My experience in Oaxaca 2025

I had a great time during my stay in Oaxaca through ARCOS. The maestras and maestros at UABJO were very passionate and cared that you learned. I went from not knowing Spanish to being able to function solo in the city and hold conversations. I wouldn't have been able to improve rapidly if it wasn't for the care of the staff members at the university. The activities provided by ARCOS were enriching and nice, as it is often difficult/expensive to travel far distances in Oaxaca solo. The program did a good job at touching on the important tourist sites and must sees. I will say, at times it felt like there were too many activities and commitments outside of school. However I am a person who likes to make friends and have many on going plans. And it is very easy to get involved in art, music and community in somewhere like Oaxaca. But, I can see how for students who are more shy or quiet, these activities are good and an important way to get out and about. Antonio was also very helpful and flexible when I needed to reschedule or skip an event. I would suggest to make it more clear about how many events a student may be able to skip and maybe make some events optional especially around busy times when students may have plans with new friends.

The housing was clean, comfortable and fairly accommodating. I was paired with exactly what I asked for, a single mom and a roommate. However, when I first arrived I didn't receive a full tour or house expectations then my host mom was gone for 3 days (my roommate also wasn't there). So at first I felt a little lost, alone and not fully aware of what I could or could not do. It would have been nice to have been told clear expectations of the house (ie. May I use the kitchen, Where are extra towels, Are guests allowed, etc). Especially because being in a new location, new culture, and for me, I had a language barrier, it was a little confusing and it would have helped if I have more clarity when I begun rather than figuring out--how to find out later. I mention this because it did lead to some problems for me down the road, for example, there wasn't really food on the weekends (which is in the calendar and funds from tuition are allocated for food). My roommate and I attempted to reach out to our program director, but he never responded to us. My roommate was so upset she moved out of the house. I decided to stick it out and purchase my own food on the weekends because it seemed like the less stressful option to remedy the problem, especially when we had both previously attempted to reach out to out program director about this issue. Besides this, I could always expect amazing meals for breakfast and lunch on the weekdays at a regular time and my room was comfortable and clean.

Outside of the ARCOS program and school, I made the most amazing friends and relationships. I had incredible experiences and found my rhythm living in Oaxaca for 3 months. I recommend this experience to anybody who has respect for history and craftsmanship--whether it's food, art or coffee everything is made with a deep understanding of process and care.