2023 Day of the Dead Program
Two weeks October 23 to November 3
Day of the Dead
Spanish Program
Day of the Dead is the most expressive and unique holiday of Oaxaca. It is more than one day; it is more a season that starts on October 15 and ends Saint Andrew’s day on November 30.
It is also the best time to visit Oaxaca. Day of the Dead is just after the rainy season ends, so the weather is beautiful, perfect for enjoying all celebrations through the city and in the outlying villages.
We have created a unique Spanish language program for this season to learn more about the culture, art, food and language of this particular time
Day of the Dead in Oaxaca
On Day of the Dead in Oaxaca becomes a celebration. People celebrate through different cultural expressions, and gastronomy.
The entire city comes together to share the best of what they have for the return of their loved ones. Families decorate their homes and host parties for this festival because it is a time for them to remember those who are no longer with us.
Day of the Dead Program
The Day of the Dead program is offered exclusively for two weeks: Monday, October 23 through Friday, November 3, 2023.
The program is offered in 40 hours and includes:
- Twenty hours of one designated Spanish course per level. (Language and Tradition)
- Twenty hours of one of two courses to choose from: practical (tertulia cultural) or thematic course.
Spanish Courses
All students enrolled in the Day of the Dead program will take the course Language and Traditions, which is 20 hours over two weeks (10 hours each week). Every student will be studying in class according to her level.
Then for the following session, students can choose between 2 options to practice Spanish with content about Day of the Dead. Please note that the Art and Literature Course is only for intermediate and advanced students. Students with basic level can only participate in the “Tertulia Cultural”
Spanish language course (20 hours)
This is a course to learn Spanish within the cultural context of the Days of the Dead. The course is distributed by level. Participants take a short diagnostic test and are assigned to one of the following classes:
Language and tradition – basic level.
Language and tradition – intermediate level
Language and tradition – advanced level
The course takes place during the two weeks of the program, 2 hours each day, Monday through Friday (20 hours). It is not an elective course, all students will take this course at one of its levels.
The schedule of this course will depend on the availability and level of each student. It is offered in two schedules:
Group A: Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 11:00.
Group B: Monday to Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Practice course (20 hours)
The “tertulia cultural” is a course to develop skills and consolidate knowledge through activities with specific cultural and linguistic contexts. This course is the perfect option to complement the Language and Tradition course.
In Spanish, the term “tertulia” means a reunion of people who meet regularly to talk about or discuss a particular subject or current affairs, usually in a café or, publicly, on a television or radio program.
During the Day of the Dead Special programs, the “tertulia cultural” focuses on the Day of The Dead content.
It is available for all levels, but there are only two options:
- Tertulia cultural – basic level
- Tertulia cultural – intermediate and advanced level
The course runs for the two weeks of the program, 2 hours each Day, Monday through Friday (20 hours). For basic level students, this is an assigned course, but it is one of two courses to choose from for intermediate and advanced level students.
The art and literature is a course to practice Spanish and increase knowledge of Mexican art and literature in the Days of the Dead. This course is an option for those who wish to have more intensive work.
The art and literature course is an exclusive offer for intermediate and advanced level students.
The course runs for the two weeks of the program, 2 hours each day, Monday through Friday. The first week is the Art course (10 hours) and the second week is the Literature course
An excellent complement for the Day of the Dead program, the cultural workshops available during these two weeks are the Mask-making workshop and Cooking workshop. These workshops are available for levels.
The Day of the Dead program is from October 23 to November 3, 2023
This program has a limited availability since all classes are limited to a maximum of 6 students per class.
To participate in this course is necesary to pay for 50% of the course at the time of booking and the balance is due upon arrival. *No registration fee is required for this course.
The prices for this program:
Comparsa
During our Day of the Dead, apart from setting one of the most spectacular altars of Oaxaca, students will work together to set up their own altar, and share the picture of those whom would like to remember on this special day.
To close the celebration, we will host a comparsa, a parade in which students, teachers and staff partake together wearing the masks made at the mask-making workshop and customs. Everyone along Oaxacan musicians go around the streets of ICO.