Bazaar Sábado, Mexico City with my brother-in-law Mario
Ever since I met my husband, when he was an exchange student from Mexico at my U.S. university, he has been bragging about an amazing summer camp he went to as a child in Mexico D.F.: “There were sports and games, we would swim and have gymnastics every day, they taught us about leadership and did team-building activities.” He always said that one day, he would send his kids there.
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Fast-forward 13 years, when we had three kids ages 5, 5, and 2. Toño began to buzz about his beloved curso de verano. The more we looked at the possibility from different angles, the more we both knew that we wanted to go to Mexico for the summer abroad experience, and give our kids this opportunity: practicing their spoken Spanish with kids from Mexico, living with their abuelitos and spending time with relatives we only see once or twice a year, and being immersed in the cultura for six weeks.
The first year, we decided we would drive from Texas to Mexico City: our kids were used to long road trips from our drives home to Chicago, which was also 20+ hours away! Toño would stay a few days, but then fly home to work until our last week, when he would return. We would stay with my suegros, who still lived five minutes away from the camp. What an incredible way to reconnect with family, and form a stronger bond with our loved ones!
Visiting a market in Mexico City, with abuelita
Having our minivan would mean that I — la gringuita — would have to learn to drive in Mexico City, where the rumors of the chaotic roads and drivers are mostly true. Toño patiently showed me how to zip around, while promising that by the time he returned in a month, I would be a natural. Gripping the steering wheel while simultaneously praying and swearing, I tried to nod in agreement.
The first week of our summer abroad was the most difficult. We try to speak Spanish (or at least Spanglish) at home with the kids, but getting them to answer back in español has been harder and harder since they’ve entered school. Being the only Americans in the camp — and my son being the only Chinese camper — drew some attention. Curious kids called him chinito (prompting a conversation about Spanish apodos), asked why he didn’t look like his mami (he is adopted), and lots of kids — and teachers — would practice their English with my daughter.
By the second and third week, our kids had made amiguitos! They would run out of camp with huge smiles, singing new songs (in Spanish!) and chattering about whom they’d sat with at lunch and what new games they’d played. On the weekends we visited churches, eco-parks, the pyramids, and nearby pueblitos. I encouraged the kids to sample as many dishes as possible — even fried chapulines (crickets)! Our kids marveled at the colorful markets, relishing the attention of the vendors. “¿Adónde vamos hoy mami?” Every new experience opened their eyes and broadened their horizons.
Teotihuacán, México: Pyramid of the Sun
As I began to learn more recipes from my suegra, the kids willingly broadened their palette: nopalitos, batidos de mamey, huaraches, mole, enchiladas suizas… After la comida, my father-in-law would roll warm corn tortillas, spread with crema to pass out among the kids. “Otra tortillita ‘ito!!!” they would chant endlessly to their abuel-“ito.” Watching — and listening to — this interaction melted my heart, and I knew then that we would return for future summer camps.
My husband came back for the final performance of camp, and was amazed and proud at our transformations after our summer abroad. I was now an assertive (but safe!) chofer, and our kids had drastically improved not only their verbal español, but their self-confidence. They had overcome challenges at the beginning, and now they were pure joy. They were comfortable, both linguistically and culturally. They were able to “fit in” and make friends. But most importantly, they were falling in love with Toño’s culture, cuisine, and homeland. Living in the US, we didn’t know how we would be able to cultivate this appreciation; after our summer in Mexico, there are no more doubts.
Tequisquiapan, Mexico
{This article originally appeared on spanglishbaby.com and was titled “Why We Spend Our Summers in Mexico” All images © Becky Morales}
What a fantastic experience! My first experience visiting a foreign country was a road trip with my parents – neither of whom spoke ANY Spanish – through Mexico when I was four years old. It made a huge impact on me!
That sounds so fun- what an adventure for a 4 year old!:)
I have 5 children and would love to spend some extended time in Mexico or another Latin American country so we could all be immersed in the language and culture….any ideas? Loved hearing about your experiences!
Thanks!
We need to talk!:) I am going to send you an email from kidworldcitizen (at) gmail (dot) com. I have so many ideas!!!
Becky, reading this post has really encouraged me! We have always talked about our boys spending summers in Costa Rica and possibly attending some sort of school. I love the idea of a summer camp! Hopefully we can find something similar there.
What is the name of the summer camp in Mexico?
We have been to a couple. In Mexico City there are HUNDREDS or probably thousands, and 99% do not have a web site. If you drive around the burbs or nicer areas like Polanco or Lomas you will see big signs that say “curso de verano”- you will find them for theatre, sports, computers, soccer, art, dance, etc. Many are based in schools, museums, community centers, parks but also in private “clubs” (which you often can still attend if you pay the non-membership price). Not only in DF- we have seen them in other towns as well!
