Mexico Magico Educational tour
Date: TBA
Trip leader: Maria Luna (KMS Program Director)
Suitable for: Elementary thru Middle School students
Cost: TBA

For the past three years, Maria has offered students a chance to experience Mexico in a unique and personal way. It is an excellent opportunity for students to experience first-hand the culture of this country, practice their Spanish, visit majestic sites, make connections with students from local schools, take cooking classes with a local chef, and participate in a traditional folk dance workshop.

The complete itinerary of last year's trip is listed below and can also be downloaded by clicking here.The itinerary for this year's trip will be posted as soon as dates and locations have been finalized.

Call 415-821-0130 for information.

______________MEXICO ITINERARY________________

This trip to magic Mexico is based in the charming, colonial town of San Miguel de Allende, in the state of Guanajuato. Located in central Mexico, 89 miles from Leon International Airport, San Miguel is considered one of Mexico's top rated destinations. Known worldwide for its vibrant and lively culture and arts scene, San Miguel has been designated a historical landmark since 1930. It has preserved its colonial heritage by banning new style construction, neon signs and other heralds of ìmodernization. The colonial buildings remain, today, in the same style as when originally built.

This unique journey gives participants the opportunity to experience the region Otomi culture, practice their Spanish, and build relationships with local students. It includes visits to beautiful architectural sites, museums, markets, arts and crafts factories, the local arts & cultural center, a day trip to Guanajuato, classes in dance, cooking and spanish, and plenty of Mexican food, music and shopping. We will be staying at La Huerta, a family-style hotel known for its excellent food, beautiful setting and convenient location. This will be the third educational tour to Mexico that Maria Luna has led.

DAY 1 - Friday, April 11: We leave San Francisco in the evening for an overnight flight to Leon. We arrive in the morning and board our shuttle for a 90 minute drive through the beautiful state of Guanajuato ending up at our destination, San Miguel de Allenda, in early afternoon. After checking into our hotel, we'll have time to explore Viernes de Dolores. This celebration, occuring the Friday before Holy Week honoring Our Lady of Sorrows, is known as Night of Alters. Public fountains are decorated with flowers, fruit and lights, and homes will be open so passersby can view the household alters.

Day 2 - Saturday, April 12: Today we continue our exploration of San Miguel de Allenda, visiting the many sites around the main plaza and surrounding areas. In the afternoon, Maria will teach the group some useful, common Spanish phrases for us to practice throughout the week. That will be followed by a traditional Spanish cooking class taught by the chef at La Huerta followed by a delicious dinner. Then it is off for a night out at La Pena for a traditional Mexican music concert.

Day 3 - Sunday, April 13: After breakfast, we board the shuttle for a day trip to the stunning city of Guanajuato, considered to be the San Francisco of Mexico due to the beauty of it's steep hills and colonial architecture. There we will visit many of it's most popular sites, including the famous Guanajuato Mummies Museum, Diego Rivera's home, and the well-known Callejones underground passageways.

Day 4 - Monday, April 14: We start out the day with a special breakfast on the outdoor patio at the beautiful Carmina Restaurant. Then, it is off for a morning exploring the rich arts & crafts traditions in the city. We'll visit the local art, tiles, crafts & textile factories, most of which are family-owned and operated. Artisians there are family members, young and old, whose training has been handed down from generation to generation. We'll watch them work, practice our Spanish and shop. Finally, no trip to San Miguel would be complete without a visit to its unique ice cream stands with their exotic flavors such as shrimp, corn, avocado and other taste sensations. After dinner, we'll have another chance to relax and explore the main plaza.

Day 5 - Tuesday, April 15: Today we take an historical and educational tour of the city by trolley. Among the sites we'll see are the home of Don Miguel Hidalgo (the father of Mexican independence) the Museo de la Independencia, and the beautiful arches and carved stone balconies of Casa de Visitas. In the afternoon, we'll visit the Casa de la Cultura, the city's school for visual and performing arts, where we'll meet with the local students, practice our Spanish and participate in a Mexican folk dance class with our talented guide, Maria Luna.

Day 6 - Wednesday, April 16: Today we will walk through the city, getting a chance to see the beautiful interior architecture of the sites we yesterday from the trolley. Then it's on to the Mercado where we get a chance to practice our Spanish and bargaining skills with the many local arts, crafts and food vendors. Back at La Huerta, prepare for our grand farewell fiesta celebration with traditional food, live music and dance outdoors under the beautiful Mexican stars.

Day 7 - Thursday, April 17: After an early breakfast, we board our shuttle for the return trip to the Leon airport for our early afternoon departure to to San Francisco. We arrive in early evening.
(Itinerary subject to change.)

Cost: $1495
included: airfare from SFO, all hotels (dbl. occupancy), 3 meals/day, 3 classes, and guided visits per the itinerary.
Not included: items of personal nature, extra meals and personal snacks.
Space is limited!

Maria Luna, originally from Mexico City, is a bilingual, bi-cultural teacher with over twenty years of classroom experience. As a Spanish language teacher and Mexican folk dance instructor, she specializes in sharing her deep knowledge of the language and rich Mexican culture. Ms. Luna has traveled extensively through Mexico guiding a wide range of families to experience its magic and beauty. Her wonder filled trips include making friendships with local students, learning Mexican arts and crafts, enjoying the exquisite cuisine and exploring exotic sites. She specializes in creating truly educational and memorable experiences.
She has been a professional dancer with the Ballet Folklorico Ensambles in San Francisco for the past 16 years. She is much beloved by her students at KMS.