My daughter went to Oaxaca for 3 weeks with Arcos International. Her visit was nothing short of life-changing. Her homestay family was caring and kind, her language classes at the university were fun and educational, and within her cohort, she made lifelong friends.

The excursions to cultural sites were well-organized and fun. As someone who was initially very nervous about being away from home, when the time came to return home, she would happily have stayed for another 3 weeks. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to improve their Spanish in an immersive setting.

A one-month immersion in Oaxaca is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a chance to explore one of the most fascinating, culturally complex places in the world.

Many thanks to Arcos for making this possible and so much fun! A month here was a sensory feast. From the vibrant markets and colonial architecture to the diverse cuisine, every corner revealed a new layer of this captivating region. Cooking classes, day trips to villages like Teotitlán del Valle and Mitla, and exploring natural wonders like Hierve el Agua provided invaluable insights into the rich cultural heritage. The warm hospitality of the Oaxacan people and the vibrant music scene added to the enchantment. While navigating daily life presented challenges, they ultimately enriched the journey. This was a transformative experience, a chance to connect with a unique culture and gain a deeper understanding of the world.

I am incredibly grateful to Arcos for making this unforgettable journey possible.

I was a bit nervous since this was my first time abroad, but I was so glad I went. My group was supervised by America and Maya, who did an amazing job showing us around the city. I could tell that they genuinely wanted us to have a good and experience and they made me feel safe the whole time. My homestay mom, Leti, was amazing and it was nice to foster a close relationship with her. I’d say if you are a teenager like me who’s really wanting to challenge your Spanish, this program is for you. Oaxaca is so rich of culture and you are definitely going to get an authentic Mexican experience, which means amazing food!

This trip and the Acros Program was amazing from the moment I landed in Oaxaca Airport to the moment I took off in Puerto Escondido Airport. Greeted by nice staff at the airport, I was driven to my host family, all of whom were super welcoming and understanding. Throughout the trip I became closer to the friends on the trip with me, while also expanding my language ability and my knowledge of Mexico and its culture. Our guide Pamela always made sure everything ran smoothly and that everyone was on the same page. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend.

My experience with this study abroad program was absolutely amazing. I learned so much about Spanish, Oaxacan culture, and myself because I was given this opportunity. Oaxaca was a beautiful and safe city where I felt comfortable and confident in my ability to navigate it. The home stays were fabulous and the classes at the university were very interesting. All of the expeditions we took were fascinating and taught me so much about the rich culture and history of Oaxaca. The program staff were all extraordinarily kind and helpful, and I knew that if I ever needed anything all I would have to do was communicate my needs to get them met. I will carry those experiences for the rest of my life and my journey with Spanish.

I went into this trip excited, maybe a bit nervous, but mainly just looking forward to a vacation. Not only was this trip so much more than a simple vacation, it changed my life. The fun experiences I had every second of every day, the beautiful environment, and the wonderful people who made this trip happen truly made it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I greatly expanded my Spanish skills, too, garnering the confidence to talk to anyone in Spanish, even if I wasn't 100% sure what needed to be said. 10/10 would recommend this trip.

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.