Students immerse themselves in Mexican culture via faculty-led program

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — It didn’t take long for Penn State students to feel at home during their extended stay in Puebla, Mexico, this summer.

The "Spanish Language and Mexican Culture" faculty-led program, run by Lecturer of Spanish Daniel Sanguino and Assistant Teaching Professor Damián Solano Escolano, brought a group of 11 students to Puebla. The six-week program consisted of weekend trips, excursions and homestays with local Mexican families, something Lianna Gardner said was by far the best part of the program.

Gardner, a fourth-year student dual-majoring in Spanish and landscape architecture, said she knew from the start that the program would be a good fit for her.

“I knew I wanted to spend more time living with a host family in a Spanish-speaking country to improve my Spanish fluency, especially more conversational Spanish,” Gardner said.

Before the program began, Gardner got in touch with her host mom and was looking forward to meeting her host family.

“After just a few messages back and forth, I could already tell how compassionate and kind she was,” Gardner said. “I couldn’t wait to meet her and the rest of my family.”

Gardner said her homestay provided her with a sense of belonging and inclusion in Mexican culture. Through traditions, favorite meals and trips around the city, Gardner formed a close bond with her host family.

“They always included me as one of their own; they made me feel welcome and loved, and I will always have a special place in my heart for ‘mi familia Mexicana,’” Gardner said.

And, of course, they helped her improve her Spanish.

“Having the courage to ask your host family what a new word means or to tell them when you aren’t following what they’re saying is probably the most important thing you can do to learn more Spanish and connect with their culture,” Gardner said.

Gavin McCue, a third-year student majoring in broadcast journalism with a double minor in Spanish and sports studies, said his experience wouldn’t have been the same without his host family.

“While I did practice the language in the classroom and interacting with other locals, the time I spent eating three meals a day, having conversations for hours on end, is where I was really able to improve my speaking skills,” McCue said. “They wanted me to become better at speaking Spanish, and even now that I have been back for over a month, I'm still in contact with them.”

McCue and Gardner agreed that their trip to Oaxaca, a city in southern Mexico known for its Indigenous culture and diverse landscapes, was among the most memorable aspects of the program.

“Our time spent in Oaxaca was the trip that left the biggest impact on me because of its rich history and culture,” McCue said.

Gardner agreed, saying she loved learning about the longstanding traditions from locals, especially the origins of alebrijes, hand-carved and colorfully hand-painted wooden figures.

“If you’ve ever watched the movie ‘Coco,’ you have probably seen them before,” Gardner said. “I will never forget walking through rooms filled from floor to ceiling with hundreds, if not thousands, of alebrijes. It was almost magical to realize how many thousands of hours’ worth of intricate handmade art I was standing in.”

While the trip to Oaxaca was most impactful, McCue said his favorite excursion was to Cuetzalan, a small town three hours away from Puebla, where he and a group of students went ziplining and swam in a waterfall.

“This was our last weekend that we had in Mexico, so being all together surrounded by incredible views reminded us all of how impactful this experience had been and how beautiful Mexico is,” McCue said.

Sanguino said he spends a lot of time creating thoughtful itineraries for the program, and seeing how students grow both personally and academically during it is incredibly rewarding.

“Seeing students grow and engage outside the classroom is one of the most meaningful parts of this work,” Sanguino said. “The connections that students build with the culture, the community and the host families are very genuine and tangible.”

Gardner praised Sanguino’s efforts.

“The professors work so hard to make this program a very immersive and meaningful experience for the students,” she said. “Between my fellow students, my professors and my host family, I always felt safe and supported while abroad.”

McCue said the knowledge he gained on the trip will guide him during his Spanish-speaking internship in Barcelona, Spain, this spring.

“Don't be afraid to take advantage of the time you have there — go out of your comfort zone and speak the language, no matter what your level is,” McCue said. “Before going, I was counting down the days until I would be back in the United States. But after five days in Puebla, I was praying time would slow down so I could be there longer.”