What a special time to be in Mexico... to watch Mexico play in the World Cup and to watch the politics of a national presidential election! Eighteen professionals traveled to Querétaro, Mexico for a wonderfully successful 2018 Los Alumnos Academy. These professionals included employees from Osborn, Laveen, Tempe, Pendergast, Littleton Elementary School Districts and Cox Communications. From direct instruction in Spanish at the Olé Center for Language and Culture, to excursions to the silver mines of Guanajuato and the pyramids of Teotihuacán, these adult learners soaked up the language, the history and the culture. See their comments and more photos below! And next year... come with us! Bring your family or best friends. The more, the merrier!
"I had such an amazing time. When I arrived I could not speak or understand Spanish. Now I am able to write, speak and understand simple conversations. I have made friends and loved working with everyone here. I would come back in a heartbeat.
Each day started with breakfast and conversation with our host mom. We then walked through the beautiful city to school. It was great experiencing the sights to and from school. We then had classes with amazing teachers. They talked slowly and helped us to understand instead of simply giving us an answer. In between classes, we got to walk around and learn about the city and its history. We then went home for a cooked meal with our host mama. Her food was amazing. At the end of the day, I got to spend time with the people in my group. I am very thankful for this experience and the friends I made." ~ Caitlyn
Each day started with breakfast and conversation with our host mom. We then walked through the beautiful city to school. It was great experiencing the sights to and from school. We then had classes with amazing teachers. They talked slowly and helped us to understand instead of simply giving us an answer. In between classes, we got to walk around and learn about the city and its history. We then went home for a cooked meal with our host mama. Her food was amazing. At the end of the day, I got to spend time with the people in my group. I am very thankful for this experience and the friends I made." ~ Caitlyn
"This is a wonderful program. If you have the chance, GO! I learned so much from all parts: the classes at Olé, my homestay family, at time spent exploring Querétaro. Additionally, we were able to explore Teotihuacán (las piramides!) and Guanajuato. This is a very nice, sheltered way to know Mexico and the culture and Spanish. People who know the culture and area make the hard decisions about where, when and how to go about safely. This support freed me up to enjoy the experience and fully concentrate on learning more Spanish and more about the culture." ~ Heather
"I had a wonderful experience at Olé! I came here understanding little to no Spanish and now I feel much more confident. I would definitely come back to Olé in the future." ~ Erin
"This program was amazing. It truly was a trip of a lifetime. You were fully immersed in the language and culture. The stay was so welcoming and the food was great! The teachers and staff were so helpful and made you feel at home." ~ Katie
"The entire process was turnkey and I never felt uncomfortable. Olé is an excellent experience to understand the language and the culture. It helped ignite the passion I’ve always had to reunite with my culture." ~ Manuel
"The program was amazing! It is awesome, even for a non-teacher! The ability to stay with a family and experience the culture while learning the language was invaluable. The school was very welcoming and assisted with everything we needed." ~ Rachel
"The entire experience exceeded any and all of my hopes and expectations." ~ Brad
"This program was amazing. It truly was a trip of a lifetime. You were fully immersed in the language and culture. The stay was so welcoming and the food was great! The teachers and staff were so helpful and made you feel at home." ~ Katie
"The entire process was turnkey and I never felt uncomfortable. Olé is an excellent experience to understand the language and the culture. It helped ignite the passion I’ve always had to reunite with my culture." ~ Manuel
"The program was amazing! It is awesome, even for a non-teacher! The ability to stay with a family and experience the culture while learning the language was invaluable. The school was very welcoming and assisted with everything we needed." ~ Rachel
"The entire experience exceeded any and all of my hopes and expectations." ~ Brad