Evidently, there are many options in terms of where you could learn Spanish. The main place of reference is Spain, for obvious reasons: the place of origin of the language, it seems, sometimes, like nowhere else could be better to soak in the culture and gather the intricacies of the spoken word than the Iberian peninsula.
Nevertheless, every country has its idiosyncrasy and committing to the Spanish option entails, too, committing to a set of individual features that define the character of the Spanish. From paella to chorizo, going through summer bullfights sessions and winter breaks in the football league, Spain offers a unique experience, no doubt about it, that frames the actual learning of the language with a specific cultural reference.
Nevertheless, this is not the sole or universal reference that can or should be linked to Spanish language. As a matter of fact, there are in South America, a whole plethora of experiences that carry enormously different connotations, which are neither better nor worse than the Spanish experience, but are simply that: different.
For instance, there are excellent Spanish schools in Argentina which could certainly offer alternatives to studying in Spain. Nevertheless, the consequences of choosing a place like Argentina over Spain reach far further than simply the mates you will make at the academy.
Argentine accent, for instance, is recognized all over the world. Whether you be traveling in Australia, Rwanda or Saint Vincent, if you tell people you are from Latin America they will likely ask you if you are from Argentina, and if you pick up the melodious rhythm, everyone with any understanding of Spanish accents at all will detect the southern cadence in your words.
More importantly, in end effect, the experience of going abroad to learn a language is always going to be a sizeable portion of the advantages gained in enrolling in an language immersion program, wherever that may be, and therefore the cultural sign posts should be read carefully before making a final decision as to where you should study.
The differences, for instance, between going to Argentina and choosing, say, a Spanish school in Peru is drastic. From tango to football to vineyards a cross the country, Argentina remains the most Euro centric of South American countries, with a heavy influx of Italian and German immigrants arrived largely through the second half of the XX century.
Peru, on the other hand, boasts one of the most exquisite culinary traditions not only in Latin America but in the world at large. The sharp contrast of the Pacific Ocean and the towering heights of the Andes shape the character of Peruvian people and will, no doubt, leave its trace in your understanding of the Spanish language.
From the delicacy of a fresh ceviche to the constant roar of the beach front in Lima, one of the few coastal capitals in the region, to the mystic associations attributed to the Machu Picchu and the Inca trail, the vastness and the richness's of Peru's traditions will be felt in your accent as well as in your attitude.
So, wherever you chose to go, look into your options and think what place might suit more your tastes and might provide you with a more fulfilling experience.
