Sol Education Abroad - Study Abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico

I lived in the Center of Oaxaca so I was able to see almost all museums, coffee shops, and galleries. Met the best people in Oaxaca, I was able to be part of the community clubs as well. I loved the Oaxaca food. I liked my home and school! I enjoyed all activities and used all of my time to explore the city. I loved hanging out with the other students that were also studying abroad. I bought so many souvenirs but it must be lived! You will never regret it!

I only went for one month but learned a lot, the education provided at the university is great and very immersive and all the group excursions really do teach you about the culture of Oaxaca. You're given a lot of free time to explore the city and hang out with the other students. The high school director, Yeyo, is a good leader and really laid back, by the end of the trip everyone almost felt like family. If you have the opportunity I would defiantly recommend going.

I have studied abroad seven times during my undergraduate studies and this was the most well-organized and supportive trip in which I have ever taken part. I have so much gratitude for our incredible directors and professors. All of our excursions helped to enrich the experience here and the host families acted as both a resource and support system to facilitate the creation of a home way from home. If you want to truly gain linguistic and cultural proficiency through studying abroad, choose SOL!

I arrived in Oaxaca exausted after 2 weeks in a dirty uncomforable hostel in Puerta Vallarta. Any nervousness I had was immidately assuaged when I met Yeyo (my program director) and was driven in a van with someone else in my program to my homestay. I was flooded with excitement when I saw my homestay and met my host mom. She was so sweet and kind and showed me to a big room with a balcony that would be mine for the program. From then on I didnt have a single bad experiance in Oaxaca. Its a beautiful and facinating city and there was always plenty to do between numerous markets and rooftop bars and churches and museums. Sol took us on excursions to incredible ruins and giant markets and our director even helped us organize excursions outside of our planned ones for additional things we wanted to do. And my host mom took my roommate (who is now one of my closest friends) and I to even more amazing places on her freetime and helped us with Taxis and busses. Sol in Oaxaca was absolutely one of the most amazing trips of my life and I plan to do Sol Costa Rica, Spain, and Oaxaca again in the future.

This was my first trip out of the country, and I honestly couldn't have dreamed of a better adventure this winter. From landing in Oaxaca to taking off again, everything was fantastic. Our program director Sergio was so great, he made me feel so at home and so welcome not only in our program but in the city of Oaxaca. The food was better than I could've imagined, the class I got to take (which was one on one, by the way) was maybe the best/most fun class I've taken in my Spanish career, and the city was beautiful. I made so many great friends that will be with me for the rest of my life, and I cannot wait to return to Oaxaca someday soon and for my next adventure with Sol!

As soon as I landed at the airport, I felt the city of Oaxaca embrace me with love! I immediately met my director and we were off. As my journey continued, I met some amazing students from across the country and professors just as diverse. The automatic mesh with the entire program affiliates made me forget I stood hundreds of miles away from home. I was able to experience the Earth's breathtaking natural formations such as Hierve el Agua and Arbol de Tule to the finding of secrets from ancient ruins and civilizations such as Mitla and Monte Alban. With the exploration comes the dining, the sabor of the traditional Oaxacan dishes has left me spoiled for eternity. I can only aspire to share the tradition into my own home to remind me of my warm loving host family back in Oaxaca. Cooking classes, submersion, academic learning, exploration, loving language, colorful culture, tasteful food, detailed textiles, perfect weather and compassion amongst my group is a sum of my experience in a nutshell and yet it still doesn't give justice the fact Oaxaca has a place in my heart forever. Thank you Sol Education for this unforgettable experience.

I have studied abroad in both the Costa Rica and Oaxaca programs. I absolutely loved it both times. The host families in both places were so nice and welcoming. Their top priority is making sure you feel comfortable and welcome in their home. The immersion experience is what every Spanish student needs in order to start talking comfortably in Spanish. The professors were nice and friendly and very qualified in their fields. The excursions made the study abroad experience more like a vacation. This program is so worth the money! The memories will last a lifetime!

