Colombia Coffee Region Spanish Immersion Program

Day 1: Arrival & Graffiti Tour

Morning Spanish class covers greetings and survival phrases, then hit the streets of La Candelaria for a graffiti art tour where you'll practice asking local artists questions about their work. End the day with a casual group dinner where "no English" rules start!

Day 2: Food Market Adventure

Learn food vocabulary and bargaining phrases in class, then head to Paloquemao Market for a scavenger hunt where you'll interview vendors, order fresh juice, and buy ingredients—all in Spanish. Cook a Colombian meal together using what you bought and the recipes you learned to ask for.

Day 3: Street Games & Social Projects

Morning class teaches direction words and descriptive adjectives while riding the cable car up Monserrate mountain—practice describing the insane views and asking locals about the legends! Afternoon emerald workshop in La Candelaria where you'll learn jewelry vocabulary, design your own piece, and negotiate prices with the artisan (all in Spanish, of course).

Day 4: Armenia Flight & Salento Arrival

Morning class on the bus teaches travel vocabulary and questions, which you'll immediately use when arriving in Salento to meet your host families. Practice your Spanish during a town square scavenger hunt where you ask locals for directions to specific colorful doors and get selfies with new friends.

Day 5: Home Cooking & Local Hangouts

Learn kitchen vocabulary and cooking verbs in the morning, then help your host mom make arepas, empanadas, or bandeja paisa for lunch. Afternoon free time at the town plaza where you'll order snacks, play cards with locals, and maybe join a pickup soccer game—all great Spanish practice!

Day 6: Coffee Picking Challenge

Morning class teaches nature and farming vocabulary, then head to the coffee farm for a picking competition where instructions are only in Spanish. Learn to say "rojo y maduro" (red and ripe) as you fill your baskets and chat with the farmers about their daily lives.

Day 7: Processing & Barista Workshop

Class covers process verbs (wash, dry, roast, grind), then get hands-on at the processing station, operating machinery with Spanish-only instructions. Afternoon barista workshop where you'll learn to make café con leche and practice taking coffee orders from each other.

Day 8: Women's Cooperative Baking

Morning focuses on business Spanish and interview questions, then visit the local women's coop to bake pandebono and almojábanas alongside the bakers. Practice your Spanish while learning their life stories and helping package products for market.

Day 9: Tree Planting & Environmental Action

Learn environmental vocabulary and future tense ("vamos a plantar"), then hike to a reforestation site where you'll plant native trees with community volunteers. Share stories around a campfire (in Spanish!) about climate hopes and exchange social media to stay connected.

Day 10: Market Day & Street Selling

Master negotiation phrases and numbers in class, then help your host family set up their market stall in Salento's main plaza. Practice your Spanish by actually selling coffee, crafts, or produce to tourists and locals—real-world language skills!

Day 11: Talent Show Prep & Travel

Morning class becomes talent show rehearsal where each person prepares a 2-minute Spanish presentation (song, poem, story, or comedy) to perform for host families. After emotional goodbyes and your performances, travel to Filandia and the beautiful Ikirarki Ecolodge in the mountains.

Day 12: Farm-to-Table Experience

Learn adjectives and descriptive language in morning class, then spend the day with farm-to-table activities—harvest vegetables, visit the coffee plantation, and help prepare an elaborate Colombian feast. Practice giving cooking instructions to each other and describing flavors in Spanish during the meal.

Day 13: Horseback Ride & Trail Exploration

Quick morning class on direction words and nature vocabulary, then saddle up for a horseback ride through cloud forests and coffee trails with a local guide. Use Spanish to ask about wildlife, navigate the trails, and share stories while taking breaks at scenic viewpoints.

Day 14: Reflection Circle & Return

Final morning Spanish session becomes a reflection circle where everyone shares their favorite moment, new confidence, and language wins—all in Spanish. Exchange contact info with new friends, grab last-minute souvenirs in Filandia, and head back to Bogotá for evening flights, leaving with real Spanish skills and unforgettable memories!