|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Getting There Frequently Asked Questions What will the weather be? Because of its mile-high elevation, Cuernavaca has a moderate climate. It is frequently cooler in Cuernavaca in late July and early August than in many places in the United States. Daytime temperatures rarely get above the mid-80s. At night you can expect temperatures around 70. During this time of year, nighttime rain is common. What kind of clothing is appropriate? Summer casual. For kids, shorts and t-shirts. For adults, about the same, though Mexicans tend to dress a little more conservatively than Americans. Adult Mexican men, for example, rarely wear shorts (though that is slowly changing.) Good shoes are important, because Cuernavaca is hilly, many streets are cobblestoned, and we do a lot of walking. What if a parent speaks no Spanish? Don’t worry. Your group leader, Paul Nelson, will be there, and people at Fenix Language Institute speak English. Your host family probably will not, but that is part of the experience. The great majority of adults who have come on the program over the years have spoken little if any Spanish. They get along very well. Tell us more about living arrangements. Every U.S. family lives with a Mexican family. These families do it for the income and because they enjoy it. They are middle class or above, by Mexican standards. Facilities will be modern but not luxurious. You’ll have private room and bath. You’ll eat most of your meals with your host family. What if we have special dietary needs? No problem. We’ve readily accommodated vegetarians and vegans. As long as we know in advance, special needs are not a problem. What happens if there are medical problems? In fifteen years of the program, the most serious medical problem we have had is a broken wrist. Most years someone (almost always only adults) gets a case of the stomach miseries, but this ailment is usually controllable with Immodium or Pepto Bismol. Cuernavaca is a modern city with modern medical facilities, and Fenix Language Institute has arrangements with local physicians. Cuernavaca also has plenty of pharmacies. You might want to consider buying travelers’ insurance (though no one has needed it so far.) If we have free time, what can we do? In our scheduled activities we never get around to seeing everything there is to see in and near Cuernavaca. Participants in the program almost always organize some of their own additional jaunts. Some visit nearby Taxco, the silver city. Within Cuernavaca there are fine art museums: Muros, with an excellent collection of Frida Kahlo; the Robert Brady Museum, with an amazing assortment, and the state museum, with its Diego River murals. We don’t always make it to the big produce market, which has all the products of Mexico for sale – fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, leather, flowers, natural remedies – everything. Do we need shots and passports? Shots, no, though some people feel comfortable with a hepatitis series. Passports, yes, as of January 1, 2007. Are there security issues? So far we have had no security concerns in Cuernavaca or on our excursions to Mexico City. Ordinary urban precautions should be taken, but the streets have been safe to walk, the cab drivers honest, and we have had no thefts or other incidents.
Enter content here |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |