Spending a significant amount of time in South America will change your life. Guaranteed. Why? The people! The Latin people are the warmest and most open on the planet. They will open their hearts and lives to their friends, both old and new. They will make your trip unforgettable, and often prove to be life-long friends.

To get the most out of a trip to South America, there is one thing that you absolutely must do - learn Spanish!

If you truly want to connect with South American people you must speak their language. The good news? Spanish is spoken in every country in Latin South America except Brazil, where Portuguese is the national tongue.


Studying Spanish

If you are considering an extended trip in South America, and want to get the most out of it, plan on taking a language course in the first country you visit for at least 3 weeks. This may seem like a lot of time in one place, but remember, you are essentially trading sightseeing for real learning and a host of local contacts.

Studying when you first arrive will also make the rest of your trip a far better experience, with far more personal connections and of course, less hassle.

Spanish schools are ubiquitous, and easy to find either on the Internet or after you arrive. You can choose between a school/class based course, or hire your own private tutor and learn Espanol at times and places that suit you. More specific information is available on individual country pages, or you can use the comprehensive language school search engine at learnlanguagesguide.com.


Volunteering

Volunteering in South America is an extremely rewarding experience, and should be tried by every backpacker and traveler at least once. Information about specific organisations is available on the individual country pages, or you can check out Volunteer South America, which offers links to many volunteer operations around Latin America.


Meeting people

So you want to give your new Spanish ability a work-out, but feel like a stranger in a foreign land?

Go to a bar. Alone! This, in my experience, is the single best way to make new friends in Latin America. If you are female and nervous about going out by yourself, take a friend, but do not go out in big groups of English speaking tourists, a sure way to guarantee you will spend the entire night socialising with other Westerners, which of course, you could do back home.

Seriously, if you simply go to a bar frequented by young people, order a beer, and look approachable, you will end the night with a group of new friends eager to tell you about their country. Or at least about their football team!