La Catalina
Natural
Language
School offers
special programs for small groups of high school and university
students as well as adults. In addition to Spanish classes,
groups can select from a variety of other program options,
including participating in home stays, cultural events, volunteer
work, and our Insight Excursions in the beautiful beach town of
La Manzanilla and its surrounding areas.
As we are a small
village and we work to fully integrate students in the community,
we limit our groups to 4 to 12 students at a time. Immersion programs can last anywhere from one to
five weeks. Our supportive and flexible team can work with you
to create a specific itinerary and immersion plan to fit your
group’s needs.
SPANISH
CLASSES
Students will
participate in a private group Spanish course tailored to their
need and interests. Our language classes are created for Spanish
speakers of all levels and offer a unique and powerful
natural approach methodology.
Classes are small in size and all students receive plenty of one
on one time with the teachers. Our teachers are native Spanish
speakers who are experienced, professional and well-trained.
Our Spanish
classes meet daily for two hours, Monday through Friday, in our
beautiful outdoor cool and breezy Palapa classroom overlooking the
La Manzanilla’s beach and oceanfront. In addition to the classes,
there are daily homework assignments that require a minimum of 45
minutes outside of class time.
HOMESTAYS
Living with a
Mexican family is an exceptional and heart-warming experience for
students as it gives them a real taste of the Mexican culture,
helps accelerate their learning of the Spanish language and can
lead to life-long friendships. We can place one to two students
in a home with a Mexican family for the duration of their stay.
All families that
participate in our program are carefully selected and are
genuinely interested in welcoming their home stay students as
another family member.
During
their stay with the family, students can participate in daily
conversations with family members, join them for meals and receive
assistance with homework and other questions they may have. To
facilitate the student’s learning experience, it is a requirement
that the Mexican families only speak Spanish in the household with
the foreign students.
For groups that
prefer to stay in a hotel, condos or guest houses, La Catalina
staff will be happy to assist you in finding accommodations for
your group and getting a discounted rate.
CULTURAL EVENTS & CLASSES
La Catalina also
hosts other events outside of class time that school chaperones
may elect for students to participate in, including cultural
events such as arts & crafts workshops, dance classes, foreign
film nights, yoga classes and more.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteering can
be an extraordinary experience for students during their stay in
Mexico.
Participation in the volunteer program allows students to become
involved in the local community and gain a deeper cultural
understanding and appreciation of the workings of Mexican
society. Additionally, students will have opportunities to
practice their Spanish outside of the classroom setting.
All students
participating in volunteer work produce a project reflecting their
experience and present it in class at the end of their trip.
In addition to
volunteer work, students who have a strong passion in a specific
area of work and demonstrate a satisfactory working level of
Spanish are given the option of taking on an internship during
their last week in Mexico, in lieu of their language classes.
Areas of Volunteer Work
INSIGHT
EXCURSIONS
In addition to
Spanish classes, we offer a broad range of excursions which
provide insight into
Mexico’s
culture, history, art, politics and our local ecology. We highly
recommend these trips as a way to enhance your group’s cultural
experience abroad and knowledge about the country.
For your
enjoyment, you can choose from these Cultural, Ecology and Leisure
Insight Excursions:
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CULTURAL INSIGHT TRIPS
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Wild life
sanctuary (day-long)
Take a fun and
adventurous trip to this amazing one-of-a-kind wild life
sanctuary. Enjoy a day full of hiking, bird watching and animal
spotting. Finish the day
with a lunch and swim at Tenacatita bay.
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Insiders tour of Barra de Navidad with optional surfing (day-long)
This trip is led
by our incredibly knowledgeable tour guide, native to Barra de
Navidad. You will spend the morning surfing (waves and weather
permitting) or swimming in the ocean, followed by a guided walk
and boat tour of the area where you will learn about the town’s
history and other fascinating facts. Finish the day enjoying
fantastic authentic Mexican food at a local restaurant that is a
well-kept secret among the locals. (The surf lessons and boards
are provided for this excursion.)
