

Jardín de América

Jardin de América was the first Spanish School established around Lake Atitlán, in 1992. It is a project dedicated to all the foreigners that don’t speak the language, that have a wish to learn Spanish so they can comprehend the Latin American, Mayan or Guatemalan culture, or even for a work, business or educational need.

Our teaching system works with a one to one method, in private classes, with different kinds of teachers (including Mayas and Mestizos). Apart from being Spanish Teachers, our professionals have other specialties in order to cover the students’ special requirements, also many of them are university students.

While pursuing our work of teaching Spanish to foreign students, we have always liked to focus us on the goals of our studens; to learn fast and much during little time. For this reason the student is evaluated at the beginning, has very formal classes, is supervized by the director and is reassessed at the end of the course.

We take our work very seriously and with a lot of discipline because the money is important, but for us it is more important to see the success and progress of our student, at the end of each Spanish course.

For that reason we make a difference in teaching Spanish language in Guatemala.

Our Vision

To work with clear goals, creating opportunities for the local community, with a social and cultural focus. To make the school a center for learning and living Guatemalan experiences, for everyone, through the Spanish Language and the Mayan Culture.

Our Mission

To create a source of employment for the young professionals and Guatemalan families;
To help young Mayan kids with special needs, providing free special education in Guatemala;
To finance college scholarships for our Spanish Teachers with few economic resources;
To teach and show the Mayan Culture to all of our foreign students and to the entire world;
To teach the Spanish Language since its origin until its Latin evolution;
To make the process of learning Spanish a very cultural and pleasant experience;
To work with honesty, consciousness and professionalism, helping our students in all that is necessary