Three years ago, back in 2011, when sharing the news of the new (back then) Habla Ya Spanish School in Bocas del Toro, we committed to opening a third campus once the 1st Line of Panama City's Subway System was functional. Back then we wrote:

"And hopefully in 3 years time when the Metro System is finished in Panama City, and living over there is not as painful as it is right now because of the traffic, we can be celebrating the opening of our Spanish School in Panama City... but for now, lets enjoy learning Spanish in Bocas del Toro!"

And now, with utmost excitement and satisfaction (and just in time for Christmas), it's our pleasure to share that Habla Ya Panama City is NOW OFFICIALLY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Starting this December, Habla Ya students will also be able to learn Spanish in Panama City, one of the most exciting cities to learn Spanish. Group of students hanging out by Casco Viejo.

For us, it's always been about "providing the most AMAZING Spanish learning experience". That is what has always inspired our entire team since day one, back in 2005, when we started Habla Ya Boquete. Having lived during high school and shortly after university in Panama City, and experienced first hand the city's "growing pains", it was very clear to us that our students would only be able to experience a one in a lifetime Spanish learning vacation, when and only if, Panama City's transport infrastructure was upgraded.

Anyone who lives in a large city knows that getting stuck in traffic is one of the most painful and frustrating experiences. Being able to use your time on your own terms is essential for being happy. Simply put: commuting makes you unhappy. Knowing this, we opened our first two Spanish schools in small towns. And we provide daily private transportation for our staff in Boquete who lives in David, which shortens their daily journey from 1.5 hours by public transportation to 25 minutes. In Bocas del Toro, we provide housing for all of our staff members who don't live on the island.

And now in Panama City, our school is located only a 5 minute walk from Via Argentina's Subway Station, allowing our staff to easily reach us in under 20 minutes from the largest urban areas of the metropolis. Being in the heart of modern Panama City also has a clear benefit for our students, allowing them to be within a short walk or subway ride to their preferred lodging option in Panama City, and to literally HUNDREDS of restaurants, shops, casinos, clubs, gyms, parks and almost anything they would want to access in Panama City.

The 1st Floor of this Brand New Building is home to Habla Ya's New Spanish School in Panama City.

Many of our former students from all over the world, as well as partner agencies from Europe and Brazil had been asking us for years to open up in Panama City. For their patience and encouragement we are extremely grateful.

Sharing the same sentiment as three years ago when we opened in Bocas, we never imagined how many lives would be touched by the small venture that started in the quaint mountain town of Boquete. Nine years ago, our Spanish School in Boquete only had 3 classrooms and a team of 3 Spanish teachers. Nowadays, more than 45 Panamanians are members of the Habla Ya Family and literally thousands of visitors from all over the world choose Boquete and Bocas del Toro as their destinations within Central America to learn or improve their Spanish.

Thinking about those 45+ staff members and their families is definitively the most rewarding aspect about being an entrepreneur. But it's also amazing to think about all those people from the USA, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, China and Australia, that because of Habla Ya Spanish Schools, have chosen Panama as their destination to learn Spanish, instead of going to Spain, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica or Argentina to learn Spanish. Not only has this allowed Habla Ya to keep growing year after year but we're also very proud about how many of our customers fill Panama's hotels, eat at our country's restaurants, buy at our shops, experience Panama's eco-adventure tours, and some even decide to make Panama their new home.

The Habla Ya Family in Boquete.

Just as always, I am deeply convinced that everything has been possible because of the people that are part of Habla Ya. Each and everyone of our Spanish teachers and staff members is truly inspired about providing their students with the most amazing Spanish learning experience, and nowadays Habla Ya is truly considered and widely recognized as one of the most prestigious network of Spanish schools in Latin America.

Today that I have the fortune and the honor to officially share the news about our NEW Spanish School in Panama City, I can't help myself but to wildly dream about where we'll be in another 3 years from now (Azuero, Costa Rica or Colombia?). We truly hope that our Spanish school in Panama City will have at least the same effect that our Spanish schools in Boquete and Bocas del Toro have had.

Carlos, Habla Ya's Co-Founder and first School Director, with Judith, from our Front Desk in Panama City.

Victor, formerly from Habla Ya Boquete, training our new teachers in Panama City: Sergio and Jahel.

Ezequiel, our Academic Coordinator from Bocas, will be leading our team of teachers for several months in Panama City.

Erick, almost single handed, has lead all the tasks to remodel each of the office spaces we have in Boquete, Bocas and Panama City, and transformed them into the Spanish Schools you see today.

Today I would also like to invite our neighbors and tourism business owners of Panama City to Habla Ya's opening party that will take place on Saturday January 31th at 3 p.m. It will take place at Habla Ya Spanish School, Panama City Campus, which is located on 1st Street El Carmen (just behind Exedra Books), on the first floor of the brand new Le Blue building. Hopefully we'll be able to get all the invites out in time, but if you don't receive it, consider yourself invited. And if you have what it takes to join our team, feel free to send your CV to info@hablayapanama.com as we are still recruiting.

