OAXACA, MEXICO
OAXACA, MEXICO
QUICK FACTS
DATES + DETAILS
- Month one: April 7- May 5, 2024
- Month two: May 12- June 9, 2024
- Standard Package: four weeks, four days per week
- Participants must be aged 7-15 when hub launches
- Parents and siblings may join Thursday Field Trips
FEES
- $2,175: Standard Package per participant
- $28/hour: One-on-one Spanish tutoring, optional (6 to 10 hours weekly)
- $300: 4 Thursday Field Trips for other family members, optional
- $0: Siblings ages 0-3 join Field Trips for free
ABOUT OAXACA
With 16 indigenous groups and hundreds of subgroups, Oaxaca welcomes worldschooling hub participants to the most diverse state in Mexico. Ruins of pre-Columbian cultures thousands of years old dot the landscape with the majestic former capital of the Zapotec Empire minutes from downtown. Descendants of these groups share their customs through printmaking, weaving, and culinary traditions, and as travelers walk the streets, they hear dozens of languages. Nightly, residents convene on public squares where they snack on elote (corn on the cob with various toppings) or marquesitas (thin, filled crepes) while dancing or laughing with family and friends. Join us as we explore this fascinating region together!
ABOUT OUR HUB
Deliberate Detour participants dive right in, spending a month immersed in this culturally-rich, vibrant region. On any given day, they may learn about the mighty Mayan and Zapotec Empires, make chocolate from cacao seeds, gaze at colonial architecture and colorful murals on neighborhood walks, dye yarn and weave on a traditional loom… and so much more. During Thursday Field Trips, they travel farther afield, perhaps to a nearby village that specializes in Oaxacan quesillo cheese or to the former capital of the Zapotec Empire.
We combine immersive outings with quieter days at the hub space where participants play teambuilding games, relax in the reading nook, engage in a history talk with a local expert, and circle up to reflect on the day’s activities.
While participants learn, grow, and form connections, their parents are free to work in one of Oaxaca’s lovely cafes or co-working spaces. Or perhaps they embark on a guided architectural walk, organized by Deliberate Detour, or a mezcal tour in the lovely countryside outside of Oaxaca, making connections and memories all their own.
ABOUT OUR HUB
Deliberate Detour participants dive right in, spending a month immersed in this culturally-rich, vibrant region. On any given day, they may learn about the mighty Mayan and Zapotec Empires, make chocolate from cacao seeds, gaze at colonial architecture and colorful murals on neighborhood walks, dye yarn and weave on a traditional loom… and so much more. During Thursday Field Trips, they travel farther afield, perhaps to a nearby village that specializes in Oaxacan quesillo cheese or to the former capital of the Zapotec Empire.
We combine immersive outings with quieter days at the hub space where participants play teambuilding games, relax in the reading nook, engage in a history talk with a local expert, and circle up to reflect on the day’s activities.
While participants learn, grow, and form connections, their parents are free to work in one of Oaxaca’s lovely cafes or co-working spaces. Or perhaps they embark on a guided architectural walk, organized by Deliberate Detour, or a mezcal tour in the lovely countryside outside of Oaxaca, making connections and memories all their own.
SCHEDULE
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays – Hub Days
9:30 to 10:00 am
- Drop off window. Fresh, local fruit is available daily for snack.
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Morning circle with intention-setting, sharing the plan for the day, or more
- Morning activity: Hub or community-based like a market visit, a neighborhood walk to a local site, teambuilding games, park play, or a visit from a historian. See sample activities below.
- Vegetarian lunch. We provide meals that reflect local culture and cuisine. In Oaxaca, we may have beans, rice, and tortillas with salad or sliced fruit.
- Afternoon activity. We may welcome a local craftsperson to lead us in printmaking or loom beading. We may make a Mayan mask reflecting our spirit companion or make tortillas with our cook.
3:00 pm
- Parents pick up.
