A Spanish class for foreigners that combines language learning with city visits offers an immersive and dynamic cultural experience. Here’s an idea of how we structure Hola Experience:
Each day begins with a 2-hour classroom session focused on practical aspects of Spanish. Depending on the student’s level, we cover topics such as:
1. Classroom Introduction:
-Basic level: Greetings, introductions, everyday vocabulary (directions, food, shopping), basic verb conjugations.
-Intermediate level: Conversations about past experiences, daily situations, Mexican culture, and more advanced verb tenses.
-Advanced level: Debates, cultural discussions, history, and literature, along with grammatical refinement.
2. City Activity:
After the classroom session, students participate in an activity outside the classroom, which can take place in the morning or evening, depending on each student’s interests. Among the activities we offer are:
-Guided visits to historical and cultural sites like downtown Mérida, the Cathedral, Plaza Grande, or the Casa de Montejo Museum. Here, students can practice their Spanish by describing what they see, interacting with locals, and asking questions to the guides.
–Local markets: Such as the Lucas de Gálvez Market, where students can practice food-related vocabulary, make purchases in Spanish, and converse with local vendors. They can also visit tianguis (street markets) in different neighborhoods of the city.
-Interaction with locals: Organizing meetings with artisans, cooks, or artists, allowing students to learn about local traditions while practicing the language.
-Lunch: Each day ends with lunch at a place recommended by the teacher who accompanies the experience. The lunch spot is based on the student’s tastes and interests, which are discovered through interaction with the teacher.
3. Seasonal Events:
Throughout the year, we have various celebrations and activities in the state, and depending on the student’s interests, they can be included as part of the proposed activities. These activities may include:
-Carnival (around February / evening activity)
-Yucatán Xmatkuil Fair (November-December / evening activity)
-Baseball season (between April and August / late-afternoon or evening activity)
-Janal Pixan (Day of the Dead, November, with varying times depending on the activity)
4. Conversation Practice:
During lunch and/or city transfers, students have the opportunity to continue practicing conversation, discussing their daily experiences in Spanish!, sharing anecdotes, and reflecting on what they’ve learned during the tours. A segment can also be included to review common mistakes or doubts that may have arisen during real-life interactions in the city.
