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(For High School Students)
Aventura de los Aztecas
Language Immersion, Cultural Exchange &
Service Program
Session One: Session One: July 2nd thru July 25th (24 days)
Size of group: 16-18 students
Ages: 15 to 17
Tuition: $4,295 (plus RT airfare from Houston)
Mexico, Central is the place if you are looking for language instruction in a premier language school combined with meaningful service opportunities, cultural exchange, and adventure.Explore the fabulous Zócalo of Mexico City, study Spanish while living with families in Cuernavaca, engage in community service projects, and learn how to surf off the Pacific coast. We also take time to explore world famous archeological sites like Teotihuacán where ancient cultures like the Aztec come to life.Mexico, Central has it all!
Service Projects*
- Construct cement floors for low income families in villages outside Tepoztlán
- Plant trees in Tepozteco National Park
- Assist with community outreach programs in Cuernavaca
- Help construct community facilities in Huehuecoyotl
Language Immersion*
- Attend a week-long Spanish course at the Cemenahuac Language School
- Experience homestays in Cuernavaca and Tepoztlán
- Receive language lessons facilitated by leaders during the homestay
- Practice Spanish with local Mexican teenagers
Adventure and Cultural Activities*
- Tour Mexico City, the zocalo, and el Bosque de Chapultupec
- Take surfing lessons in beautiful Acapulco
- Hike to the Tepozteco Pyramid
- Enjoy at day at the sublime natural water park “Las Estacas”
- Explore the Pyramids of Teotihuacan
*Please note that some of the projects and activities will change from year to year. A final itinerary will be printed prior to each trip.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Orientation at Huehuecoyotl (4 days) – We begin our journey with a two-hour trip into the mountain community of Huehuecoyotl. Founded on ecological values, Hue Hue serves as a retreat center for Peace and Conflict Resolution workshops and provides a remarkable backdrop for getting to know the group and the culture that surrounds us. At Hue Hue, we also do valuable service learning work in Hue Hue’s organic farms. In doing so, we learn important lessons about climate change via an introduction to the concepts of sustainable agriculture, the ‘slow food’ movement, and bioregionalism. We also have time to enjoy soccer games, traditional drumming lessons, awesome food, and dancing.
Cuernavaca and Language School (6 days) – We travel down the road to Cuernavaca, a popular retreat near Mexico City. This city of 400,000 is known for its colonial architecture and language learning opportunities. We will spend the week living in small groups with families and attending Spanish classes at the Cemenahuac Language School. Upon arrival, students are assessed and placed into the appropriate level class. We will meet each day from 9am to 1pm for intensive language study. Other activities may include cooking or dance lessons, a local trip to the main plaza, a visit to Palacio de Cortés, or an excursion to nearby Taxco.
Between homestays, we take a trip to Las Estacas, a natural water park, where we try out the rope swings, float down a natural spring fed river, and laze in the sun.
Tepoztlán Homestay (8 days) – We depart Las Estacas rested and focused for our next homestay experience in the peaceful, colorful town of Tepoztlán. Tepoztlán, set in a stunning mountain valley, is a traditional, quiet place. Participants will now be carefully placed in homes of one or two students for a more immersive experience. During our homestay, we participate in daily service work. We build cement floors for low income families in nearby villages. These floor projects, in addition to improving daily living conditions, provide the public health benefit of reducing the probability of respiratory ailments and other illnesses that the children of these families experience. We also participate in reforestation projects in the Tepozteco National Forest where we not only work to control erosion and to maintain native species’ habitat, but offset our carbon footprint in the process.
Acapulco Beach Excursion (3 days) – After a sad goodbye to our homestay families we travel through the mountains to the Pacific coast via the “Autopista del Sol”, one of Mexico’s most impressively engineered modern toll highways. We relax and play at the beautiful Pacific Ocean beaches near Acapulco. Here, we take organized surfing lessons at a beginner’s beach break. We also try out water activities such as snorkeling and boogie boarding.
Teotihuacan Pyramids, Mexico City exploration and Travel Home (3 days) – The next day, the group explores the mystical pyramids of Teotihuacan. We spend the following day soaking up the incredible cultural riches of Mexico City’s Centro Historico and Bosques de Chapultepec districts. In the evening we stroll around the Zócalo and share memories with our fellow travelers at a traditional Mexican celebratory dinner. The final evenings are spent at a hotel in the Centro Historico. It is the end of a trip, but a beginning to a new awareness about yourself and an increased understanding of Mexican language and culture.
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