What’s Included

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You’re getting 120 hours of Spanish classes total, that’s 15 hours a week, 3 hours a day, Monday to Friday, in a small group of no more than 8 students at a language school in Medellín’s lively El Poblado or Laureles neighborhoods. Culinary workshops happen weekly, teaching you to make Colombian classics like bandeja paisa, arepas, and sancocho with local chefs. Cultural outings include visits to food markets like Plaza Minorista and iconic sites like Comuna 13 and Guatapé, with a full-day trip to the latter included. Your homestay with a vetted Paisa family comes with a private room and two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, perfect for practicing Spanish daily. Airport transfers from José María Córdova Airport are covered, both ways, along with a welcome orientation and a group dinner at a local restaurant. The program team’s got your back with 24/7 support for any hiccups.

Week-by-Week Breakdown

Week one starts with your arrival at Medellín’s airport, where a driver whisks you to your homestay, and your Paisa family greets you with maybe some fresh aguapanela or a warm 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 eight weeks ahead. Your first dinner with the family’s your chance to try some Spanish, probably tripping over a word like “arepa,” but they’re super patient and welcoming.

Day two dives into 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 Paisa slang, so you’re ready to chat like a local. Afternoon’s a culinary workshop, maybe learning to make arepas with a local chef, and you’re eating your creations while picking up foodie vocab. Evenings are with your homestay family, chatting over dinner, maybe fumbling “bandeja paisa” but soaking up the cozy vibe.

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Week two keeps Spanish classes rolling, 3 hours a day, and you’re starting to toss out phrases like “qué chévere” with ease. One afternoon, you visit Plaza Minorista, a bustling food market, practicing Spanish while haggling for tropical fruits or sampling street food. Another day’s a cultural tour to Comuna 13, where you explore vibrant street art and learn about Medellín’s transformation, asking questions in Spanish. Homestay dinners are a highlight, with your family serving up local dishes like mondongo, and you’re chatting more confidently, maybe swapping stories about Medellín life.

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Week three’s Spanish classes have you speaking smoother, maybe even joking in Spanish about the market chaos. Afternoons bring another culinary workshop, this time tackling bandeja paisa, piling on beans, rice, and chicharrón with a chef who teaches you the lingo. Another day’s a city tour to the Botero Plaza, gawking at those oversized sculptures and practicing Spanish with your guide. The weekend’s free, so you might chill with your homestay family or explore Laureles’ cafés with your group, throwing around new vocab.

Week four includes the big Guatapé trip, a full-day adventure included in the price, where you climb the famous Peñol Rock, cruise the lake, and wander the colorful town’s zócalo-lined streets, all while practicing Spanish with your guide. Spanish classes keep you sharp, and another afternoon’s a market visit, maybe Plaza de Florez, where you’re bargaining like a pro. Homestay evenings are cozy, with your family maybe teaching you a card game over coffee, and you’re feeling like part of the crew.

Weeks five and six see your Spanish classes getting easier, and you’re tossing out slang like “parce” without thinking. Culinary workshops continue—one week it’s sancocho, another it’s postres like natilla, and you’re mastering kitchen vocab. Cultural outings include a visit to the Memory Museum, diving into Colombia’s history, or a stroll through Parque Arví, describing nature in Spanish. Your homestay family’s dinners are a blast, maybe with ajiaco soup, and you’re chatting fluently, maybe even debating soccer.

Weeks seven and eight wrap up with your final Spanish classes, and you’re amazed at how you’re chatting like a Paisa, maybe even dreaming in Spanish. Afternoons include a last culinary workshop, perfecting your arepa game, and a final cultural tour, maybe to the Jardín Botánico, practicing Spanish as you describe the orchids. The group dinner’s at a lively Medellín restaurant, digging into local flavors and toasting with your group, nailing Spanish slang like a pro. The last day’s for goodbyes—your host family might slip you a bag of Colombian coffee or a woven bracelet, and your airport transfer’s covered, so you leave buzzing with Spanish skills and culinary swagger.