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Oaxaca, Mexico

Deerfield Travel Programs

Spanish Language and Culture

This trip offers Spanish language students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and language of Oaxaca, Mexico. Students will develop their conversational fluency and understanding of daily life in Mexico by living with Oaxacan families. They will also hone their language skills through daily language classes at the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez and weekly conversation exchanges with local students. To learn about the depth and richness of Oaxacan culture, students will take art, cooking, and dance classes, and visit several cultural sites including artisan villages, pre-columbian ruins, and art museums. We will explore the spectacular beauty of southern Mexico on excursions to the Monte Albán Pyramids, natural hot springs, and the mountains surrounding the city. Students will also enjoy Oaxaca’s exquisite food, including world-famous moles, refreshing aguas frescas, and for the more adventurous, crunchy and spicy chapulines. After their time immersed in Oaxaca, students return home with an appreciation for the culture and history of Mexico and greater confidence in their command of the Spanish language.

 

Program Notes

  • This trip conflicts with the June 6 SAT.
  • Students will be in homestays (two to three Deerfield students per homestay) in Oaxaca city. Homestay family size will vary. Students will eat most meals with their families, but will have occasional meals out.
  • Students should be prepared to stay with a host family and use Spanish as the language of communication at the house. 
  • While Deerfield faculty will be available throughout the trip, to allow students to maximize their language learning, students will often navigate the city without the direct supervision of an adult.
  • Students and faculty leaders will update families and friends at home through our Notes From The Field blog. 
  • Families are responsible for transportation from JFK airport to the student’s final destination at the end of the trip.

This program is open to all current ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students enrolled in Spanish II or above with a demonstrated commitment to the study of language and culture and who will continue to study Spanish in the following academic year. Financial Aid is available to all qualifying students

Program Dates

May 31 – June 14, 2025

Program Eligibility

Faculty Trip Leaders

  • Haley O’Neil
  • Cheri Calcaterra

Estimated cost: $6,000

This price is subject to change depending on enrollment numbers and flight costs. The final price will be set before initial deposits and enrollment paperwork are due.

2025 Preliminary Itinerary

*This itinerary is subject to change.

Upon arrival to Oaxaca on Saturday, May 31, students will meet their host families and get settled into their Oaxacan homes. They will eat most meals with their host families during the trip. 

Throughout the week, students will take daily Spanish classes, participate in language exchanges with local students, engage in community service activities with local organizations, and learn about the diverse and rich past and present cultures of southern Mexico. Cultural learning activities will include an alebrije making workshop, a traditional Oaxacan cooking class, and visits to some of the most beautiful and charming neighborhoods of the city. 

 On the weekends, students will explore cultural and natural sites beyond Oaxaca city including Hiere el Agua mineral spring, Monte Albán and Mitla ruins, and the Mitla market. 

 The program will conclude with a farewell dinner with host families before students return home on Saturday, June 14. 

** Families are responsible for transportation from JFK airport to the student’s final destination at the end of the trip.

Notes from Abroad

2018
Oaxaca 2018

Oaxaca #18: Final Reflections

For one month, students where immersed in Mexican culture while living in home stays. They participated in Spanish language classes at a local university, visited local sites and partook in various cultural experiences. When the program ended, trip Leaders Jaime Correa and Haley O’Neil asks students to reflect on the following prompts: 1)I used to think…..I now think…. or  2)This month, I have been grateful for…, below are the students responses.

July 6, 2018
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