The Day of the Dead
This program coincides with the Day of the Dead in Merida, Mexico, so we will see how the Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mayan culture by visiting the altars that the people of Merida create outside their homes and in the main plazas. At night we will visit a Day of the Dead parade and watch traditional dance performances in neighborhoods around the city. You will study by studying words and structures to authentically communicate in a Spanish-speaking environment. Even students new to the language will be able to communicate through speaking and writing. Those experienced with Spanish will read and discuss Mexican literature as well as write original stories in our advanced language courses. Our approach to learning Spanish values the creativity of both the student and the teacher in a well-structured learning environment.
LIVE with a local Mexican family, sharing typical Yucatecan meals and the rhythm of Yucatecan life (optional). Habla provides snacks every day for breakfast and lunch of traditional Yucatecan foods and fresh fruit juices. In addition organic Mexican coffee, bottled water, and a range of artisanal teas are available throughout the day. Habla has free Wi-Fi access. We never have any class larger than the number of students that can sit around one of our round tables.
"I just completed my first intensive Spanish course at Habla. Previously, I had taken two intensive courses at other schools. By far, Habla was the best. I was at Habla for the course centered on the Days of the Dead.
Habla placed me at exactly the right level for my abilities. There was only one other student in my class so there was plenty of interaction with the teacher. Our teacher was not only excellent teaching conversational Spanish (mixed with some grammar) but also gave fascinating talks (in Spanish, at our level) about the cultural and historic aspects of Los Dias de los Muertos--the Days of the Dead--and about Mexico in general. The Habla faculty was attentive to our every need. We had home cooked snacks at break and lunch (foods typically Yucatecan and associated with the Days of the Dead) and we were accompanied on trips to cultural events such as El Desfile de las Animas (the parade of the spirits) in case we needed help talking to people. In addition, we made our own altar for the returning souls of the dead. I rate my experience at Habla A+ (excellent) and I highly recommend it to everyone interested in improving their conversational Spanish and having an exciting cultural experience." - Dr. Frank Baudino, Merced, CA Schedule
The Spanish Immersion program includes daily four-hour courses, from Monday to Friday, at Habla from 9:30am-1:30pm. We offer courses for every level of Spanish (beginning, intermediate, and advanced). On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4:00pm-6:00pm, you will participate in a cultural experience outside of Habla. Some programs like the Arts Workshops will last longer than two hours. For each of the following programs this will include: Week 1Tuesday: Cooking ClassVisit the home of a local Yucatecan chef and learn how many of the traditional dishes of the Yucatan are prepared. You will have the opportunity to sample all the dishes in addition to a selection of Mexican wines.Thursday: Art Workshop – Building Altars for the Day of the Dead, Part IThe first arts workshop will focus on the Mexican art of creating papel picados. We will look at the history of this art form in Mexico and you will have the chance to design your that will become part of the Day of the Dead altar.El Corredor de Las Animas (The Corridor of Souls)We will begin celebrating Los Días de Los Muertos, or Hanal Pixan (as referred to by the Mayans) at El Corredor de Las Animas. For this event, Merida residents all along Calle 66 build altars in front of their homes. At night, a parade starts at the cemetery and moves towards a town square where there are traditional dance and musical performances. We don’t have a definite schedule yet for the event. Whether you are joining us for the one-week or the two-week program, plan to stay over the weekend to enjoy the festivities.In addition to El Corredor de Las Animas we will also explore Los Días de Los Muertos alters that are set up every year in the main square, the Plaza Grande. Please note that the dates and times for these events vary depending on the schedule for the city. You can read more about previous year’s El Corredor de las Animas on the Yucatan Living website here. Week 2Tuesday: Art Workshop – Building Altars for the Day of the Dead, Part IIA teaching artist will help you to design and build your own altar for the Day of the Dead. You will learn about the traditional structure of the altar and we will build our own altars around Habla.Thursday: An Afternoon of Mexican CinemaHabla will rent a cinema near the school and host a private screening of a Mexican film followed by a facilitated discussion about the film’s socio-historical context.Specific days and hours of programs are subject to change depending on the schedule of events in the city.
