Right On The Money

The public television show "Right On the Money" featured the Instituto Miguel de Cervantes in a short segment about educational travel that's fun, informative, and inexpensive. This story aired several years ago so the prices mentioned in the segment have changed but the story still reflects the kind of experience you'll have at our school.

You'll also find that today's prices are still very affordable.

Language Immersion

Chris: Hablán español? Clearly I don't, but I could if I were willing to spend my vacation taking notes and sitting in a classroom. Doesn't sound like fun in the sun unless you do it in a place like Guanajuato, Mexico, where every day the weather's perfect, someone else serves you dinner and your parents help you with your homework.

Barry Lippman has traveled from Brooklyn, N.Y., to spend his vacation studying Spanish in Guanajuato, Mexico, a small university town nestled in the highlands four hours north of Mexico City.

Chelly Hernández, Spanish Teacher, Instituto Miguel de Cervantes: You can still see a lot of Mexicanos walking, and we speak Spanish. We usually we don't speak English, so they come here to practice their Spanish. You know, it's a very real Mexico.

Barry: There is a great deal of culture here. There are a lot of opportunities to see shows, festivals, movies, lots of good restaurants. It's a small city. It's very easy to get around, and it's very, very inexpensive.

Chris: Barry studies at Instituto Miguel de Cervantes. Diego Tremblay and his family built and founded the school 20 years ago. The mission: to give foreigners the opportunity to immerse themselves in a beautiful setting and learn the Spanish language and Mexican culture from highly qualified teachers.

Diego Tremblay, Director, Instituto Miguel de Cervantes: During the summer we have college kids usually. They come because they have vacations. Some of them are looking for credits that we can give.

Chris: The rest of the year's students are mainly professionals, retired people and those who must speak Spanish in their jobs, like Judy.

Judy Larsen: I'm a volunteer in two hospitals in Utah, and it has become absolutely necessary to speak Spanish. So I thought I'd combine a vacation with learning to speak Spanish.

Chris: Several hundred students each year attend the Institute for about $300 a week. The price includes room and board, local transportation, fieldtrips and a minimum of three hours of formal classroom education each day.

$300 per week includes:
• Room and board, local transportation
• Field trips and classes

Diego: You can come here knowing nothing or you can come here being fluent already if you want to go deeper in Spanish grammar, literature, history. And the age requirements, we accept people from 14 [years old], and as long as you can come, you can be here.

Chris: For an additional $100 a week you can get private one-on-one lessons for several more hours every afternoon.

Judy: It takes a lot of concentration. We go to class 5 ½ hours a day. It's a lot.

Chris: And the education doesn't end in the classroom. When the school offers you a room, it's in the home of a Mexican family.

Pamela Marie DeSelm, Resident Pediatrician, Madison, Wis.: The families that volunteer to do this are families that are very accepting and open-minded and helpful, and so that they'll take in people and they'll make you feel comfortable.

FJ Rubner, Resident Pediatrician, Madison, Wis.: They cook for you, which is pretty sweet and they -- a nice, a beautiful home, a nice place to stay, and that's all part of it. But probably the best part is really the interaction with the family.

Luz Maria González Perez de Cardenas & J. Jesus Cardenas Ramirez, Homestay Hosts, Guanajuato, Mexico: We are very friendly people in Guanajuato and the students feel -- feel something different.

Luz Maria: We want them to feel like they're at home. It's the home. It's as if they were our children.

Jesus: We try to make different food every day for the students, learn and see our traditions. And we try to talk with them about our history, our music, our movie stars, or general culture, right? Or try to them learn.

Chris: And if students don't want the familiar experience, the school will arrange other accommodations. An apartment runs $100 to $250 a week. A hotel costs around $60 a night for two people. And if you're not doing a homestay, the cost for classes alone is just $109 a week. No matter what option you choose, the price tag for a week will top out at $600 plus airfare. The progress in your Spanish: invaluable.

Other Accommodations
• Apartment - $100 to $250
• Hotel - $60/night

Spanish Instruction Only
• $109/week

Barry: My Spanish has improved greatly. I'm very comfortable in just about any situation, whether it's shopping, speaking to people, about just about any subject -- politics, world situation, anything.

• Chris Farrell, Host/Executive Editor
• Margaret Brower, Series Producer/Executive Editor
• Robert Hutchings, Field Director/Videographer
• Kay DiMarco, Supervising Editor
• Kate O'Toole, Managing Producer
• Stephanie Abrams, Lisa Blackstone, Nancy Esslinger, Julie Johnson, Laurie Stern, Producers
• Maggie Tacheny, Segment Producer
• Erin Halden, Associate Producer
• Todd Cobery, Researcher/Production Assistant
• Christopher Detjen, Production Coordinator
• John Clouse, Matt Franklin, Sylvestre Guidi, Jim Kron, Danny Maneja,, Videographers
• Bernie Beaudry, Senior Field Audio
• Rudy Galenger, Mitch Griffin, Jon Hughes, Robert Porter, Audio
• Jeffrey Nielsen, Off-line Editing
• Valerie Mondor, On-line Editor
• studioEGG, Post Production Audio
• Undertone Music, Inc., Original Music
• Bob Perkerwicz, Graphic Designer
• Denise Workcuff, PR/Promo Producer
• Maura Ryan, Web Content Producer
• Ann Morris-Tucker, Production Scheduler
• Gerry Richman, Executive in Charge of Production

• Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
• Como Conservatory
• Linda Cordray
• Elderhostel, Inc.
• Erik's Bike Shop
• Lorraine Faith
• Cady Goldfield
• The Hospitality Exchange
• Instituto Miguel de Cervantes
• Iowa Public Television
• Donna Koelsch
• Mayolica Santa Rosa
• Oyster and Maritime Museum
• Arno Perel
• Paul Slaton
• Paul Smith
• Steamers Restaurant
• Team Texas
• Texas Motor Speedway
• US Servas, Inc.

Chris Farrell is the host of Sound Money produced by Minnesota Public Radio and also is contributing economics editor for Business Week.

Joe Garbarino, Executive Producer

Your unique situation may require your own financial and legal advice. The views and opinions of individuals appearing in this program are their own and do not express the views of the program producers or this station.

Right on the Money! is a registered service mark of Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

2002, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc.

Announcer: See a little of yourself or someone you know in today's story? Get a copy of the show, "Enriching Your Travel," and replay the fine points. And for more adventures in braving financial storms, read Chris Farrell's book, Right on the Money: Taking Control of Your Personal Finances. To order just visit our Web site, Rightonthemoney.org or send your money to Right on the Money!, Box 55742, Indianapolis, IN 46205.

Episode #413
Original air date: April 13, 2002
Producer: Nancy Esslinger