(Frequently Asked Questions) |
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 Traveling
to México
If you are a
citizen of the United States, over 18, all you have to take along with
you to Mexico is a valid passport and you will get a tourist card from
the Mexican authorities at the port of entry or the airline. To whom in may concern: I/We
(name(s) of parent(s)), give permission to (name of child), to travel
to and from Mexico. He/she will be travelling with (name of person)
or alone. The purpose of his/her travel is to tour Yucatan and study
Spanish. He/She will be staying with a local host family.
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Mexican airlines that service the Mérida airport include AeroMexico and Mexicana.
The toll free number for AeroMexico is1-800-AEROMEX (1-800-237-6639). Their web site is http://www.aeromexico.com/. They fly out of the following US cities: Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Diego, Tucson, New Orleans, New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami. All flights, except the ones leaving from Miami, require a plane change in Mexico City. The non-stop flight Miami-Merida costs around US$360.00-US$460 round-trip. Flying Chicago-Mexico City-Merida round trip costs around US$600.00 to US$650.00.
The toll free number for Mexicana is 1-800-531-7921 (San Antonio office). Their web site is http://www.mexicana.com/. They fly out of the following US cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Miami, New York, San Antonio, San Francisco, and Las Vegas, Toronto and Montreal. All flights, except the ones leaving from Miami, require a plane change in Mexico City. The non-stop flight Miami-Merida costs around US$475.00 -US$550.00 round-trip.
Continental Airlines fly from Houston, Texas direct, non-stop to Mérida, Yucatan. The only flights are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays --arriving to Mérida around 10:30PM. Many students are concerned that this is a late hour to arrive at a host family's home. However, as most activities are later in Merida than in the U.S., for example, the host families do not consider it inconvenient to pick up a student arriving late on this flight. This non-stop Houston - Merida flight costs around US$400.00 - US$450.00 round-trip. http://www.continental.com
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Medical
Care in México
Medical
Care in México
Medical care in Mexico is good and affordable. However, all students must carry their own insurance. Normally, medical care is provided on a reimbursement basis. Students will need to carry with them a major credit card and/or bank card to pay for any services at the time they are rendered. The student will submit the bill to their personal insurance carrier for reimbursement. We strongly urge you to contact your insurance carrier and a travel agent for more information about coverage while aboard. Furthermore, your insurance carrier may provide a special telephone number to contact them from Mexico.
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STUDENT PREPARATION
INFORMATION
(MERIDA, MEXICO)
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STUDENT PREPARATION
INFORMATION(MERIDA, MEXICO)
How can I learn
as much Spanish as possible?
There is no better way to learn a language than through immersion. While our goal for you is that you gain fluency in the Spanish language and expand your understanding and appreciation for the Mexican culture, you have to determine your goals for yourself. We sincerely hope that your goals match ours. We would like you to take your courses at our Institute seriously and put your whole heart into learning. If you consistently and earnestly attempt to learn and understand, you will be amazed with the advances you make in your ability to communicate in Spanish and with the friends you make when you show genuine interest and enthusiasm in the Mexicans you meet. The following are some suggestion to help you learn Spanish with greater ease and obtain longer retention of what you learn after your trip:
1) Talk to your Mexican host family. Ask them questions about their daily lives. What type of employment are they in? What are their interests and hobbies? If invited, accompany them to the grocery store or on other errands. Ask questions during these trips. If the family has children, ask to see what they worked on in school. Don't be the first to leave the lunch table, stay and converse for a while. Be involved with the family on a daily basis.
2) Listen to the radio and watch television. This will help you to improve your listening comprehension. Most Mexican host families will watch soap operas in the evenings and some will watch talk show type shows in the afternoon. Pay attention even to the commercials. See if you can guess what is being advertised on the television without looking at the screen. If you do not have access to a radio, ask your host family if they can lend one to you. Listen to it while you get ready in the mornings.
3) Try and attend movies which are spoken in Spanish. While Mexican/Latin American made movies are relatively infrequent compared to U.S. made movies, if you keep an eye on the movie announcements in the newspaper, you will find one. Also, children's movies made in the U.S. are often dubbed in Spanish. If you are unable to attend a movie spoken in Spanish, avoid simply listening to the English of an un-dubbed U.S. movie. Read the Spanish subtitles, too. Many language learners find this to be a valuable exercise.
