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05/12/2004 10:18:28 AM · #1 |
I will be spending four weeks in Mexico to learn Spanish in one of those study abroad "total immersion" courses. I have several choices and I'm looking for ideas which location to go to. Here are my options:
Cuernavaca
Oaxaca
Guadalajara
Puerto Vallarta
Guanajuato
Playa del Carmen
Morelia
Queretaro
I'm leaning towards Oaxaca or Playa del Carmen. I'd like for there to be a nice night life for the fun or a really nice beach for the sun. Either way I'll be staying with a local family who will not know English. On the weekends I'll be on some type of excursion so I plan on visiting ruins/wildlife/etc (can someone say photo op?).
So would anyone with experience in some of these regions like to make a suggestion? This should happen next January or February, so are there climate concerns? What about political instability?
Thanks in advance!
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05/13/2004 12:40:36 AM · #2 |
Originally posted by bamaster:
Here are my options:
Cuernavaca
Oaxaca
Guadalajara
Puerto Vallarta
Guanajuato
Playa del Carmen
Morelia
Queretaro
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Your choice will depend in what you're looking for... beach & sun, cultural & "bohemian" nights:), Pacific Ocean or Caribean Sea!
All are nice places
Originally posted by bamaster:
I'm leaning towards Oaxaca or Playa del Carmen. I'd like for there to be a nice night life for the fun or a really nice beach for the sun.
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For this the best places are Playa del Carmen or Vallarta. But both are very touristic places...
Where in Oaxaca? do you mean Oaxaca City?
Originally posted by bamaster:
Either way I'll be staying with a local family who will not know English. On the weekends I'll be on some type of excursion so I plan on visiting ruins/wildlife/etc (can someone say photo op?).
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For ruins: Oaxaca, Cuernavaca, Playa del Carmen
Wild life: all but not Guadalajara, Guanajuato & Querétaro
Originally posted by bamaster:
So would anyone with experience in some of these regions like to make a suggestion?
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Cuernavaca for sure :P
Originally posted by bamaster:
This should happen next January or February, so are there climate concerns?
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Morelia, Querétaro, Guadalajara and Guanajuato the coldest.
Originally posted by bamaster:
What about political instability?
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huh??
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05/13/2004 12:43:34 AM · #3 |
| I had a friend who lived in Guanajuato for a few years and he loved it. It's supposed to be a very interesting city for architecture- it's very old and everything's built on top of itself. Or so I here. |
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05/13/2004 12:46:47 AM · #4 |
Sounds like a really cool opportunity! Good luck, have fun, and bring back TONS of shots so we can all partake of the wonderful eye-candy!
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05/13/2004 10:19:02 AM · #5 |
Here is where in Oaxaca. There is a link to a city map on the page.
SpanishAbroad.com
Originally posted by La-Luna:
Originally posted by bamaster:
So would anyone with experience in some of these regions like to make a suggestion? |
Cuernavaca for sure :P
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Why do you like Cuernavaca? I've heard nice things about that city, what about it though?
Originally posted by La-Luna:
Originally posted by bamaster:
What about political instability? |
huh?? |
I considered going to Venezuela but I was told that the country is having tough times and that traveling around may not be as easy as in Mexico. Not sure what that meant. But I guess the question is asking more about safety. Some places are safer than others regarding American tourists.
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05/13/2004 10:54:11 AM · #6 |
So, It sounds like you should pick Playa del Carmen. The choice of Oaxaca schools you have listed are far from the beach. You will have beach, night life, plenty of excursion choices.
I hope that you find your type of excursion package satisfactory. A month is a long time, and you might feel after the third week that you are ready to try some independent travel and test those wonderful new spanish skills. Unfortunately, an organized package like you are purchasing might constrain you to limitation that you wish didn't exist.
All of the schools listed are private, open enrollment schools. You get the same services by enrolling directly, and stay in control of your trip. For example, in Cuernavaca and Oaxaca City there are dozens of schools. If you are uncomfortable with you school, or your teacher, or your homestay you can change. With a tour company like you have selected, you will have less options.
Good luck, it's a wonderful time down here. I came to do something similar as you plan, and never went home. |
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05/13/2004 10:56:31 AM · #7 |
Do they even speak spanish in Puerto Vallarta? Mostly a bunch of foreigners there on vacation...
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05/13/2004 11:13:34 AM · #8 |
For people who are interesting in a mexican photography school, check these guys out. Not a bad trip in the five tours that they offer, and a wonderfully experienced staff. Sorry, no language courses offered.
//www.thesecretmexico.com/index.shtml
Message edited by author 2004-05-13 11:15:06. |
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05/13/2004 11:24:14 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by StevePax:
Do they even speak spanish in Puerto Vallarta? Mostly a bunch of foreigners there on vacation... |
I was wondering the same thing about Playa del Carmen. I've heard that it's less touristy than Cancun, but still touristy (I'm going there next week, woo!) If I really wanted to learn the language, I'd try to pick somewhere more "realistic" and less touristy. I'll email my Mexican friends and see what they recommend.
I'm totally jealous though! |
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05/13/2004 11:28:24 AM · #10 |
| If you're looking for Mexico, you can find it even the tourist town. You just have to look a little harder. And you have to want to do more than just play with the tourists. |
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05/13/2004 11:45:19 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by StevePax:
Do they even speak spanish in Puerto Vallarta? Mostly a bunch of foreigners there on vacation... |
I'm not really interested in going to PV. I know several people that have been there and they all say the same thing. It's a fun place to go during Spring Break, but overall the place is dirty.
I'd rather go to the carribean side of things anyways if I'm going to do the coast.
Regardless, a four hour ride will put me in a completely different part of the country it seems. So it won't be hard to find some history and culture.
Message edited by author 2004-05-13 11:47:03.
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05/13/2004 12:03:55 PM · #12 |
Why do you like Cuernavaca? I've heard nice things about that city, what about it though?
Cuernavaca is a beautiful city seated very centrally not only in the historical middle of the Spanish conquest, but also the Mexican Revolution as well. So, the history is amazing. There are no less than 30 Spanish schools, the weather is perfect year round, and the people are wonderful. Four hours to Acapulco if you need a beach, and the state of Morelos has many facinating small pueblas that are easy to travel to for weekend or afternoon excursions.
On the down side, it is a big city and there's a lot of traffic. But the transportation system is efficient and inexpensive, it is only an hour to Mexico City. Cuenavaca has boasted itself to be the capital of the Spanish Immersion school industry for almost 50 years. The industry is advanced here, and if your true goal is to really learn some Spanish, you can't go wrong in Cuernavaca. |
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05/13/2004 01:07:57 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by rananculus:
Cuernavaca is a beautiful city seated very centrally not only in the historical middle of the Spanish conquest, but also the Mexican Revolution as well. So, the history is amazing. There are no less than 30 Spanish schools, the weather is perfect year round, and the people are wonderful. Four hours to Acapulco if you need a beach, and the state of Morelos has many facinating small pueblas that are easy to travel to for weekend or afternoon excursions.
On the down side, it is a big city and there's a lot of traffic. But the transportation system is efficient and inexpensive, it is only an hour to Mexico City. Cuenavaca has boasted itself to be the capital of the Spanish Immersion school industry for almost 50 years. The industry is advanced here, and if your true goal is to really learn some Spanish, you can't go wrong in Cuernavaca. |
Excellent information! Now you have me considering Cuernavaca.
Kind of pricey, although it seems to be pretty intensive.
School Cuauhnahuac
So uh... how is the female scene over there?
(bamaster is looking for the ladies... the truth comes out)
:D
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