Program Reviews

The program is a great way to see the where you travel and learn about its unique history and culture! During my trip to Spain I had a great time learning the language, meeting new people, and visiting and exploring the city with two amazing local guides!! You have plenty of time to explore by yourself and the guides and your host can and usually will give great recommendations!! Incredible experience. I can’t recommend it enough! reasonable curfews, plenty of things to do and I met so many new people who hopefully can turn on the lifelong friends!! also, depending on where you are great places to run (Granada)!! (we only had to be at our host homes 11 or 12 depending on the day and 5 AM)!!

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

This was my second Arcos Abroad trip, I went to Oaxaca, Mexico last year and it was also awesome. The Arcos team does an excellent job of creating interesting and fun programming. I loved my host mom, Muchie, and the Spanish classes were real-world learning. We went into the community and learned how to communicate with real people in real situations. Kevin, our in-country support person, was knowledgeable about the city and gave us lots of advice. He kept in contact with our parents and sent them picture along the way.

I went to Granada, Spain with Arcos in the summer of 2023. It was a really special experience for me - as a high schooler it was a perfect program in that I could go abroad and feel somewhat on my own and at the same time feel safe and have people to call if I needed help. The trip was a perfect mix of scheduled activities and free time to explore the city! While I was there, I was looking for a place to play soccer, and the program directors gave me directions to a field nearby - it was amazing having someone to point you in the right direction, or give you restaurant recommendations, or anything else you need. Most importantly though, the trip gave me a chance to practice my Spanish, and it greatly improved my confidence and willingness to speak Spanish.

My homestay family was so kind and welcoming I feel like I gained an extended family on this trip. From conversations around the table to excursions out and about town, the family made an effort to involve us in everyday life in Costa Rica. The adventures--rafting, surfing, horseback riding, etc.--were amazing, but nothing compares to the authentic experience of building relationships with such wonderful people. I will definitely go back and visit on my own one day. I truly love my homestay family.

I have made such great memories on the trips that I have taken through this program, and Arcos Journeys Abroad made all of that possible by using great communication, fun activities, and made sure we felt safe and good about everything! From the first trip that I went on, Arcos Journeys Abroad has made everything from the plane ride, to the home stay, to the activities a breeze and made sure that I felt safe and comfortable with everything. I cannot wait to see what the next trip I take with Arcos Journeys Abroad will bring me!