4) Once or twice a week buy a newspaper, magazine or comic book. This will help you to improve your vocabulary and reading fluency. Also, if your host family has small children, offer to read to them in the evenings. If they do not have small children, spend sometime each day reading aloud in your room. Although it is tempting, do not read anything in English. If you want to read a book for pleasure, ask your teacher to recommend one written in Spanish that is at your level.
5) SPEAK SPANISH! Don't spend your valuable days in Mérida with students who always speak English and never attempt to speak Spanish. Speak Spanish to everyone, even to your fellow students at the institute. It may seem a little strange at first, but after a short adjustment that feeling will go away. You and your fellow students are in Mérida to learn Spanish. Many find it extremely helpful to make a personal promise or a promise along with fellow Spanish students not to speak English for an entire day. Also, you could even compete among yourselves to see who is able go the longest without speaking in English.
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How is
my Spanish ability level evaluated?
The Institute of Modern Spanish uses a 10-block
program for Spanish language instruction. We have designed a test that
places students in one of these 10-blocks. Students are encouraged to
send a placement test along with their registration forms or to take
the test online at http://www.modernspanish.com/onlinetest.html.
If this is not possible, students can take the placement test at 8:00
AM on their Monday start date. For Spanish conversation classes, students
are pre-placed according to their own self assessment on their registration
form. However, placement is not finalized until after classes on Mondays.
Our teachers provide us the service of evaluating students oral proficiency.
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As Mérida is located in a tropial area, the temperature will be quit hot, and it will be humid. While shorts are appropriate attire for both men and women, we strongly urge you to bring shorts that are at least mid-thigh length. Anything shorter may cause uncomfortable situations, especially for women. Women may find they feel more comfortable in skirts of proper length (not mini-skirts). A noteworthy comment about Mérida's night life is that the Mexicans tend to dress-up more than most Americans for a night on the town. Please keep this in mind when packing. You may find a pair or two of dress pants to be very useful. Although the summer temperature is hot, we recommend that you bring a cardigan sweater or a light jacket as sometimes the evening air can be cool, especially close to the beach. Mérida has a rainy season which starts in June and lasts for approximately three months. During this rainy season, it will rain sporadically--usually in the afternoons for a half hour or so. While a rainy season may sound like an inconvenience, it really is not. Most Mexican have returned home from work or school for lunch ("comida") and a "siesta" and are at home during the rain. Also, the sun returns almost immediately after it rains. Sometimes it seems that the sun is still shining brightly although it is raining. Although this is the case, if you will be in Mérida during the rainy season, you will find an umbrella handy. Other things you should bring are comfortable walking shoes, sandals, swim wear, a light-weight beach towel, your own toiletries, sun screen, and insect repellent.
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How much money do I need
to bring for personal expenses?
Most students find that they can easily spend US$100.00 to US$150.00 per week on miscellaneous expenses such as taxis and snack foods. This amount will vary depending on how active you are during your stay -- movies, dinner, shopping, nights on the town etc. -- and the amount of gifts and souvenirs you wish to purchase. We suggest that you bring your spending money in the form of traveler's checks. Although the exchange rate is often a little lower for traveler's checks, you have the security of replacement in the case of lost or stolen checks. Currently the exchange rate is approximately 9 Pesos (the Mexican currency) per United States dollar. You can ask at the institute where the best places are to exchange your traveler's checks. We recommend that you bring a major credit card and/or bank card for unexpected emergency expenses.
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Will I have access to the Internet
to check my e-mails?
There are several "Internet Cafés" scattered throughout Mérida--in the Northern residential area conveniently close to the Institute and the host families, as well as in the downtown area. Most Internet Cafés charge the equivalent of US$1 to US$3 per hour for Internet Access and are opened convenient hours. The Institute's office and host families can provide directions to these Internet Cafes.
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What other costs may
I have?
What other costs may
I have?
Some
teachers require you to purchase instructional materials. There may
be a small charge for such materials (US$10.00-US$15.00). Optional trips
and excursions arranged by the Institute of Modern Spanish have an additional
cost payable in US currency (cash) or Mexican Pesos at the institute.
These trips range from approx. US$15.00 to US$55.00 and are available
depending on enrollment. An additional note concerning these trips is
that most require you miss the afternoon meal at your host family's
home. For this reason, if you wish your ask host family to provide you
with a sack lunch, this is completely acceptable. Be sure and give at
least a one day advance notice for a sack lunch. Also, some trips have
a lunch included. More information about Institute sponsered trips is
available on our trips
page.
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What trips and excursions are available?