3:00- 5:00 pm
- One-to-one Spanish tutoring for those who opt-in.
Thursdays- Field Trips
Each Thursday, participants visit some of the most renowned, awe-inspiring, or meaningful sites in the region. These full-day outings last from 5 to 8 hours and cover all costs including transportation, guides, tips, snacks, and lunch. Siblings and parents are welcome to add on weekly field trips; you may not want to miss them!
Fridays
Parents who choose one-to-one Spanish tutoring for their child can add 2 to 4 additional hours on Fridays, for a total of 10 hours of weekly tutoring.
HUB-BASED DAYS
Our Oaxacan Hub Developer and Program Partners are diligently working to arrange a phenomenal, culturally-rich experience for participants. We expect to offer some or all of these activities, but this list does not constitute a guarantee.
Hub Days: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays
- Learn with a historian through age-appropriate talks and neighborhood walks
- Deepen historical understanding through craft-making
- Practice local printmaking traditions, emerging with a t-shirt souvenir
- Taste local fruits like guava, soursop, or cactus fruit
- Learn about Mayan cacao traditions while hand-crafting chocolates
- Hike in breathtaking Benito Juarez National Park
- Cook local foods like tortillas, memelas, or esquites
- Play at local parks and visit vibrant public squares
- Learn about the Zapotec Empire’s customs and past prior to visiting its ruins
- Build our communal library with visits to the Oaxaca Lending Library
- Make beaded bracelets on traditional looms
- Visit the cat cafe for a cold drink and kitten play
- Craft a Mayan mask reflecting our spirit animal
- Explore a local market and try a typical treat
- Play teambuilding games to build community
THURSDAY FIELD TRIPS
Every Thursday, we embark on a full-day expedition. Parents and siblings are welcome to join (children under 3 are free.) All Field Trips include transportation to and from a central meeting point, trained guides or hosts, all tips, snack and lunch. No other money is necessary unless parents would like to purchase crafts or souvenirs. Oaxaca’s Field Trips may include the following, though final experiences may differ from below.
Alebrije Workshop
A world-famous form of Mexican folk art, the alebrije originated just outside Oaxaca, and together we visit the birthplace of the craft. We join in the process with artisans, carving, sanding, or painting our own whimsical creatures to take home.
Monte Alban
Join us and expert guides as we wander the ancient metropolis of the Zapotec Empire looming above Oaxaca City. Let’s marvel at pyramids, plazas, palaces, and even a ball court as we hear stories of life nearly 2,500 years ago.
El Tule + Weaving
We road trip to gaze at the wonderous Arbol del Tule, the widest tree on the whole planet, before we continue to the quaint village of Teotitlan del Valle. With local women who carry on an important tradition, we dye yarn and try our hand at the loom.
Quesillo Making
In the rural village of Etla, we join a local family to make the cheese that Oaxaca is famous for: quesillo. Following the process from start to finish, beginning with the cows who provide milk, we take time to romp in the fields and taste as we go!
EDUCATION STYLE
What Are We Not? We are not a school. Our hubs do not replace traditional school. We do not incorporate reading, writing, or math, nor do we provide formal lessons in academic content. We are not able to support homeschooling needs (like helping a child log on to an online class) during hub time.
What Are We?
- We provide opportunities to learn through experience, to make real what might only be available in books. We focus on history and culture in all of its forms: art, craft, textile, cuisine, social structures, and indigenous beliefs. We use all five senses to learn.
- We behave like summer camp. We play, explore, create, and laugh together, and sometimes, an expert teaches us something fascinating. Our explorations focus on Oaxaca, its people, history, and culture.
- We support personal growth by challenging children to notice and embrace difference, collaborate, develop grit, communicate and listen attentively, practice patience, and build global perspectives that include curiosity, creativity, and respect.
- We offer some structure and some space for play. We believe that freedom to play and explore should be a part of every child’s day, and we also believe that adult-curated activities can have meaning and impact.