Well my favorite thing about Oaxaca was the people and how they were also so kind and welcoming with me. One time I was shopping in the center where there are puestos (small pop out stores) , i had just bought Alebrijes from this vender when a student from my program saw me shopping. We talked and the student was asking about a place where bathrooms are for free in the center. Well in México people pay anywhere from 2-5 pesos to use the bathroom which is like 5¢ to 25¢. I asked the vender how my friend didn't want to spend money but was looking for a feee bathroom to use. The vender then took out 5 pesos and gave it to my fellow classmate without hesitation and told him to use the bathroom. He didn't have to do that for my cheap classmet who didn't want to spend 25¢ on a bathroom. Nor did the student buy a product from him either. It was the goodness of his heart to do something kind for my classmate. I love Oaxaca! It's a magically place you don't wanna miss out on this once in a life time experience! You won't regret it! :D

I went to Oaxaca City, Mexico through Sol Abroad for two months and had a great experience. My host family was absolutely amazing. Their home was clean and my host mom was so kind, and cooked the best meals. I had my own bedroom and bathroom in the house, and a very cheap (about $1 per load) and easy laundry service maybe 5 minutes from the house. I had one roommate from another program, a 25 year old college student from Canada. I think Sol should have mentioned before the program that you may be sharing the home with a student from another program. It wasn't a problem, and I got along great with my roommate, but it was a bit weird to hear two weeks in that someone new was coming to live with us without any mention of this beforehand.

As for the school, I had two classes with only me and one other girl. The small classes were great. The teacher in the first class was okay-- she was on her phone sometimes and occasionally made errors, which was frustrating. She wasn't the most engaging teacher but she was super friendly. The other teacher was incredible-- probably the best Spanish teacher I've had. I think that most people have great experiences with the teachers, so maybe I just got a little unlucky with the first teacher. Most people seemed really happy with their classes.

Oaxaca is an amazing city, and Mexico is an amazing country. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. The people are friendly, the food is incredible, the culture is so unique, the Spanish language is amazing-- seriously, I could go on forever. I have been all over the world but Mexico is one of my favorite places. As long as you use your street smarts (don't walk alone at night, don't wave around a flashy camera, avoid dangerous areas, etc), Oaxaca is perfectly safe. I walked around alone and rode the bus alone and didn't feel unsafe at all. I was lucky enough to be in Oaxaca during Day of the Dead, and it was one of the most unique, weird, and amazing experiences of my life. People literally dance and eat tacos and play mariachi music in cemeteries. It's so cool.

Sol Education Abroad is set up really nicely for college students. Sol's website, however, advertises "gap year" programs, which made me think that the program would be flexible for non-university students. I paid for two intensive months, which I was lead to believe included 8 weeks of Spanish classes. After 6 weeks, however, one of the classes ended, and I was informed that I had completed all of the "classroom credit hours" for what I had paid for, and I could no longer attend classes at the school. What??? I was allowed to sit in on a class, but it was just a random history class, not a Spanish class like I had wanted. Super weird. Paid for 8 weeks, but only got 6 real weeks of Spanish classes. Felt very frustrated. Sol's website also advertises help finding volunteer opportunities. When me and another student asked about this, the program leader seemed confused and did not really know how to help, despite the website boasting tons of volunteer connections throughout the city.

Other than that, my host family was great, the program director was friendly and helpful, and all the students in the program were really nice and welcoming. Sol Education Abroad is a great program I think for college students, and for other people as well-- just make sure you ask the right questions at the beginning. Oaxaca City is incredible, and I can't recommend living abroad enough-- whether you're a university student, a gap year person like me, or just an adult looking to learn a new language.

I was honestly a bit nervous for my first experience abroad, but Oaxaca, Mexico - the people, the mountains, the vibrant color, and magical festivals radically changed my life. I learned, over the course of 3 1/2 months to appreciate the people I was surrounded by, to ask more questions, to explore with more enthusiasm, to open my mind and my heart to a new culture and language, to be silly, make mistakes, and to experience the richness of the world in a new light. Of all of the memories that I have from my time in college, my study abroad experience in Oaxaca, with SOL, stands far above the rest!

Oaxaca is such a wonderful experience of the culture in Mexico and the people are incredibly warm and hospitable. Studying Abroad with SOL Education Abroad was such a good experience because they are very well organized, the program is not overpriced and the experiences have been priceless. I have such a different perspective of people in general after traveling for a longer period of time than in the past. I think that's what studying abroad does for you. You experience a different perspective of life which can bring such a beautiful change in our minds and hearts. I would do the program again!

There's no way possible to write a review that can accurately capture the marvelous experience that is SOL. I actually studied abroad in Costa Rica the semester before going to Mexico, and they were both fantastic! They're completely different, but both worth every minute. The program is extremely affordable yet still manages to offer everything a student studying abroad could imagine: cultural activities, excursions, immersion, awesome classes, and fantastic teachers. The support system is incredible as well! Sol also lets you basically design your own program. You choose your classes, housing situation (if you want apartment, dorm, or host family), and activities. Sol really sets you up to experience the cultural in a way that works for you yet also brings you to a higher level of confidence and independence. I highly recommend Sol Education Abroad for any level of Spanish speaker and world explorer!