We are thinking about doing something like this. I don’t have family in Mexico City, but I would love to spend an extended vacation there with my kids. Could you please share with me info on summer camps there? Thanks in advance! 🙂
What a great experience! Although I don’t have family anywhere in Latin America, I’d love to try to figure out how to do some sort of immersion travel experience with my son. Inspiring post!
There are definitely ways! We did Merida this past summer and rented a house through vacationrentals for very inexpensive, and found a SPanish teach through a local language school. You can definitely do it! I can totally set you up if you ever want to do a summer in Merida:)- safe, beautiful, tons to do, so many ruins and beaches and eco-sanctuaries nearby!!!
Hi, I know I am years late but I just read this article. I am trying to convince my cousin in Atlanta to send her 11 year-old to spend some time with me here in Merida for the summer. I would appreciate any information you could share with me to assure her. All the best to you and your family.
Are you in Merida!? We are moving there for the year!!! It is one of my absolute favorite cities in Mexico! So colonial, rich in culture, the food is phenomenal- what an opportunity for your niece!!!!!! I would be happy to email with her. It really would be a life-changing experience for her I am sure!
I hope to do the same for my daughter, although China and Turkey are much farther away and more expensive to get to than Mexico for us. I really think summer youth experiences are a great way to build language. The kids get to have fun and make friends at the same time.
Thank you for the lovely article! We are currently plotting to bring my 2 daughters on a long trip to stay with their grandparents in France (we live in Australia). I have been a little worried about how they will adapt but you have given me confidence! Thank you!
I would like to figure out how to do something like this with my family this summer. But we dont have any family in Mexico. Any ideas or tips for how to figure this out?
Courtney- we spent a summer in Merida that had a blast! We found a house on AirBnB to rent near the center of town, and I hired a tutor through a local language school. You can call them (they all speak English, since they are teaching Spanish to foreigners:) and told them I wanted a tutor to come to my house 4 hours/day with my kids. It was fantastic because she took us on field trips, taught us to cook, and of course taught the kids Spanish:). There is public transportation and taxis, so you don’t need to rent a car (except we would on special excursions). It was so fun, you should do it!!!!
hi! i would love for my kids to spend summers in mexico too… i have 4.. ages (8,6,4, and 2) i’ve been looking for a summer school where they would learn spanish with no luck.. do you know any? mexico city would be great!!!
Mexico City has a TON of options- they are called “cursos de verano.” It depends on where you live, but there are literally thousands of options, with different themes (soccer, arts, dance, sports, etc). Which area are you familiar with?
Becky, you are an inspiration ! I am from Mexico but in the US for more than 20 yrs. I have a 10 yr old boy whom I would like to send to summer day camp while staying with his abuelos in Mexico city. My family lives in the south (Pedregal area). Do you know of camps or have ideas on how to find them ? you are right, they do not have websites ! Thank you! – Carolina (carolibu@aol.com)
It is hard to find until you are there- but when you drive around it seems there are hundreds! I wonder if you know anyone in the area who would have heard of a camp? Mexican schools get out not until mid-July, so you could go late June and start looking- we always see huge banners announcing the cursos de verano.
Hello, could you tell me or guide me toward some good summer camps for kids 10 years old?
Which city are you looking in? There are many in every city :).
Hello Kidworld citizen, I’m looking at this thread in 2016 and hope it’s still active. My 7-year-old and I would love any information on Spanish-langauge summer camps for the month of August in, hopefully, Oaxaca. Can you help us, or suggest where to go? Thanks so much!
I have only been to Oaxaca on vacation, so I’m not familiar with any names of camps- but if you google “curso de verano oaxaca” or look contact any schools or museums, I’m sure there are plenty around! 🙂 I just looked and found lots (tallers= workshops). You are going to have so much fun!!! 🙂
Hi,
What summer camp did you kids attend? I have the same situation with a Mexican hubby and would love to have my kids go to DF this summer. I would ideally like to find something in the area of Pedregal de San Francisc. Thanks in advance!
We were WAY in the north and went to Berimbau. But honestly there are SO MANY around Mexico City!! They don’t really start advertising them until June, and school gets out in July. I am sure you will find one closer!!
I am so thrilled to have found your site! My husband (who is Colombian-American and fluent in Spanish) and I (some Spanish-langauge proficiency but certainly not fluent) are interested in traveling to Latin America in Summer 2020 with the goal of enroling our two daughters (ages 9 and 7) in daytime Summer camps where they will be immersed in Spanish and the local culture. We are open to locations, preferably somewhere in Mexico, as we live in Southern California and prefer a shorter flight/travel time (the girls and I can be away for several weeks but my husband will only be able to get away to join us far a week at a time as he’ll need to go back and forth for work). Any suggestions would be wonderful!
Have you heard of Merida, Mexico? I know of some amazing camps there! Also San Miguel de Allende, Mexico!!!
Thanks so much! I’ll look into both areas. If you can provide me with specific names/locations of the camps I’d really appreciate it 🙂