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TEMAZCAL sweat lodge and sunset swim (half-day - available
seasonally)
The TEMAZCAL
sweat lodge is heated with steam emitted by volcanic stones that
work to purify and cleanse your body of toxins. The TEMAZCAL is
used as a means to unite different aspects of the inner world and
heal ailments in the body. Bathe in
temperate ocean water then
experience this ancient ritual used by the Aztecs and other
pre-Hispanic groups of Mexico.
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ECOLOGY INSIGHT TRIPS |
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Guided Mangrove & Crocodile Boat
Trip (half-day)
This is a trip
you will never forget. You will take a boat ride into our local
mangrove and learn about the native plant and animal life as well
as spot a number of our American Crocodiles native to the estuary.
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Guided Ecology Hike to Waterholes
(half-day)
The outdoor
adventurer will enjoy this 4-mile round-trip guided hike along a
riverbed and under the shady canopy of palms and tropical foliage
to our waterholes (with running water during the rainy season –
approximately June through October.) Learn about the local flora
and fauna along the way and enjoy a paper bag picnic lunch.
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Tenacatita Riverboat Tour and Lunch (day-long)
This stunning,
immaculate and somewhat desolate beach with its crystal clear
waters and tranquil waves offers a day of recreation and
relaxation like no other. Enjoy the morning on a guided riverboat
tour into the surrounding jungle, where you will see remarkable
flora, fauna and wildlife. Afterwards, lunch will be served at
one of the delicious seafood oceanfront restaurants. In the
afternoon, students may choose to spend their free time lounging
on the beach, swimming or snorkeling.
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Bird watching tours (half-day)
Join us on one of
our local bird watching tours at dawn or dusk in our mangrove or
other remote areas dense with birdlife. (Binoculars and
bird-watching tips and guidance and provided.)
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LEISURE TRIPS (half-day or day-long) |
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Snorkel Trip (half-day)
Discover the
underwater world in the crystal clear waters of the Mexican coast.
Snorkeling available in several extraordinary locations. (Gear and
basic instruction provided.)
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Sailing Trip (half-day)
Set out to sail in
the Tenacatita bay with an experienced guide. Keep your eye out for
dolphins and whales that can be spotted frequently.
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Sea
Kayak Adventure Trip (half-day & day-long)
Experience the
ocean at your fingertips as you paddle through the waters in a sea
kayak. Several trips are available where you can paddle to
neighboring bays and beaches.
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Bicycle tour (half-day)
Hop on a bike and
enjoy this group tour through La Manzanilla and along the mangrove
to Boca de Iguana. Enjoy lunch and a dip in the sea before cycling
back in the afternoon.
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Deep Sea Fishing (half-day)
This is a chance
for you to catch the biggest fish of your life, including Tuna,
Marlin, and Dorado! (Instruction and all gear provided.)
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TWO-NIGHT
INSIGHT EXCURSION |
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COLIMA
Colima is a
must-see colonial city two hours southeast of La Manzanilla. It is
well-known for its sacred twin volcanoes and it’s charming downtown
which boasts its pride in the Mexican arts and history.
Our overnight
Colima trip offers in-depth knowledge and study of its volcanoes and
national park, a visit to ruins of the native Nahua inhabitants, and
a stopover at the neighboring town of Comala known for beautiful
handicrafts, masks, wood and its "magic zone".
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GROUP IMMERSION PACKAGES |
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Plan A
– Basic
Language Immersion Package
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Private group immersion Spanish classes delivered Monday – Friday
for two hours a day. Participants will also be assigned daily
homework activities that will require an additional 45 minutes a
day.
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Plan B
– Total Language & Cultural Immersion Package
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Private group Spanish classes (Monday – Friday, two hours daily with
homework assignments)
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Homestays and meals with Mexican families (1 to 2 students per
household)
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Student volunteer work placements in the community
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Plan C
–
Deluxe Language & Cultural Immersion w/Insight Excursions
Package
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Private group Spanish classes (Monday – Friday, two hours daily with
homework assignments)
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Homestays and meals with Mexican families (1 to 2 students per
household)
§
Student volunteer work placements in the community
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Saturday Insight Excursions & Cultural Events
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Plan D
–
Build-your-own Immersion Package
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Private group Spanish classes (you specify number of hours per week)
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You
select the other program options which best suits your group’s
needs. These may include any combination of the following:
homestays; volunteer work; cultural events; and insight excursions.
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