Spanish in Mexico

Playa del Carmen, May 27 | Despìte media hysteria about the subject, a month after the first reports of an outbreak of swine flu, there have still been no recorded cases in Playa del Carmen. At this moment, the situation is well under control in Mexico and the health warnings are over.

Needless to say, at IH Riviera Maya we have been very concerned to ensure that all the precautionary measures recommended by the government were implemented so that the school, the residence, our host families and a stay in Playa del Carmen in general were as safe as in normal circumstances.

Our current students, as well as our staff, have been unconcerned by the outbreak in Mexico City as they have seen that things are not nearly as bad as has been publicized.

Ross Fairbanks, from the UK, who has spent eight weeks with us and departs this Friday, says:

I've been studying at IH Riviera Maya for 2 months. There have been no cases of swine flu here in Playa del Carmen but we've been given lots of information about the situation and I feel very safe here. In the streets people aren't wearing masks and life is as per normal. I have had a great time here and I am sad to be leaving. Don't worry — it's very safe and you'll have a great time here.

Important: Remember that, although there is currently no vaccine against swine flu (a normal flu jab does not protect you), it is a perfectly curable illness, provided that you receive early medical attention.

More information

• FAQs about swine flu (Mexican Foreign Ministry, in English)
• Información sobre la Influenza A en México (Mexican Government, in Spanish)

Further links to more information in our previous reports:

>> May 7: Influenza under control: latest news
>> April 30: Swine flu: current situation in Playa del Carmen

In Mexico we have a great variety of beautiful typical costumes which may already be familiar to you but in the Yucatan Peninsula we have the Huipil, which you may not have seen before.

The Huipil, worn only women is a design made in cotton with a square decollete and a colorful embroidering of flowers.

You will find this typical beautiful costume in many Playa del Carmen stores and see it worn in many parts of the Yucatan Peninsula.

I love the reward of watching a student learn and feeling that I am contributing to them life in their pursuit to learn a language. I wanted to be a teacher because I wanted to feel I was "Giving back" in some way, helping another learn is an incredible reward. In my class I feel so energized, it's crazy, I hardly ever can sit down!

One experience I remember; once I was teaching a starter class that was so energized it was almost emotional, and before they left they each individually thanked me with those words, compliments and giant hugs.

I feel they felt they were learning.

Dena DaSilva (English teacher at IH Riviera Maya)

De mi trabajo, lo que más me gusta es enseñar un idioma que muy pronto será universal aparte de la posibilidad que tengo de conocer a personas de todo el mundo y ver ese gran interés que hay hacia nuestra lengua.

Me encanta enseñar, tener paciencia, compartir  nuestra cultura, nuestras costumbres y hablar de lo bonito que es México.

Enseñar es algo maravilloso; pensar en cómo tienes que usar todos los recursos posibles para enseñar, ver que tus alumnos hablan mejor día tras día, que sienten más confianza, todo eso, me hace muy feliz y me llena de satisfacción.

Todos los días son experiencias nuevas, realmente lo más bonito de ser profesor es que no tienes alumnos sino amigos.

Todo esto ha sido posible gracias a mi experiencia como profesor de español en International House Riviera Maya.

¡Feliz día del maestro…!

Alejandro Galicia (Profesor de Español, IH Riviera Maya)

Los mexicanos son famosos por los Charros. Estos personajes representativos de nuestro país no solo saben cantar o montar a caballo sino que también practican un deporte llamado charraría. Este deporte consiste en hacer algunas suertes, por ejemplo pasar de un caballo a otro en pleno galope o hacer que los caballos bailen a ritmo de música ranchera.

Lo practican tanto mujeres como hombres y ambos deben vestir un traje de charro o, en el caso de las mujeres, también pueden usar un vestido típico como el de Adelita.

¿Habías escuchado algo antes sobre este espectáculo? ¿Cómo te lo imaginas? ¿Hay algo parecido en tu país?

>> See also Update May 27

Playa del Carmen, May 7 | We keep monitoring the situation from Playa del Carmen carefully, and it seems that everything here is under control.

Life continues as normal in Playa, people work, restaurants and bars are still open, and people are continuing like nothing ever happened.

Until now there have been no reported cases in Playa del Carmen. The school is open, and classes are taking place as normal.

As of today high schools, universities are open in México, and the restaurants in Mexico City (nearly 1,800km away!) have opened their doors again.

On Monday all schools, museums, cinemas and cultural centers will be open, and life will resume as normal.

The WHO says that there is no restriction of regular travel or closure of borders.

If you would like an up-to-the-minute update on the situation in Playa del Carmen, contact us by the usual methods.

We look forward to seeing you in Playa del Carmen soon…!

>> See also: Previous report (April 30)

When you come to the Riviera Maya, you must visit the archaeological ruins, places like Chichén Itzá and Tulum.

Almost everywhere you go you'll find replicas of the buildings and the Gods and representative figures of the Mayan culture like Kukulcán, as well as animal like jaguars and serpents, and masks.

When you visit us, come with us on our tours to the archaeological ruins — and take home one of these wonderful souvenirs.

Una de las mejores maneras de disfrutar el panorama de Playa del Carmen es desde las alturas. Desde ahí puedes observar toda la ciudad, gran parte de la selva que todavía subsiste y ver el hermoso contraste entre los diferentes tonos azul turquesa del mar y la arena blanca de nuestras playas.

Y claro, para poder hacer esto, necesitas volar. Sí sí, volar. Una de las mejores formas de hacerlo es desde los paracaídas los cuales son jalados desde una lancha por medio de un cable y se pueden rentar en nuestras hermosas playas.

Es lo más cercano a volar libremente, sintiendo el aire en tu rostro, cumpliendo el sueño maravilloso de volar…