Immersive Spanish lessons with field trips and tortilla-making at Habla in Merida, MX were a blast. My family was in Merida as part of our participation in the Live Anywhere on Airbnb program. We were spending a month there doing our version of “slow travel” while we continued with school and work, but from a distance. I was so ready for some time with other local teens! I nearly jumped at this chance when we discovered these accessible Spanish lessons in Merida. We socialized together at meals because both breakfast and lunch were provided with the program. We would spend mornings in class working on cooperative projects and class would end after lunch, except for some weekly supplemental activity. This gave me plenty of time to relax in our pool and get fresh before heading out for dinner or cultural events in the evenings.
Let’s Get Cooking!
Those activities with Habla varied but one of my favorites was tortilla making. We did everything from rinsing and grinding the corn to roasting pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, and peppers. We made a filling from beans, pumpkin seeds, and chives; and salsa from those fire-roasted tomatoes and peppers. We patted the dough out into the tortilla shape and placed it on the large pans over the fire. Once they were done, we filled them to make tacos and enjoyed all that hard work.
Are they accessible?
Habla prides itself on being accessible to all people and that included me with my wheelchair. First, their team was so welcoming and encouraging when we reached out to see how accessible their Spanish lessons would be for me. When we arrived, they opened a side gate so I could avoid steps passing through the building and made sure the classroom I used was on the ground floor. I think this would work for any standard-size wheelchair as well. This was a fun way to practice my Spanish and connect with others staying in the community as well. I would love to return one day for more accessible Spanish lessons in Merida!
You can find Habla at Calle 26 99B Col. Merida, MX