What’s Included
You’re getting 360 hours of Spanish classes total, that’s 15 hours a week, 3 hours a day, Monday to Friday, split between a language school in Medellín’s El Poblado and one in Leticia’s centro, with small groups of no more than 8 students. Cultural immersion includes Andean treks in places like Cocora Valley, Amazonian jungle hikes, and visits to local communities in both regions. Cooking classes cover dishes like bandeja paisa in Medellín and moqueca in Leticia, happening weekly. Volunteer opportunities, about 10 hours a week, include projects like teaching kids or environmental work, tailored to your skills. Homestays in both cities, with vetted families, include a private room and two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, perfect for practicing Spanish daily. Airport transfers (Medellín’s José María Córdova and Leticia’s Alfredo Vásquez Cobo) are covered, along with a welcome orientation in each city and two group dinners, one in each location. The program team’s got your back with 24/7 support for any hiccups.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
Month one kicks off in Medellín, where a driver picks you up at the airport and drops you at your homestay, and your Paisa family greets you with maybe some hot aguapanela or a big hug. At the welcome orientation, you meet your group, about 6-10 folks, grab a map of Medellín, some safety tips, and a rundown of the first three months. Your first dinner with the family’s your chance to try some Spanish, probably tripping over a word like “paisa,” but they’re super warm and patient.
Weeks one and two in Medellín start with Spanish classes, 3 hours each morning at a school in El Poblado, where native teachers get you practicing real-life convos, like ordering empanadas at a market. The classes are lively, focusing on grammar, vocab, and Andean slang, so you’re ready to chat like a local. Afternoons bring a cooking class, maybe whipping up bandeja paisa, and you’re eating your creations while learning foodie vocab. Another day’s a cultural tour to Comuna 13, exploring street art and practicing Spanish with your guide. Volunteer work starts, maybe tutoring kids at a local school, using Spanish to connect. Evenings are with your homestay family, chatting over ajiaco, maybe fumbling “montaña” but soaking up the vibe.
Month two in Medellín keeps Spanish classes rolling, 3 hours a day, and you’re tossing out phrases like “qué chévere” with ease. One afternoon’s a trek to Cocora Valley, a full-day trip included in the price, hiking among wax palms and practicing Spanish describing the scenery. Another day’s a volunteer project, maybe planting trees in a community garden, and you’re speaking Spanish with locals. A cooking class teaches you arepas, and a city tour hits Botero Plaza, where you describe those plump sculptures in Spanish. Homestay dinners are cozy, with your family sharing Paisa stories, and you’re chatting more confidently, maybe debating soccer.
Month three wraps up Medellín with Spanish classes getting smoother, and you’re joking in Spanish like a pro. Afternoons include a final volunteer session, maybe helping at a youth center, and a last cultural outing to Parque Arví, trekking and using your vocab. The group dinner’s at a lively Medellín restaurant, digging into local flavors and toasting with your group, nailing slang like “parce.” Then, you’re off to Leticia, with a transfer to the airport and a new homestay, where your Amazonian family greets you with maybe some juanes or a smile.
Month four in Leticia starts with a new orientation, meeting a smaller group, about 4-8 folks, and getting a map and safety tips for the Amazon. Spanish classes continue, 3 hours a day at a school in the centro, now with Amazonian slang like “selva” thrown in. Afternoons bring a jungle hike, spotting wildlife and practicing Spanish with your guide. Another day’s a cooking class, maybe making moqueca with river fish, and you’re picking up new vocab. Volunteer work might involve teaching kids in a local community, using Spanish to connect. Homestay dinners are warm, with your family serving grilled surubí, and you’re chatting, maybe tripping over “río” but feeling the jungle vibe.
Month five in Leticia has Spanish classes flowing, and you’re tossing out “qué bacano” like a local. One afternoon’s a visit to a Tikuna indigenous community, learning their traditions and asking questions in Spanish. Another day’s an Amazon River boat trip, included in the price, spotting pink dolphins and practicing vocab. Volunteer work continues, maybe helping with a river cleanup, and a cooking class teaches pirarucu dishes. Homestay evenings are a highlight, with your family sharing jungle stories, and you’re chatting fluently, maybe over a plate of patarashca.
Month six wraps up in Leticia with final Spanish classes, and you’re amazed at how you’re chatting like a local, maybe even dreaming in Spanish. Afternoons include a last volunteer project, maybe building school supplies, and a final jungle trek, describing wildlife in Spanish. A cultural workshop might teach weaving with palm fibers, and the group dinner’s at a riverside spot, digging into Amazonian flavors and toasting with your group. The last day’s for goodbyes—your host family might slip you a woven bracelet or Amazonian tea, and your airport transfer’s covered, so you leave buzzing with Spanish fluency and memories of two worlds.
