Spanish Immersion in Medellin

Overview

Preparing for a more sustainable future

Take your Spanish language skills to the next level while discovering a country bursting with music, color, dance and biodiversity. During this 4-week program you will utilise your communication skills by interacting with graffiti artists, social leaders, local farmers, salsa dancers and entrepreneurs. Earn credit with Kagumu’s ground-breaking Jaguar Spanish Program in South America’s hub of innovation and transformation, Medellin, Colombia.

Details

Where: Medellín, Los Nevados National Park – Santa Marta, Cartagena (optional)
Focus: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), environmental conservation, social impact, project development
Date: Summer 2023 (mid June to mid July)
Suggested Ages: 17-25
Number of participants: 6-18
Cost: 2,499 USD (4-week program), 3,399 USD (5-week program)
Discounts: Refer a friend to receive 200 USD off!
Credit: Available depending on your university
Language: Spanish
Kagumu Support: Local guides and support staff. 24/7 emergency support
Contact: [email protected]

Program Activities

Your learning: 20 hours of formal classes on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals with our partner institute: EAFIT or Spanish classes.
Project visits: Reforestation, organic farming, community gardening, urban development, bio-construction, and human rights projects and organizations.
Your project: Develop the necessary skills to be able to start your own impactful social or environmental project in your country.
Soft skills developed: Problem solving, leadership, adaptability and cross-cultural communication skills among others.
Cultural activities: City tours, salsa class, cooking challenge, exotic fruit tasting, soccer match, coffee workshop, graffiti workshop and a nighttime bike ride!
Adventure weekends: Raft and zip line in the Andean jungle, trek the UNESCO-listed coffee zone, explore a stunning Spanish colonial town
Responsible Travel: Travel responsibly, limiting your environmental impacts and increasing your positive social impacts.

Available Activities

Spanish classes in Medellin

Enjoy daily Spanish classes at EAFIT’s world-class campus in Medellin. Complete a 4-week course, certified by Cervantes Instituto. This Spanish language course is one of the oldest in the country and is certified by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) in the U.S. Courses run from level A1 to C2 and from semi-intensive (2hr per day) to intensive (4hr per day).

Homestay Experience

Immerse yourself into traditional Colombian life with a truly memorable homestay experience. Interact with your new family on a daily basis, learning how to cook, dance and even play bingo. You will soon realize why Colombians are often spoken about as one of the kindest and happiest people in the world. Check out our video to learn more. Note: due to Covid 19, availability may vary.

Itinerary

Week 1: Medellín & Rio Claro

Mornings: Classes at EAFIT University.
Afternoons: City tour, urban transformation, museum visit, salsa classes and graffiti workshop. Organic farming and responsible production, reforestation of native forests.
Weekend: Natural nature reserve trip – rafting, zip lining and river swimming.

Week 2: Medellín

Mornings: Classes at EAFIT University. Afternoon: Coffee tasting and workshop, urban nature tour, fruit exhibition and market tour. Human rights and gender equality workshop and community gardening and home composting.
Weekend: Free weekend

Week 3: Medellin & Los Nevados National Park

Mornings: Classes at EAFIT University.
Afternoons: Colombia’s national game – tejo, visit to a transformed community, and evening cycling tour. Award-winning zero-carbon emissions living, social gastronomy and sustainable cooking class.
Weekend: Trip to UNESCO-listed coffee zone. Hiking and artesian handicrafts.

Week 4: Medellín & Guatapé

Mornings: Spanish language classes with EAFIT University
Afternoons: Canopy experience in Parque Arvi, evening soccer match, salsa and urban dance show. Social impact organizations workshops, helping lives through education.
Weekend: Trip to Guatapé, trip up an otherworldly rock and final group celebration.

Week 5: Santa Marta & Cartagena (optional)

You travel to Colombia’s Caribbean coast to explore the highest coastal mountain range in the world. Engage in reforestation projects, discover world-class cacao and coffee and discover a rarely-visited archaeological site that dates back to 700AD!

End your adventure with a trip to Cartagena, enjoying Caribbean beaches, a unique mud volcano experience and a Afro-Colombian drum workshop.