Our introduction to Guanajuato begins at the very heart of Mexico where the towering Cristo Rey statue welcomes all. Nearby, the multicolored city of Guanajuato clings to the side of a hill, but mountains to the east call us to adventure. We find our trailhead in the community of Santa Rosa de Abajo nestled in the Mexican countryside. Follow the Camino Viejo for two days, passing spectacular river gorges, mysterious caves and lush tropical forests that create an adventurer’s playground in this ancient land of the Huestecs. Our guide helps us find the most beautiful spots, and offers us a great chance to practice our Spanish. After passing through the ceramic village of Dolores Hidalgo, we stop to soak our sore muscles in La Gruta or Agua Magica, channels of thermal hot springs forming into pools. We end our adventure in the silver mining ghost town of Pozos. Horseback ride through this fascinating and once bustling city. Explore the abandoned cobblestone streets and mines with a local guide and learn about this important aspect of Mexico’s economy and history.

Guanajuato is a vibrant city with nearly a quarter of its population attending the university. Here, we live with home stay families and focus on our studies and language immersion. We spend our mornings at our institute in the heart of the city, working with our professors on interactive lessons and activities. Outside the classroom, salsa lessons test more than our Spanish ability and cooking classes delight our senses. Guanajuato’s maze of narrow cobblestone streets and alleyways begs to be explored. Traffic is diverted into underground tunnels that follow ancient river beds beneath the city, leaving the charming streets open for pedestrians to meander to parks, plazas and markets. Our professors continue to develop our Spanish skills with insights into the Monumento al Pípila, the site of a pivotal battle in Mexico’s War of Independence, or a fascinating visit to the Mummy Museum.   

Between classes and workshops, we test our developing Spanish skills on a wild scavenger hunt that takes us all over the city, from the Hildago Mercado to the Callejón del Besó. Meet friends at the central Jardín de la Unión to check out the local music scene. Experience a refined performance at the historical Teatro Juárez. Join a weekend callejoneadas parade, and wind your way through the narrow streets with costumed musicians who entertain the crowd with songs and stories. Depending on the schedule, we may even get a chance to see a bullfight at the Plaza de Torres in San Miguel de Allende or watch León or Irapuato play a local soccer match.

Conversational Spanish comes easier now, and we’re ready for our next adventure. We explore another side of Mexico’s culture as we travel to San Miguel de Allende to work with the children of Mexiquitos Orphanage. It’s hard to imagine having more fun while making a real difference in the lives of these children. Prepare for piggyback rides, playing in the rain, soccer, patty cake, chalk drawing, swimming, dancing and just being a kid again. These niños have few material possessions and little exposure to the outside world. Eager for our friendship, they embrace our group. Our new young friends are also quick to help with our Spanish skills! These busy few days fly by, but the lessons learned for both our group and the children will last a lifetime. While gaining a perspective on the children’s very different lifestyle, we leave with new insights on our own. We depart Guanajuato reluctantly, but with wonderful memories, a firsthand appreciation of an amazing culture and a much better ability to communicate in Spanish.