The Institute of Modern Spanish can make reservations with a local travel agent for trips not arranged by the Institute of Modern Spanish. The travel agent that the Institute of Modern Spanish recommends provides excellent service at economical rates. Please visit our trips page for current rates. You can either pre-register for these trips at discounted rates (U.S. bank check or credit card payment), or pay regular rates once you are in Merida (Mexican peso cash payment). The most popular trips are Chichen Itza, Uxmal & Kabah, and Uxmal Light and Sound show.
In addition to Cultural Excursions
& Trips, the Institute organizes cooking classes and art classes
when sufficient demand exists. We work with a gym/dance school to provide
students with gym access and salsa dance classes. Cost for such classes
is minimal and, in most cases, is paid directly to the class instructor
or to the gym/dance school. Conversational groups composed of Spanish
students and Mexican English students are arranged weekly when interest
exists.
Is Mérida a safe
city?
Is Mérida a safe
city?
While many visitors comment on how safe they feel in Mérida -- many say they feel safer in Mérida than in many bigger cities in the United States -- we still urge you to use common sense and avoid potentially dangerous situations. For example, do not wander the streets late at night looking for a taxi. Instead call the taxi company and have them pick you up at the entrance of your home or from wherever you need ride. Also, do not accept rides or gifts from strangers. Again, use your common sense and you should have no problems. The Institute of Modern Spanish and host families are located in the Northern residential area of Mérida. This area--and Paseo/Prolongacion Montejo--are considered the safest areas are Mérida.
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What do I need to know
about living with a Mexican Host family?
Your host
family will provide you with the following: three meals a day, laundry
services (varies from family to family), one clean towel every week
(for bathing--not to be taken to the beach), clean sheets every week,
limited local telephone calls, and a key to the house. Also, your host
family will be able to answer any questions you have about the city
of Mérida. If you have problems or concerns of any sort during
your stay at a host family's home, please direct them immediately to
Janese Ceron, director. There is absolutely no reason for you to feel
uncomfortable or obligated in any way when your living accommodations
are concerned.
While local calls are provided, please keep them to a minimum. Each
phone call is charged to the host family's telephone bill. Do not make
any long distance calls from your host family's home. You may ask if
you can use a calling card which charges directly to a your own telephone
bill in the United States. If your host family declines, public telephones
are frequent and they are easy to use. In either case, be sure and have
the toll free number to connect to your long distance service from Mexico.
Your long distance service (AT&T, Sprint, MCI, etc.) will be able
to provide you with the number. If an emergency or other unforeseen
circumstances arise during your stay in Mérida and you wish to
contact someone, such as your parents, via e-mail or fax, notify Janese
Ceron.
A key to the house has been given to you out of good will, it
is your responsibility not to lose it. It should be returned
to your host family when you leave. Also, while you are staying
with you host family, make sure that you do not leave windows
or doors opened that were not opened when you found them. Protect
the security of the home just as if it were your own.
Treat your host family with respect and you will get the same
in return. As with many aspects of immersion in a culture other
than one's own, politeness ('por favor' and 'gracias') and common
sense (knowing to ask permission before inviting someone to your
host family's home) play a major role in building good relations
with your host family.
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Can I drink the water?
Your host family is responsible for providing you with safe water for drinking and warm water for bathing, as well as meeting any special dietary needs. Do not drink the water out of the tap. Your family can not drink the tap water either and will purchase purified water or boil water for drinking. Use purified water for brushing your teeth. Another note concerning the water is that you should avoid the ice cubes at sidewalk cafes. Stay with bottled beverages in such cases. Some travelers find it helpful to eat yogurt or take Lactovita (acidophilus) capsules three times a day around meal time. This prevents the bacteria found in water from causing you problems. Furthermore, you may wish to bring an anti-diarrheal product such as Immodium AD. If you feel ill at any time during your trip, inform your host family so that they can provide you appropriate food and direct you to a physician, if necessary.
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What if I still have
questions about my trip?
While there seems to be a lot of things to keep in mind while planning to study abroad and while studying abroad, it is a manageable task. You will find it rewarding and will probably be a little sad when the time arrives to return home to the United States. We hope that this information has been helpful. Any further questions can be addressed to Miguel or Janese Cerón, by calling 1-877-4MERIDA (463-7432). Outside the United Stantes and Canada, please call 011-52-(999) 926-2935. Also, feel free to e-mail students@modernspanish.com. We wish you the most pleasant stay in our city!
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Institute of Modern Spanish Welcome Page
Institute of Modern Spanish Welcome Page