Everyone warned us not to do it. They said it was unsafe, chaotic, and outdated. But one year later… this experience changed everything — for our children, and for us.

What happens when you take three Canadian kids — raised in comfort, English schools, and endless resources — and drop them into a Spanish-only public school in El Salvador?

Everyone told us we were crazy. They warned us that Salvadoran public schools were unsafe, underfunded, and academically behind. But one year later, we’ve discovered something no one told us: growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones.

In this video, we share our honest one-year review of public school life in El Salvador — from language barriers, friends, and teachers, to discipline, academics, and President Bukele’s education reforms. You’ll also hear directly from our kids about how they adapted, what shocked them, what they loved, and what they learned the hard way.

This is not a travel vlog — it’s a story about resilience, courage, and rediscovering what education really means.

📍 Location

Filmed in El Salvador, featuring local public schools, students, and family experiences in El Salvador and surrounding areas.

💰 Currency

USD ($) — El Salvador uses the US dollar.

🕒 Timeline

This video covers our family’s first full school year (2025) in a Salvadoran public school — our one-year review and honest reflection by children and parents.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Honest review of public education in El Salvador

How our Canadian kids adapted to a Spanish-speaking school

Real talk: bullying, academics, language learning, and culture shock

What we learned about discipline and respect in Salvadoran schools

Insights on Bukele’s “Two Schools a Day” program

Tips for expat parents considering public schools abroad

🔁 Related Videos

🇸🇻 Why We Moved Our Family to El Salvador https://youtu.be/rCOUHmh0phc

🏫 Everything You Need for Residency Renewal in El Salvador https://youtu.be/PwjrneZe-k0

🔥 14 months living in the Former Murder Capital of the World https://youtu.be/gg5xbK4lMH8

💬 About the Channel

We’re a Canadian family living in El Salvador — documenting our journey, challenges, and discoveries as we build a new life in Latin America. From education to freedom, cost of living, and cultural life, we share what it’s really like living abroad.

✅ Calls to Action

📌 Like this video if you learned something

 📌 Subscribe for weekly El Salvador content

 📌 Comment: Is your country getting better… or worse?

 📌 Share this with someone afraid of the headlines

📧 Join our Expat AMA Group:

 Email us at [email protected] with your WhatsApp number to join our private group of expats and locals sharing insights about living in El Salvador.

🔗 Join Our Monday Night Call! (7 PM El Salvador Time)

 Join our weekly Monday Night Call to discuss relocation and life in El Salvador

🕖 When: Mondays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM (El Salvador Time)

 📲 Join our WhatsApp Group email us at [email protected]

 💻 Join the call: https://meet.google.com/phr-fiam-pzw

See you there!

🔗 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@HagenaarsFamily/featured?sub_confirmation=1

 ❤️ Like + Comment to support the channel and help others discover real stories about life in El Salvador.

✅ Social Media Links

📌 Website: www.hagenaars.com

 ✉️ Email: [email protected]

 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/charitygallenhagenaars

 🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/HagenaarsFamily

 📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/charity_gallen_hagenaars

 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HagenaarsFamily

 📲 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/CharityHagenaars

 ☀️ Brighteon: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HFamily

📈 SEO Keywords

public school El Salvador, expat family El Salvador, living in El Salvador with kids, El Salvador education system, Bukele two schools a day, expat parenting El Salvador, homeschooling vs public school, Canadian family in El Salvador, moving to El Salvador, real life in El Salvador, raising kids abroad, El Salvador safety, study in El Salvador, Salvadoran culture, education reforms El Salvador, family vlog El Salvador, learning Spanish in school, what school is like in El Salvador, life in a third-world country, public education review El Salvador