Spanish Immersion Course in Merida, Mexico, Week One

 

 

For several years my bucket list has included taking a Spanish immersion course. After going to Cozumel three or four times a year for the past thirteen years, you might think I would already be able to speak Spanish fluently. But I can’t, so I registered for a three week course in Merida, including a home stay. I arrived in Merida after a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Cozumel, a ferry ride to Playa del Carmen, and a four hour bus ride.

My host family in Merida is a warm and gracious 79 year-old lady, Josefina, and her son, Gozalo. Josefina speaks English but has been told by my school to speak only Spanish with me. Her son, Gonzalo, speaks English, but we do better in Spanish.

I am very lucky to have a private class because I am the only student who started classes this week at my level of comprehension. My teacher, Astrid, is a beautiful 24 year-old lady who is a college graduate.



Astrid

She has excellent articulation, and is patient with me. She is fluent in English, but the class is solely in Spanish. Classes are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. I return to my host home at 1 and Josefina serves comida, the largest meal for the day, at 2. Then it is siesta time.














The school provides me with a guide who arrives at my host home each day at 4. We go to museums, shopping, cafes, and wander the city. Her name is Yasmin, which means “gift from God,” and it is a very appropriate name. She is an adorable 19 year-old college student with a lot of energy and a big smile.


Yasmin

Shopping with Yasmin

Mayan Skeleton

 

Studying at Star Bucks

Always fun

 

On Friday night Gozalo and I went to a night club. Gonzalo was not interested in dancing, but enjoyed watching the girls and the beer. The club provided a one hour lesson in bachata, salsa and merengue. A thirteen piece band started playing at 11. I danced with several women and had a blast.

On Thursday, my laptop stopped connecting to the WiFi, and I can’t be without email for three weeks. So on Saturday I took the bus back to Playa del Carmen and the ferry to Cozumel to have my computer expert fix my laptop. I arrived at Casa Martillo about 9 p.m. and the computer guru came over immediately and fixed it in 10 minutes. I went out to dinner at 10 for a bowl of pazole. I got up at 6:30 to ride my motorcycle to the car ferry and then the 4 hour ride back to Merida. The ride was not bad, except it was 100 degrees and 90 percent humidity.

More next week