Gayla
Oct 11, 2004, 9:57 AM
Post #6 of 8
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Re: [culberto] Learning Spanish in Morelia
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Phyllis
Most of the language immersion programs have extensive extra-curricular programs. They do cost extra, but you pay as you go and generally they aren't very expensive. The school's objective is to expose you to as much language and culture as they can.
I attended El Centro Bilingue in Cuernavaca (you can do a web search for them, but it's sometimes hard to find their web site. If you can't find it, e-mail me and I'll see if I can find the link). They had excursions every day after classes and longer ones on the weekend. Some of the longer excursions were to Taxco, Acapulco and Puebla. Some of the 1-day weekend excurisons were to Las Grutas, Mexico City (lots of different choices - museums, Frida Kahlo's house, Ballet Folklorico at Bellas Artes, Tenochtitan/Los Piramides, etc). There were also after class excursions around the local community, to some of the weekly tinaguis, old haciendas or local walking tours. They also held Friday evening fiestas for new and continuing students to which you could bring your host family. You will have plenty of free time, but most of the school do provide structured activities as well.
Many of the language programs are structured very similarly. Upon initial arrival they'll do an orientation in which they give you an overview of your local area, customs, safety, health, how to use the local bus system, living with your family and how the school works. That is usually followed by a placement test and perhaps a quick interview with a teacher so that they can figure out which class to put you in based on your level of Spanish proficiency. School itself is usually 6 hours per day. The first couple of hours are devoted to grammar and learning the basic structure of the language (it helps if you know this stuff in English because your instructors do, and they use the terminology). Grammar will be in a small group, usually no more than 4 or 5 others (and usually fewer) that are at the same level as you with the language. After grammar usually comes a lecture by a different insturctor on history, culture, anthropology or other academic subject. These are conducted in Spanish and it doesn't really matter if you understand much or not, the objective is to get your ear attuned to hearing the language spoken correctly and well by native speakers. And you'll be surprised by how much you really do end up understanding. After another break it usually back into your small group for conversation in Spanish where you learn vocabulario and begin speaking what you're learning and hearing. There may also be a 2nd lecture. You usually break around 2 PM to return home for comdia. Some schools offer additional late afternoon classes, tutoring and/or private lessons. Many schools now also have computer language labs where you can listen to tapes and continue practicing.
Cuernenavaca was a much smaller town when I was there. After comida the 2 other students in the family and I usually walked down to the Zocalo and either met up with other students or explored the markets and other stores, but mostly we hung out at some of the local cafes practicing our Espanol with each other and whatever locals found us amusing and were willing to be language guinea pigs for us.
I was not the oldest student in the school, but I was the oldest student in my household, but it didn't matter one whit. I had a blast, learned a huge amount of Spanish (by the end of 9 weeks I had a reasonable level of fluency) and an equally huge amount about Mexico, it's history and it's people. I ended up going to graduate school at UCLA in Latin American Studies shortly after my language immersion program.
As with almost anything, attitude is everything. If you go in with an open mind, open heart and open attitude, you *will* learn Spanish and have a wonderful time doing it. From what I've read, it already appears that you've got the right attitude. I'd say go for it and don't look back :-)
Gayla
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