"I came to Habla because I wanted to continue my Spanish language study in a place that embraced language and culture in its curriculum. I looked at a number of programs in Merida, but none offered the arts-based approach to Spanish that Habla did.
Habla exceeded my expectations. Marimar, my instructor and co-founder of Habla, infused her lessons with passion and humor. She made me feel comfortable communicating in Spanish from the first minute I arrived. I could not wait to get to school in the morning, and I could not believe how quickly the hours passed. We studied verbs and vocabulary, but all within the context of poems, short stories, and children's books. The afternoon sessions during the immersion program were fantastic as well. I tried my hand at photography, print making, and creative writing.. What struck me most about my experience at Habla was the joy the teachers brought to their instruction. I will, most certainly, return to Habla in the future." - Kate Umstatter Course CostsOne Week: $ 375 USTwo Weeks: $ 700 USHomestaysAn optional experience for Habla’s Spanish Immersion programming is staying in the home of a local family. Families have been handpicked by our homestay coordinator to ensure you have an enjoyable experience. Our homestay coordinators are available 24 hours a day for medical and personal emergencies. They will take into account any special needs or requests to make your stay as comfortable as possible. At the same time, living in a family’s home requires an openness and flexibility to adapt to another culture’s way of life. Although many of our homestay families speak English, we encourage you and your family to speak Spanish for a more productive language experience.Homestays include the following: housing in a Mexican home, use of common areas and resources, three meals (packed lunch when needed), one furnished room including bed linens and towels, transportation to and from the Mérida airport or bus station, coordination of homestay experiences including food allergies, special requests and medical emergencies. Homestay Costs
Other Housing OptionsIf you would rather rent an apartment or house or stay in a charming hotel or hostel there are many great options in Merida. Here are a few of our recommendations for the Summer Spanish Immersion program.
"When my high school Spanish did not magically resurface from somewhere deep in my foggy 50 something year old brain, I realized that if we were going to get along having a second home in Merida I needed to re-learn Spanish. There are many options in Merida to do that. Some are even within walking distance of my house. I checked out several and concluded that the experience could be grueling or it could be fun, depending on the program selected, so opted for fun.
I took an intensive course for two weeks at Habla. It was not easy but it was relevant and enjoyable. Stepping in felt like being embraced, like being welcomed into a big family. Rather than memorize dialogues about two kids having lunch at school and losing their pencils (or some other story that does not relate to my life) we used our own personal experiences, and those of our peers and instructors, to begin to master the language. We engaged all of our senses to be immersed in the language learning experience.Habla's physical space is uplifting; airy and light and filled with student art work. The instructors are passionate and willing to share their lives with you. I still have a long way to go and am certain that my trips to Merida will include more classes at Habla. Habla feels like home. Speaking Spanish had become a process I relish, not a crash course I dread. Thank you!" - Sincerely, Betsy W. Alger New Brunswick, NJ In addition to your Spanish course . . .Habla can offer other cultural experiences including classes Yoga and Latin American dance classes based on our dance and yoga instructor’s availability. Habla can also coordinate ecological excursions and visits to Mayan ruins and nearby haciendas.Need more information . . .
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LEARN SPANISH with an international team of extraordinary educators in a supportive environment. In our Day of the Dead program you will study Spanish by learning about the cultural traditions, artworks, essays and literature that examine Mexico’s spiritual and playful relationship with death. You will see how the motif of the calavera (skull) is an important theme that runs through the visual art of Mexico including the work of muralist Diego Rivera, the engraver José Guadelupe Posada, and the photographer Graciela Iturbide. We will examine and discuss the works of these and many more Mexican artists, authors, and musicians. This program will often move beyond the spaces of Habla into the city of Mérida where we will visit the Museum of Popular Art or other cultural centers and discuss the murals in the Centro. 
CREATE using the Spanish you are learning. Habla places creativity at the heart of learning so the teachers design classes that are engaging for all the students. You will play with the language by writing your own stories and putting words together in dynamic ways. In Habla’s Day of the Dead program you will learn from local teaching artists how to create and exhibit your own Day of the Dead altars. 