Idioma Travels to the Western Caribbean: Mexico, Honduras and Belize

If you’re following our social media accounts, you may have noticed that Idioma has been on the move lately! #IdiomaTravels

Idioma’s president and founder, Mellissia Walles along with our marketing director Elisa Kirschhoffer and registrar Sandy Capano traveled to the Western Caribbean via the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Radiance of the Seas. We were lucky enough to visit the ports of Cozumel, Mexico, Roatán, Honduras, Belize City, Belize and Costa Maya, Mexico.

A Sacred Place of Worship in Cozumel

San Gervasio is renowned as a ceremonial site dedicated to Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility, medicine, and weaving. Walking through the well-preserved ruins, we imagined the countless women who journeyed here centuries ago to pay homage to Ixchel, seeking blessings for their families and communities. This understanding deepened our appreciation for the intersection of language, culture, and spirituality in shaping societies.

Lessons from History

Elisa reflected on how exploring historical sites like San Gervasio can inspire innovative approaches to teaching. “There’s something transformative about being in a place where history feels alive,” she said. “It challenges us to think about how we can bring similar experiences into the classroom, making history and culture tangible for students.”

This sentiment echoed our collective goal at Idioma: fostering an immersive learning environment where language and culture go hand in hand. The excursion reminded us that understanding the past is essential for shaping the future.

A Moment of Reflection

For Mellissia, the visit to San Gervasio was also deeply personal. As someone committed to decolonizing education and ensuring all voices are represented in the curriculum, she found herself reflecting on the resilience of the Mayan people. “These ruins are more than just remnants of a bygone era; they’re a testament to the enduring strength of indigenous cultures,” she shared. “They remind us of the importance of honoring and amplifying these stories in our work.”

Cultural Connections

After exploring the ruins, we took time to engage with local Mayan guides, whose insights added depth to our understanding of Mayan traditions. Their stories painted a vivid picture of how ancient practices influence contemporary life in Cozumel. The guides throughout our Mayan ruin excursions reminded us many times that the Mayan people and culture are alive today, living and thriving and maintaining their language and culture by passing them down through the generations.

This cultural connection resonated with our mission at Idioma. As educators, we aim to cultivate not just language proficiency but also cultural intelligence. The experience reinforced our belief that meaningful engagement with history and culture is essential for building empathy and global understanding as we all came away with a closer connection to the Mayan culture and history.

Takeaways for the Classroom

The San Gervasio excursion left us inspired to integrate more authentic cultural experiences into our courses. From incorporating Mayan legends into language lessons to exploring indigenous contributions to art and science, the possibilities are endless.

As we left the ruins, we couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of purpose. At Idioma, we believe that education is about more than just acquiring knowledge; it’s about connecting with the world and its diverse stories. Our visit to San Gervasio reminded us of the power of those connections and the role we play in fostering them.

This excursion wasn’t just a step back in time—it was a leap forward in our commitment to making language and culture education more inclusive and impactful.

Final Thoughts

For our Spanish teaching community passionate about history, culture, or education, we highly recommend taking our Latin American Art & Architecture course where you will learn about the ancient history and architecture of the Maya and Aztecs. It’s a journey that not only enriches your understanding of the past but also inspires you to think about the future.

For all our language teachers, we understand the importance of travel and connection with global people and cultures to cultivate empathy and global awareness. Consider putting a trip together for you and your students with one of our travel partners (Passports, Hummingbird Student Tours, Carlos V Education: Trips to Spain or Colibri Travel & Tours) and taking our Learning Beyond the Classroom: Travel Course to earn graduate-level credit for traveling with students and designing meaningful classroom experiences based on your travel destination.

Have you been to the San Gervasio ruins or another cultural site that left a lasting impression? Share your experiences with us! Find us on social media and tag us and use the hashtag #IdiomaTravels. Together, we can continue to celebrate and learn from the incredible diversity of our world.

Idioma on Facebook: facebook.com/idiomaeducation/
Idoma on X/Twitter: x.com/idiomaedu
Idioma on Instagram: instagram.com/idiomaeducation
Idioma on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/idiomaedu