David Simmonds

Mexico travel has different meanings to different people. Cruises are popular and a good value these days, although floating around with the same people for several days doesn’t appeal to me, even with the big buffets, open bars, and craps tables. Others prefer big, glitzy resorts with an all-inclusive plan with those little umbrellas in their daiquiris and Mexican Fiesta on Saturday night. And then there are the more adventurous travelers who rent a car or take the bus from town to town, exploring the countryside and culture along the way, staying in smaller pensiones and boutique hotels.

And now more people are discovering another purpose to their Mexico trip – learning the Spanish language. Language schools can be found in many of Mexico’s most popular destinations and offer various length courses. The popular web site planeta.com has a great directory here http://www.planeta.com/schoolist.html

One of the oldest and most successful schools is Instituto Chac-Mool in beautiful Cuernavaca, Morelos http://www.chac-mool.com. They stress the Sheltered Instruction and Natural Approach techniques with classes lasting for as little as one-week or as long as six months. College credit can even be attained with some of their courses.

So the next time you want to try something different from the standard Mexico vacation think about what you will gain by learning the Spanish language, fully immersed in the Mexican culture.