Summer Spanish Immersion
July 2-July 27, 2012

More Information


LEARN Spanish with an international team of extraordinary teachers and teaching artists. In the mornings, you will learn Spanish by studying the words and structures you need to authentically communicate in a Spanish-speaking environment. In addition you will learn Spanish by reading selected literature of Mexican and Latin American authors as well as exploring the photography and visual art of Mexico. Even students new to the language will immediately begin 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. All Spanish levels are welcome: Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced.


EXPLORE the culture, architecture, and art in the city of Merida through our afternoon workshops and experiences. Cultural excursions will tie directly into Habla’s innovative Spanish courses. Throughout the summer these will include a fiesta in the gardens of a Yucatecan quinta (estate) in a small pueblo outside Merida, screenings of Mexican films in an art-house cinema, traditional cooking classes with a chef including dinner and tastings of Mexican wines, presentations and arts workshops led by Mexican artists, and a tour of downtown Merida through a cultural and historic lens.


CREATE using the Spanish you are learning. Play with the Spanish language at Habla by engaging in real conversations with the teachers and other students and by writing your own stories. Learning Spanish in the morning will be supplemented by afternoon workshops led by local artists. Throughout the Spanish program we will take photographs, share our writing with each other, tell stories, participate in arts workshops, and prepare “mini-performances.” All of this happens in a friendly and supportive environment.


LIVE with a local Mexican family, sharing typical Yucatecan meals and the rhythm of Yucatecan life. (optional)


 

The highlights of the summer experience

  • Learn Spanish in Habla’s innovative Spanish language courses
  • Enjoy a fiesta in a Mexican estate
  • Eat traditional Yucatecan and Mexican food served every day for breakfast and a mid-day snack.
  • Learn about Merida through a historical and cultural tour
  • Live with a local Mexican family (optional)
  • Explore magnificent Mayan ruins (optional)
  • Take a boat trip to visit flamingoes in the coastal city of Celestún (optional)
  • Participate in afternoon arts workshop in bookmaking and photography
  • Meet local artists and experience their work and their teaching
  • See the folkloric dances of the Yucatan and Mexico
  • Classes in Bomba (Puerto Rican dancing and drumming) and Latin Dancing at night and on the weekends (optional)
  • A KIDS SUMMER ARTS school for children ages 7-12 (optional for families)

Schedule of Classes and Experiences

The daily schedule will include our Spanish Language Course on Monday through Friday from 9:30am-1:30pm at the Habla Center. Throughout the summer, two days a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays participate in cultural excursions and workshops from 4:00-6:00pm (see below for a list of the experiences). All Spanish levels are welcome (beginning, intermediate, and advanced.)

All courses begin on the Monday of that week. Students who are just beginning Spanish generally need to start the program during the first week. For all other levels you may start anytime depending on class availability. Please write us at contact@habla.org if you have any questions about when you’d like to begin for the summer.

In addition to the above daily course schedule the following events will be offered throughout the summer (you must be enrolled that week of the program to participate in a week’s events).

Week One

Tuesday, July 3
An Afternoon of Mexican Cinema

Habla will rent a cinema near the school and host a private screening of a Mexican film followed by a facilitated discussion.

Thursday, July 5
A Culinary Experience

Visit the home of a local Yucatecan chef and learn how several 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.

Week Two

Tuesday, July 10 and Thursday, July 12
Arts Workshops

Habla’s arts workshops are taught collaboratively by local, professional artists and our language teachers. The goal of these workshops is to connect language learning to the arts and to create a dynamic and engaging experience in the language classroom. The workshops are not separate experiences of the morning classes but rather a way of extending the learning in a different environment.

Week Three

Sunday, July 15
A Cultural and Historical Tour

Experience the city of Mérida. With a population of over 750,000 inhabitants, the “White City” was founded in 1542 by Francisco de Montejo "El Joven". It is a cosmopolitan city that has preserved its colonial atmosphere and the majesty of its constructions. During a guided tour of the city, we will visit the Market in the historic downtown center, watch Latin dancing with a live band, and see murals painted by Fernando Castro Pacheco.

