Arcos: High School Programs in Mexico

Our high school has had two very successful trips so far with Arcos, the first to Granada and most recently to Oaxaca. While there is lots to like about the organization - prices, flexibility, efficiency, communication etc. - what really stands out is the personnel they have working on the ground when you arrive. In the case of Oaxaca the site director was a long time local whose knowledge and connections to the area and the people led to some really unique excursions that felt intimate and "off the grid" compared to what the average touring school group might see. We requested a food focus, for example, and did we ever get it: we found ourselves in family kitchens making tamales, grinding cacao beans in a Zapotec village, tossing homemade tortillas onto a hot comal, learning about the Milpa agriculture from food activists, and more.

Similar to our previous experiences, the directors and assistants interact with and care for the students in a way that feels authentic and genuine, and this makes a big difference if you're a small school that can't afford to send lots of extra chaperones on a trip. In a similar vein, the willingness and efficiency with which the directors handle the logistics makes you feel "taken care of" so that you can focus on your students' experience and enjoy the trip *with* them rather than vicariously *through* them.

Another really big perk of this trip that our students report having enjoyed is the structured freedom they are granted to test their language skills and grow their independence in a new environment. In Oaxaca, as in the Granada program, students are expected to learn to transport themselves between language classes and home stays. Granted, in Oaxaca, this experience proved to be a little more challenging given the size of the city and distances between home stays, meeting points, and activities (host families were always willing to help out with rides when logistics, traffic or other factors got in the way). Still, the instances where students were able to self-transport provided them with built-in microopportunities to shop, grab coffee, interact with vendors, and experience the richness of their environments without the looming gaze of adult helicoptering.

Mexico was really fun and exciting, I really enjoyed the hot springs and going downtown. The hotel was good, the food was the same every breakfast but that’s ok. The pool was good and it was perfect weather, not too hot and not too cold. I really liked that we could room with our friends, it was really fun. Maybe something I would change is letting us chose out food and what we should eat, because some of the food was new and I would prefer to eat food that I feel comfortable with. The food there would be good if we got to choose.

This was my daughter's second time going on an Arcos program. As always, it was top notch. Good support, good communication, enjoyable and edifying experience. Brent and the rest of the team at Arcos work hard to makes sure it is a good experience. There are a lot of Americans on the program so my daughter spoke a little more English that would have been idea but overall it was a good experience and her Spanish has improved over two summers with Arcos. I also felt that she was in capable hands and safe which alleviated a lot of the worry about sending one's child to another country.

I had an excellent experience with Arcos in Oaxaca city. My host family was fantastic. I was very comfortable there, and I really enjoyed spending time with them, developing my Spanish language skills, and getting to know them. I tried new foods, and felt very welcome. The Spanish language school was responsive to my needs so that I felt challenged and learned more, but still enjoyed myself. I enjoyed hanging out with the other students, we had fun eating out in the city at night sometimes, and Arcos arranged meals out for us, as well as fun cultural classes and historical tours. The food in Oaxaca City is amazing, and the city itself is very beautiful. I always felt very safe and taken care of, which my own family appreciated as well. Arcos is really organized and professional, but also very easy to talk to and work with and they are very invested in their students having the best possible experience.

I had an amazing time in Oaxaca this summer. It was a truly life changing experience. I am 16 years old and we had the perfect amount of freedom. We were able to go out and explore the city, while also having planned activities each day. My host family was incredible, and I got to practice my Spanish a lot by talking with them. I had classes every weekday which I think really improved my Spanish. I also met so many new friends that I will stay in touch with for a long time. The staff was very helpful, solving any problems that came up.

I had so much fun during my time in Oaxaca. I got much closer with my classmates that I housed with and our host mom was so sweet (she also owned an ice cream shop attached to our house!) Every excursion was beautiful and educational and the classes we took at the university grew our understanding so much. Pame and Maria are such amazing people and personally ensured we had rides home. One day, after our salsa class, they saw how much fun we had and paid for us to go to the class the next day. Overall, my trip to Oaxaca got me out of my comfort zone in a way that still made me feel supported.

This program was amazing as a chaperone to a group of High School students. My students loved every moment. They still look fondly on the excursions and the various authentic experiences we had within the community oaxaqueña. They likewise loved all the workshops. As a chaperone, I enjoyed participating and watching the students learn the language and about the culture of Oaxaca. Overall, I recommend this program for students and chaperones from all age groups. Arcos was so wonderful and our guides were always ready and willing to help.

I lovedddd traveling and this program really helped me learn more about the culture and history. I also loved our house moms and how they treated us. Something that I loved was that we got our own freedom and let us explore in our own. This trip made me realize about some realities and things we need to understand as travelers, but the experience was beautiful