Our Language School in Tepoztlán, Mexico

We were fortunate to discover the language school "Experiencia" and Silvia, the school's director, the first time we came to Tepoztlán.

Sign outside the door of the school.

And here's Silvia!

The air is fresh and clean, the sun seems to always shine, and Silvia invites whoever walks in through her front gate with warmth and kindness.

The entrance to the school.

The classroom is in the great outdoors under an open-air tent on the outskirts of the village. Experiencia overlooks Tesoro Mountain and the school is surrounded by flowers, palm trees, art, chirping birds, dogs, cats, and other animals.

The tent that we study under.

Another view of our "classroom."

Tesoro Mountain. The word tesoro means treasure in English.

Another view of Tesoro.

One of the structures on the property surrounded by palms. Visitors can stay in rustic accommodations on the property if they choose.

Art that children helped create by the entrance to the school.

A mural (also by the entrance) that Lea and her close friends Lissett and José helped paint.

One of Silvia's cats who stays close while we're studying!

And one of the dogs.

And a rooster on the property!

 A short video that will give you a great view of the school and Silvia's home.

Lea was feeling so homesick for our dog that Silvia offered us one of her cats (who was a kitten at the time) for us to take home during our long stay here. We have grown to love Leon dearly and he's become an important member of our family here.

Lea with our cat Leon. Leon means lion in Spanish. He's no lion though!

Lea and Leon.

Silvia's language school is also her home. Here we not only study the language, but also learn a lot about the Mexican way of life. When you are a student of Silvia's, she lets you into her world. This has been frustrating at times in that Silvia is often late to start class, she'll answer the phone during class, she'll take longer breaks than expected, and she'll meet someone who comes to her door during class time. Where we come from, this generally isn't what's expected, but for Mexican culture (where relationships are valued over efficiency and work) it's natural for a school to function in a much more relaxed way. Kimberly has had to change her mental framework and expectations. It is true that these classes cost money and she's brought to Silvia's attention what students from her culture expect. Silvia has grown to honor and respect this. It's also been an important lesson for Kimberly about flexibility and letting go of the control that our society so strongly enforces. Silvia once said that, "People from the USA live to work, but in Mexico, people work to live." Again, we have learned so much from Silvia beyond the Spanish language. We can't thank you enough Silvia for these valuable lessons which we will hold dear for the rest of our lives.

Silvia and Kimberly.

Silvia cooking.

Silvia with one of the cats while teaching.

And with one of the dogs.

Silvia with her niece Veronica who has also taught on occasion.

                                                                

Silvia welcomes you into her kitchen and you learn how to cook Mexican food (after learning the ingredients and recipes in Spanish!) and on occasion, when she has groups, she takes you on excursions to sites outside the school.

Kimberly helped cooked "Chile Rellenos," a traditional Mexican dish.

Here's the chile rellenos with rice and beans. Yum!

Kimberly at "Xochicalco," an archeological site near Cuernavaca.

                                                                               
Studying with other people from around the world has been an incredible experience!

Two Canadians, two Americans, and two Mexicans (our teachers).

Here's a group that came from Portland, Oregon, their homestay Mexican hosts, and Silvia and I.

The group from Portland.

An American young man on the left (who returned to Silvia's after being there with his parents as a child many years before), Veronica (Silvia's niece), and a young woman from Australia.

A Canadian, a South African, and three Americans. This American couple did a lot of medical work in developing countries and to continue this work, knew they needed to learn more Spanish.

A Canadian woman on the right who Kimberly studied with, and a teacher of ours (center) for a few days who has become a friend of Kimberly's. They meet at a coffee shop downtown! It's a time that Kimberly looks forward to weekly.

Silvia's sister Vicki (left) and Kathy, an American woman that Kimberly studied with.

We even helped build a new adobe structure on the property the first time we were here!

Kimberly and Miguel hard at work. Miguel and his wife have become friends of ours. Miguel generally works as a gardener at the school.

The adobe house upon completion!

Brian's Spanish proficiency is high so he knows Silvia well but hasn't spent much time studying at the school. Lea has helped Silvia teach English to children at the school in the past. This year Lea is heavily involved in her own school, soccer, and her friends and hasn't made it out to Experiencia much, but has fond memories of her time out there. Kimberly has clearly spent the most time at the school.

Lea teaching English a few years ago.

Lea continued to help out with English class. The first two kids on the left are Lea's close friends in Mexico, Lissett and José.

 Short video of Lea teaching English when she was younger (with a little coaching from mom who is behind the camera).

We have all learned a lot about daily life here in Tepoztlán from Silvia. She has been an incredible resource to us.

It's not only Silvia we have gotten to know when we are out at Experiencia. It is her brother who also lives there, the women who help her in her kitchen, the man who gardens, and others who come and visit.

Kimberly and Wolf (Silvia's brother) who also lives at the school.

Silvia, her boyfriend Octavio, and the three of us, and Leo in Lea's arms!

We all understand that the Spanish classroom goes far beyond the gate of the Experiencia classroom. It's so important to simply speak, listen, practice, read, and write in the language in terms of learning it. We're all trying!

Silvia told Kimberly a story that is worth sharing. Silvia had a group of US children at the school as part of an exchange program. At the time, she had a rustic, outdoor kitchen. The children who visited came from very privileged backgrounds. One of the boys celebrated his birthday while studying at Silvia's and she threw him a special party. She also took care of him when he had a medical emergency. When he returned home, the boy was asked by his parents what he'd like for his birthday, he grinned and said,"To give Silvia money to help her build a new kitchen." The parents let Silvia know that not only did their son learn Spanish from her, but he learned about what it means to be human and truly care for other people.

Thank you Silvia, for not only what you have taught us in terms of the language, but for all the lessons we have learned from you about what it means to be human. We are so grateful for how widely you have opened your heart to us.

Here is Silvia's web site http://www.experiencia-tepoztlan.com/ if you're interested in learning more about Experiencia. We highly recommend the school if you're interested in a Spanish language intensive study.