And finally I would really like to take advantage of the occasion and thank all of those who have made Habla Ya possible:

• all of Habla Ya's staff, but specially Lorena, our Boquete School Director, and Ericka, our Boquete Academic Director who have been with us from the beginning. Also a special thank you to Aicel, our Bocas Academic Director and César, our Bocas School Director who continually lead our teachers to aspire for excellence. I would also like to thank the "second and third generation" of Habla Ya's teachers who have continued to raise the quality of our school: Arelis, Malkidia, Irasema, Jubal, Leidys, Mitzila, Tamara, Widad, Yaira, Christopher, Ezequiel, Adriana, Gilberto, Iveth, Ofelina. To Erick, Enilda and Natalia which make sure that our schools are enjoyable places to work at. And there are several new "rising stars" within the Habla Ya family worth mentioning, such as Ludo, Nidia, Sergio, Scroop, Judith and we are looking forward to enabling and witnessing their development and seeing where they take Habla Ya to. And we can't leave out Mary Beth and Manou, our star Language Travel Consultants
• all of Habla Ya's more than 100 host families, that provide our students with an amazing Spanish immersion experience: without all of you, it really wouldn't be the same for our students
• all of the local hostels and hotels who have hosted our students throughout the years: specially Axel from Pension Topas, Eva and Sabine from Isla Verde, Jason and Susan from the Boquete Garden Inn, Analia, Thalia and Sam (who may RIP and taught me just by being himself so many things) from Valle Escondido, and David, Charlie and Sandra from the Panamonte Inn & Spa, Luchini from Refugio del Rio, Gilda from Hostal Gaia, Cookie and Ivan from Hotel Tierra Verde, Jamie and Chip from Tropical Suites, Melissa from Palma Royale, Paul from Bocas Island Condos, Tyson and Soli from Bocas Vacation Rentals, Kelly and Juan Pablo from Casa Buena Vista and Sonia and Howard from the Haven Spa & Hotel.
• to our landlord in Bocas, the Bishop of Bocas del Toro, and to our landlords in Boquete from Los Establos Boutique Hotel, Rob and Irina, for always having the time to listen to our needs, to provide us with simply the best location in Boquete, to encourage us and making us a bit wiser by sharing their experience in life
• to Manolo Ruiz, the former Mayor of Boquete for his continual support and enthusiasm, and for being the ONLY politician to not only listen to our needs, but to actually REALLY help us and not be an obstacle in this bureaucratic non-entrepreneurship friendly country called Panama
• all of the crew from Explora Ya Eco-Tours & Adventure Travel, Boquete Outdoor Adventures, The Red Frog Zipline, Bocas Yoga, La Buga Dive School, Bocas Sailing, ANABOCA, Oreba Cacao Plantation Tour, La Escuela del Mar Surf School, Cloud Forest Botanicals, Mono Loco Surf School, Bocas Yoga, Bocas Dive Center, Finca La Milagrosa, Up in the Hill Eco-Farm, Cesar from Panama Rock Climbing: without you our students wouldn't be able to have a blast after class! Also would like to thank Manolo from Panama Travel Company for taking really good care of our students upon arrival and when leaving Panama City. To Jorge Tovar from Boquete Tree Trek and Angie from Bocas Travel for always being a consistent ally and always working hard to promote our destinations
• to all of our Spanish students worldwide who have chosen to study Spanish at our school, and to all of Panama's new residents who have decided to learn Spanish and really become part of our community: thanks to you, we can survive our low season and keep all of our teachers hired full time. And a special mention to Marc Ngui from Bumblenut and Magda Wojtyra from RNA Studio, who during their trip to Boquete nine years ago, when Habla Ya was only several months old, unselfishly shared their knowledge and enlightened us with how to actually get the word out to the world about Habla Ya Spanish School. And another special mention to Lee Zeltzer from Boqueteguide.com for providing our community with very effective platforms to communicate and for always sending a word out when we have special promo going on. Thank you Lee for also encouraging us to take this to the next level. To Don Winner from Panama Guide as well.
• to both sets of my, Abuelo Julio and Abuela Tuty for providing me with a roof and warm meals during my first year in Boquete when I was totally broke, and to Abuela Betty for lending me some cash when I was totally broke and to Abuelo Moyo for taking me to work at his farm when I was a little boy. Also to Carlos, my partner's grandparents for helping him become such a good friend and to all those grandparents of the Habla Ya Family who have always helped us with their generosity
• to my Mom and Dad, Julio and Eva for guiding me to become who I am , providing me with unconditional love and with all the tools I needed to deal with life (and for investing in our idea although we were only 23 years old and had no idea at all about what we were getting into). Till this day they continue to help us. To the late Danilo Cabrera, my partner's Dad and my Tia Maruja, who also provides us with unconditional support. To all of the families of the Habla Ya team as well.
• to Carlos Raúl, the best business partner and my best friend since we were teenagers, for working with me side by side, day and night, to make this happen, and to his wife and my wonderful friend, Evelyne, for taking over our Language Travel Consultants' department and opening the doors to new markets (and for finally getting Carlos to settle down!)
• and last but not least, to my very best friend, life partner and the love of my life, Rachel, for always challenging and inspiring me, to be the best man I can be for you and our family, for giving me the most amazing family, making me the happiest man on Earth, and for choosing to share this adventure and pursuit of happiness with me that we call life

I'm very sorry for not being able to mention everybody I should: WE ARE AND WILL BE ETERNALLY BE GRATEFUL!

Panama City is the ideal city for a Spanish learning vacation! We look forward to sharing all those amazing things that our students will be able to do in the city.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR SPANISH SCHOOL IN PANAMA CITY, PANAMA.. »

Comments