This is the essential resource for anyone who wants to learn Spanish by the immersion method - taking classes at a Spanish-language school while living with a nearby Spanish-speaking family. Martha Racine Taylor, award-winning professor of Spanish, has researched and studied in language-immersion programs in Spain, Mexico, and Peru. After visiting Spanish-language schools in fourteen cities in Mexico, staying with local families, attending classes, and talking with students, teachers, and directors at each school, she created this book to address the needs of every student: * Individuals traveling in Central and South America * High school and college language students * Teachers and guidance counselors * Corporate executives * Attorneys * Medical professionals * Psychologists * Social services caseworkers * Law enforcement personnel * Journalists * Bankers * Real estate brokers * Chefs and culinary students * Artists * Athletes Martha Racine Taylor is a professor of Spanish. She earned her master's degree in Spanish through a 'three-summer' master's program sponsored by Sacramento State University. During this program, Martha stayed with local families and attended graduate classes at universities in three different countries: the University of Guanajuato in Mexico, the University of Madrid in Spain, and the University of San August'n in Arrequipa, Peru. In addition to teaching full time, Martha has planned and led study tours to Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Belize. She was chosen to represent the California Community Colleges on investigative trips to Costa Rica, Brazil, and Argentina, with the express purpose of visiting language schools. These trips were sponsored by CIE (Consortium for International Education), a nonprofit provider of travel services to colleges all over the US. In the course of more than 40 visits to Mexico, Martha logged at least 100,000 miles traveling throughout the country by car, bus, train, sailboat, airliner and private plane. She stayed with families, in boarding houses and hotels, aboard a sailboat and in campgrounds. Her travels have given her an in-depth understanding of Mexico and first-hand knowledge of how Mexicans live in cities, towns, and rural areas throughout the country.