In March, our Adolescent students ventured to Mérida in the Yucatán region of Mexico for a seven day Spanish immersion trip. The goal of the capstone trip was for our Adolescents to connect with our sister school – Lancaster Montessori – while having a cultural immersion experience. Throughout the week, the adolescents were responsible for purchasing groceries and preparing meals together and they enjoyed many team-building activities and cultural experiences. Some of the highlights of the trip included:

Local Foods and Culture

We had the chance to visit the local market in the heart of downtown Mérida for an opportunity to explore the city with all of our senses. We saw how vendors make fresh tortillas and the many different local fruits that Yucatán has to offer. During the week, the students tried marquesitas, a typical sweet treat from Yucatan that they loved. We also visited Dulceria y Sorbeteria Colon, an ice cream shop that has been open since 1907, where some of the students tried the mamey ice cream, made from a local fruit. They also enjoyed sampling fresh local mangoes and authentic Mexican tacos.

The Natural Environment

The adolescents visited Progreso Beach where they walked around the malecon (boardwalk) and they saw the longest pier in the world – it’s 26,309 ft long! They also visited several cenotes throughout the trip including cenote Ik Kil, one of the most beautiful cenotes in Yucatán. Some of the students were feeling adventurous and jumped 14ft high in the cenote!

Exploring the City

The students rented bicycles and ventured down Paseo de Montejo – the main avenue. It was so beautiful to get to know the city while biking!

History

We visited Chichen Itza, deemed one of the new seven wonders of the world. In the Mayan language, Chichen Itza means, “At the brim of the well where the Wise Men of the Water Live”. While there, we saw El Castillo – the most astonishing Mayan Ruin. I got to be their private guide and students got souvenirs for family members. 

We also went to Dondé Cookie Factory for a tour and to learn more about how it started in 1905. The students got to go inside the factory and see the full process of how to make the different cookies. We had a wonderful time getting to see how cookies were made and we all left with many treats.

Visiting Lancaster Montessori School

The Adolescents were eager to meet their peers from our Sister School in Mérida at Lancaster Montessori. The Lancaster students greeted us right from the door and made sure our students were feeling comfortable. Some of the students took private English lessons to prepare for our visit, a lot of students spoke conversational English and had the chance to connect with us. The adolescents worked to immerse themselves in conversation, moving back and forth between both Spanish and English.  We all cooked chilaquiles together to get to know one another.

After cooking, the students joined together for a creative math lesson. They were tasked with making a robot that had specific measurements, a name, and a purpose in life. They had very creative ideas! At the end of the day, they presented their robots and their goals to the whole Adolescent Community at Lancaster Montessori. 

The trip to Merida was a very wonderful experience – the bond that our adolescents have is extremely special and it was so wonderful to see how they were supporting each other in every step of the trip.