The experience that I had with Sol was breath taking. I have never had so much fun, been so happy, & learned so much in such a short amount of time. The friends that I made while in Mexico was great! The classes was challenging, in a good way. Blessed to have this experience & I am sure that there will be more to come.

Sol Education abroad is a unique program because it offers complete Spanish language immersion and cultural immersion. When I arrived at my host family's home, I had to speak Spanish to communicate with them and my classes were in the Spanish language as well. One of my main goals was to become fluent in Spanish and I can proudly say that I have reached that goal! The staff was very helpful throughout the whole process and even went out of their way to inform us of local events going on and volunteer opportunities as well. They were very easy to get a hold of with any questions and when I needed to visit the doctor they helped me through that whole process. The program offers a variety of cultural events that are included in the program and the classes are wonderful and small, so they are very student-focused. There are also opportunities to take classes with locals. I took a French class my second semester with locals and it was a very rewarding experience. I found that the location was perfect, being a small city full of some of the richest culture in all of Mexico. The people of Oaxaca are some of the sweetest people you will meet and it is very easy to make friends with them. I met some of the best friends I have now during my 9 months in Oaxaca. I volunteered in tutoring in English and also in ministry and my days were full of adventure and getting to know more and more about the different people in Oaxaca. Oaxaca is rich in indigenous culture and I got to visit and serve in various villages during my time there and learn about their traditions and languages. I had the opportunity to travel to Queretaro, Mexico City, Acapulco, Puerto Escondido, and various other villages and locations within Oaxaca. Traveling in Oaxaca is very simple and considerably cheap. The food as well is cheap and easily accessible and absolutely delicious! Oaxaca is a very safe place, I never once felt endangered, even when I was traveling. Everything is within walking distance or a taxi ride if you want to go further away to visit other locations in Oaxaca. The host family was my Oaxacan family while I was there! They served me some of the most delicious traditional Oaxacan food and I had such a great time getting to know them and playing with their kids. The difficulties I encountered were culture shock during the first two weeks I was there and I got sick and had to visit the doctor a few times. When I was sick I was provided with everything that I needed and I recuperated quickly. Overall, this experience opened my eyes to so many possibilities and a new perspective on life. It reignited my passion to study foreign languages and cultures and completely transformed my future including my degree. I grew so much as a person, as a global citizen, as a woman, and professionally as well. I acquired skills that will be valuable in all of my future jobs and in future situations. In fact, I got a job right when I got back as a Spanish-speaking customer service representative at a company that sells phone services. The job was offered to me before I applied and there are a variety of other doors that have been opened to me through this experience. Sol Education abroad provided me with a life-transforming experience all within reach of a college student that completely supports them self at a cost that was actually cheaper than attending my home university! I have no complaints at all, it was everything I expected and a whole lot more! I definitely have been recommending Sol Education Abroad to all the college students I know and I will be a Student Ambassador this school year as well! I don't want anyone to miss out on the chance to study abroad with full Spanish immersion if they are wanting to do it, because with Sol there is nothing holding you back!

Before studying abroad, I did my research. I wanted a program that offered a true language and cultural immersion experience all at an affordable price. SOL Education - Oaxaca exceeded my expectations and more.

Pre-departure, SOL was very helpful in choosing my program length and classes. If I had any questions, they were always reachable by phone or email. The course descriptions they provided made it easy for me to receive college credit through the program as well.

Living with a host family really enhanced my experience. My host mom was very helpful, always packing lunches and making sure I was comfortable in her home. It was great to have a Spanish speaker around to practice 24/7.

The excursions and cultural activities were by far my favorite part. Included in the program fees were transportation/lodging to some of the most beautiful locations in Oaxaca, including Hierve el Agua and Puerto Escondido. The hike trailing and surfing lessons were perfect for any nature lover.

The cultural activities in Oaxaca included dance lessons, cooking classes, and tours of local museums. Since I traveled in July, I also got to experience Guelaguetza, an indigenous cultural event of traditional dancing and parades. It was a great experience to see the whole city celebrating for the entire month!

More than anything, I loved the opportunity to practice my Spanish and build lasting relationships on the trip. After returning home, I definitely have more confidence in my speaking abilities. I made great friends with the locals, my classmates, and even the directors as well.

I strongly recommend this program to anyone is looking for a quality immersion program. SOL helps you step out of your comfort zone all while creating a great support system in the process.