Best Safe South American Country to learn Spanish (quality of life, standard living)

[djmilf]

I'm suprised that no one has yet to mention Costa Rica.

Back in the late 1980's early 1990's I knew a family who's children, after they each graduated from high school, travelled to Costa Rica to live with a host family for a period of time, either 3 months or 6 months.

Has something changed to make Costa Rica not a good place for learning spanish and immersing oneself in a different culture?

[rhodey]

Originally Posted by Full-Blooded American

Argentina is about 97% Caucasian, so I'd consider it for its low crime rate.

Yes great point white folks don't commit crimes...

[bluebeard]

Brazil speaks Portuguese, not Spanish.
The problem, is that generally speaking, there's a danger vs salsa dancing issue. Salsa is a Carribean dance, but most of the Carribean countries tend to be a little more dangerous. I think since you are black, it might actually help you in a way because it would make you less of a gringo target for robberies, but I could be wrong about that.
Maybe try Puerto Rico? It's kinda where salsa is from

[jtur88]

So far, nobody has mentioned Guatemaala, which has a couple of cities where learning Spanish is the local industry. (Antigua and Quetzaltenango). Both have very cool climates.

You indicated that you are black, so you might feel less conspicuous in the Caribbean area of Colombia or Venezuela. Having said that, there is a possiblity that you could come home speaking a Spanish that would be the equivalent of Jamaican Englisn.

If you don't want to live in the urban capital, some of the nicer small cities are Merida, Venezuela, Mendoza, Argentina, Popayan, Colombia, Valdivia, Chile,and Sucre, Bolivia. All are relaxed university towns, with a nice intellectual air, as well as great climate.

The advantage of Mexico, of course, is that you can go there on the bus or drive your own car.

[BRAZILIAN]

Originally Posted by LilyLaLa

Don't Brazilians speak Portuguese?

I once had a friend from LaPaz, Bolivia; she loved it and never spoke of any dangers. Surely if you kept to the 'touristy' areas you'd be safe enough...perhaps a savvy travel agent could be some help here?

Great way to learn a language!
Have fun!

You're right. In Brazil we don't speak spanish. We speak portuguese.

[Neutre]

Originally Posted by jtur88

So far, nobody has mentioned Guatemaala, which has a couple of cities where learning Spanish is the local industry. (Antigua and Quetzaltenango). Both have very cool climates.

Guatemala is nice. It's just one of those countries where you mix up vos, tú, and usted a lot.

Originally Posted by jtur88

You indicated that you are black, so you might feel less conspicuous in the Caribbean area of Colombia or Venezuela. Having said that, there is a possiblity that you could come home speaking a Spanish that would be the equivalent of Jamaican Englisn.

Unlike the relation of Jamaican English to Standard English, Caribbean Spanish differs from Standard Spanish of Spain mostly in terms of pronunciation, of which many characteristics are also common on the Canary Islands and in Southern Spain. In fact, compared to the Southern Cone, Caribbean Spanish is closer to the Spanish of Spain.
In terms of slang or local words, each Spanish speaking region has its own peculiarities. I personally find it harder to understand Mexicans than people from Northern Colombia because they use so many peculiar Mexican words even when they try to speak slowly, whereas Colombians in general use words which are more "neutral".

[Geography Freak]

Originally Posted by Hasdrubal

actually, the Spanish spoken in Latin America is somehow purer than that spoken in Spain, in the sense it's closer to the classical form of the XVI century.

Well, that would depend on the country and/or the social status. Your average Mexican youth makes 50 cent sound like Shakespeare.

[Hasdrubal]

Originally Posted by Geography Freak

Well, that would depend on the country and/or the social status. Your average Mexican youth makes 50 cent sound like Shakespeare.

not necessarily. Even the poorest and more uneducated folks can speak very good Spanish in the sense of what I have mentioned.

[NJ Chutzpah]

quite easy

Argentina, Uruguay, chile, and Costa Rica (if that can be considered SA)

[Chicagoland60426]

Probaly the safest South American countries to learn spanish is Argentina and maybe Chile.