 

Tuesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 19
Arts Workshops

Habla’s arts workshops are taught collaboratively by local, professional artists and our language teachers. The goal of these workshops is to connect language learning to the arts and to create a dynamic and engaging experience in the language classroom. The workshops are not separate experiences of the morning classes but rather a way of extending the learning in a different environment.

Friday, July 20
Fiesta at a Yucatecan Quinta

This is always one of the major highlights of the summer. We’ll have a feast of Mexican food at a quinta outside the city. Enjoy food, drink, and great conversations among the palm trees, tropical flowers, and fruit trees. This night-time fiesta is a great chance to experience another side of Merida.



 

Week Four

Tuesday, July 24
A Cultural Walk

From Merida’s colonial center we will take a “cultural walk” which will include a tour of the murals of Fernando Castro Pacheco, an overview of key architectural sites, visits to modern, Mexican galleries, traditional museums, and local artists’ working studios.

Thursday, July 26
An Afternoon of Mexican Cinema

Habla will rent a cinema near the school and host a private screening of a Mexican film followed by a facilitated discussion.

Optional Experiences

These optional excursions are not included in the overall program cost. If you are interested let us know when you arrive. Costs for the excursions vary depending on the number of participating students.

Saturday All Day, July 14
Visit the Mayan ruins at Uxmal

Visit one of the most well known Mayan cities in the world. Uxmal is famous for the purity and delicacy of its architecture and decorative art. It reached its maximum splendor between 600 and 900 AD but remains a compelling destination for visitors interested in an alternative experience of ancient Mayan culture.

Saturday, All Day, July 21
See the flamingoes and spend the day by the ocean in Celestún

Only 60 miles from Merida, the Celestún National Park is a wild animal refuge where the beautiful pink flamingo can be seen in its natural habitat. Try the seafood delicacies prepared here and visit the beautiful beaches, mangrove forests and the petrified wood of Tampeten. See the pink flamingo colonies and the beautiful landscapes of this bird and mammal sanctuary on an included boat tour.


Specific days and times for any experience within the week might be subject to change although all experiences will be offered within the week they are listed.

Housing

Our Habla summer program focuses on providing an in-depth experience in Merida. Therefore, an essential part of the experience will be your homestay with a local Mexican 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

  • 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
  • Coordination of homestay experiences including food allergies
  • Special requests and medical emergencies

Other Housing Options

If 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.

Costs

Please note that the experiences that are included for each week of the program are listed above. The cost of Habla’s Summer Immersion program are
Length Course and Program Costs Homestay Costs w/o AC Homestay Costs with AC
One week $ 375 US $ 212 US (7 nights) $ 250 US
Two weeks $ 700 US $ 380 US (14 nights) $ 455 US
Three weeks $ 1025 US $ 523 US (21 nights) $ 635 US
Four weeks $ 1400 US $ 685 US (28 nights) $ 835 US
Habla Summer Kids $ 250 US per student Please contact us for group prices for families.
The Uxmal and Celestun excursions are optional. You can reserve your space for these when you arrive.

In addition to your Spanish course . . .

In addition to your Spanish courses, Habla will have a variety of local and international artists visiting throughout the summer offering courses in Latin Dance and Bomba (Puerto Rican singing, percussion, and dancing). We will probably have many other workshops available in different art forms as well. If you are interested let us know and as courses and workshops become available we will contact you and let you know the schedule and cost.






Have Kids?

During your morning Spanish classes Habla offers our SUMMER ARTS KIDS course. The course offers bilingual multidisciplinary arts experience for kids ages 7-12 taught by a team of international teaching artists. Local and international kids work together every day, Monday through Friday, for four hours, rehearsing performances, painting murals, taking photographs, writing, reading literature in English and Spanish.

 
“You have a jewel here. Parents (myself included) love it when their children are in a program doing meaningful, creative and fun work!”

- Professor Patricia Sobral from Brown University after visiting the SUMMER ARTS KIDS program.

If you are enrolled in the summer program, your children can participate in the four-week program for $250 each based on availability of space.

Need more information . . .