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Kamalbe encourages students and volunteers to participate in cultural activities and day trips that complement their learning and interests. Some of the activities we arrange include:
Educational Lectures and Panel Discussions: Join us as we learn about and discuss some of the current “hot topics” in Guatemala. Past lectures and panel discussions have been centered around Guatemalan education, technology, the rapid development of Xela, indigenous culture and history, poverty, etc. Spanish Movie night: Organized every Tuesday at 7pm at Kamalbe School. Learn about the Guatemalan civil war, Mayan culture, media and politics in Central America, and United States and Guatemalan relations by viewing and discussing a documentary from our documentary library. These can lead to great conversation starters for your spanish lessons. Xela Walking Tour: Enjoy a leisurely walk around Xela and learn about our historic buildings and monuments, familiarize yourself with important daily living places on a walking tour with your spanish teacher. It’s also a great opportunity for students to practice giving and following directions (a very practical skill for someone new to the city). Baul: Take a relaxing hike to El Baul national park. Its a beautiful forested area that sits atop a hill on the southeast side of Xela. At the top of the hill there is a great overlook of the city and you’ll find it to be a popular place for family get-togethers and events on the weekends. Cooking Lessons: Apply on your food and market vocabulary as you shop for ingredients to make traditional guatemalan cousine. Part two of this activity is building your kitchen and cooking vocabulary by cooking traditional guatemalan food with the direction and assistance of instructors. Foods that have been made in the past range from guacamole, ceviche, home-made tortillas and smoothies to more complex traditional meals such as pepian, jocom, chuchitos, pupusas, etc. Sports Game: Join Xela in cheering on their friends and neighbors who play on the local Super Chivos futbol team. The Super Chivos have been national champions five times in Guatemala, most recently in 2012. Attending a Super Chivos futbol game at Mario Camposeco Stadium is one of the best way to experience local, modern culture here in Xela. Yoga Classes: Relax your mind and strengthen your body with yoga classes at Kamalbe. Instructors are professionally trained and speak both English and Spanish. Salsa, Bachata, and/or Merengue Dance Lessons: Learn how to dance Salsa, Bachata or Merengue with discounted lessons at a local dance studio. Meet new friends, get a little work-out and rock the dance floor. Beginners are welcome! Mercado San Francisco el Alto: Practice your bartering skills and test your spanish vocabulary at the largest open-air market in Central America. You’ll explore the different sections of the market, visit the beautiful San Francisco el Alto church, and enjoy the wonderful views of the western highlands from this high altitude city. Laguna Chicabal Hike: Laguna Chicabal is a beautiful lake in the crater of the volcano Chicabal. Aside from its unique, exceptional beauty, it is also a sacred place for Mam Mayan people who still have ceremonies at the lake. Its a short drive Xela and then there’s a short hike through the forest down to the lake. Santa Maria Hike: Spend the day hiking one of the highest volcanoes in central america, Santa Maria, with a professional guide. From the summit of Santa Maria, you will get an awe-inspiring view of the Guatemalan chain of volcanoes. You’ll also be able to see into the crater of the nearby volcano Santiaguito- the most active volcano in Central America. Las Georginas Hot Springs: Situated in the cloud forests just a few minutes outside of Xela you can find the most famous hot springs in Guatemala. There are a variety of thermal pools with different temperatures perfect for soaking and relaxing. Ziplining: Harness up for a breathtaking zip through the mountainside forest about 40 minutes outside of Xela. You’ll see some amazing views of the peaks and valleys in this region of Guatemala. There are 12 cables you’ll travel on this tour- the highest reach over 50 meters above the ground! Chocolate Tour: During this hands-on tour of Dona Pancha’s Chocolateria you will learn how a cocoa bean becomes chocolate. Your tour guide and experienced chocolatier will teach you about the different kinds of chocolate, uses for chocolate, and you’ll even get to make a souvenir to take home (or to eat on the way home). Coffee Finca Tour: Learn about the life and culture of coffee farms on this coffee finca tour. The tour will take you from the coffee plant seeds all the way through dried coffee grains. Enjoy a scenic walk through the farm and pick some coffee beans along the way. Gallo Beer Factory Tour: Spend the morning or afternoon touring Xela’s own Gallo beer factory. On this tour you’ll witness the beer making process starting with the raw ingredients and finishing a sample of Gallo products (for those guests who are of legal drinking age). *Many (but not all) of these activities have additional cost. We do our best to provide a variety of activities that can fit the differing budgets of our students and volunteers The pricing of activities can differ greatly depending on the number of students participating, please ask about pricing of activities you’re interested in! |
Enjoy your time in Xela with our packed calendar of events, visits, treks, dance & cooking lessons and much more
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Contac Us
Kamalbe Spanish School
14 Avenida A 4-25 zona 1 Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, C.A. Tel. Office +502 41464319 |