St Cloud Spanish Immersion
Mi Querido Ecuador
11-Day Guided Language Immersion Program in Ecuador
Day 1 | Quito
Arrive in Quito, transfer to your hotel. Meals Included: None
Day 2 | Quito
Explore Quito with a costumed character from the capital city’s colorful history. Visit sites such as la Plaza de la Independencia, el Palacio Presidencial and la Basilica. After a day of exploring what UNESCO refers to as the most well preserved colonial city in Latin America, enjoy an Xperitas welcome dinner. Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Days 3 - 6 | Family Stay
Begin classes at the esteemed Academia Guayasamín and a six-night family stay with your Ecuadorian hosts. In addition to Spanish instruction, you’ll be treated to visits to a local fruit market, Casa Museo Guayasamín and la Capilla del Hombre. Spend time practicing your language skills while participating in a volunteer activity and try your hand at a new skill during salsa dancing and cooking classes. Enjoy the afternoons and evenings with your host family. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 | Family Stay
After Spanish class, go on an adventure! Take a ride up the Teleférico skylift for a panoramic view of Quito. Then, stop at the Mitad del Mundo, or the center of the world, whose monument was once thought to be the geographic location of the equator. Experience the oddities of standing on the actual equator line during your visit to the intriguing Intiñan Museum and top everything off with a delicious chocolate tour. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 | Family Stay
Board the bus for an exciting day outside of Quito. Your day begins in Otavalo, the site of the most famous handicraft market in South America. Visit a workshop to learn about this community’s traditional way of weaving. After browsing the stalls of the bustling market, stop to take in the tranquil beauty of la Cascada de Peguche. Travel to a nearby villiage where you’ll listen to the rhythms of traditional Andean instruments played by a local family of musicians. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 | Mindo
Bid farewell to your familia quiteña. For a full day of adventure, head south to Mindo. There you will visit a tropical butterfly garden, hike incredible waterfalls, and experience the cloud forest firsthand as you zipline through the treetops. In the evening, listen to the sounds of Mindo’s nocturnal wildlife during a hike that is also known as the frog concert! Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 | En Route
Enjoy a farewell lunch with your fellow travelers. Transfer to the airport for your flight to the United States. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11 | Return
Arrive in the United States. Meals Included: None
Price Includes
Price Excludes
- Airline baggage fees Increase in air cost due to requests for specific travel dates or airline Costs incurred due to late or missed flights Passport, visa or other document costs Transportation to/from departure city Any meals not indicated on itineraries Spending money and gifts Any fees associated with advanced seating assignments Small-group supplement when group has fewer than 10 participants
Download Itinerary
Scholarships
FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
Payment and Cancellation Schedule
Payment and cancellation schedule:
Billing and Payments: Xperitas will email a bill for the final payment approximately three weeks before it is due. For all other payments please refer to this schedule. A payment reminder will be sent to you via email a week before a scheduled payment is due. Payments can be made by credit/debit card via the Xperitas portal or by check or money order payable to Xperitas.
Cancellations: Any cancellation made through October 1, 2024 will receive a refund of the amount paid minus a $100 administrative fee. Cancellations made after this date will be calculated on an individual basis at the time of cancellation and follow the schedule and terms below.
Payment Schedule
|
Spring Programs: March and April, 2025 |
|
|
June 15 (Early Bird); October 1, 2024 (Final) |
$500 due with application* |
|
November 1, 2024 |
$1000 |
|
December 1, 2024 |
$1000 |
|
January 15, 2025 |
Balance |
*Once the online application and $500 deposit are submitted and processed, participants will receive enrollment confirmation.
Cancellation Schedule
|
Spring Programs: March and April, 2025 |
|
|
Date of Cancellation |
Refund Amount |
|
Cancellations received through October 1, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $100 adminstrative fee* |
|
October 2 - November 14, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $250 administrative fee* |
|
November 15, 2024 or later |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $500 administrative fee* AND any air/land expenses incurred by Xperitas (Varies by program and cancellation date) |
|
30 days prior to departure |
No refund possible |
*This fee is to help cover the cost of organizational resources incurred in the planning of the language/cultural immersion experience.
Summer Payment Schedule
Billing and Payments: Xperitas will email a bill for the final payment approximately three weeks before it is due. For all other payments please refer to this schedule. A payment reminder will be sent to you via email a week before a scheduled payment is due. Payments can be made by credit/debit card via the Xperitas portal or by check or money order payable to Xperitas.
Cancellations: Any cancellation made through October 15, 2024 will receive a full refund minus a $100 administrative fee. Cancellations made after this date will be calculated on an individual basis at the time of cancellation and follow the schedule and terms below.
Payment Schedule
|
Summer Programs: May, June, July, August, 2025 |
|
|
June 15 (Early Bird); October 15, 2024 (Final) |
$500 due with application* |
|
November 15, 2024 |
$1250 |
|
January 15, 2025 |
$1250 |
|
March 15, 2025 |
Balance |
*Once the online application and $500 deposit are submitted and processed, participants will receive enrollment confirmation.
Cancellation Schedule
|
Summer Programs: May, June, July, August, 2025 |
|
|
Date of Cancellation |
Refund Amount |
|
Cancellations received through October 15, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS $100 adminitrative fee* |
|
October 16 – November 30, 2024 |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $250 administrative fee* |
|
December 1, 2024 or later |
Refund of all money paid MINUS a $500 administrative fee* AND any air/land expenses incurred by Xperitas (Varies by program and cancellation date) |
|
30 days prior to departure |
No refund possible |
*This fee is to help cover the cost of organizational resources incurred in the planning of the language/cultural immersion experience.
Enrollment Information
ENROLL BY JUNE 15 TO RECEIVE A $200 DISCOUNT!
*Prices are based on a minimum group size of 10 students. When the minimum group size is not reached, a small-group supplement will apply. Final prices are determined by dates, air arrangements, family stay communities and other program components as confirmed by Xperitas, as well as the total size of the group and number of leaders at the time of final billing. Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in fuel prices, exchange rates, and airfare costs beyond the control of Xperitas.
The order of this itinerary and all itinerary items are subject to change based on unforeseen circumstances that may arise prior to or during the program.
Registration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a family stay, and why is it important?
Xperitas believes that living with a family, speaking their language and participating in their customs is the best, most authentic and rewarding way to experience another culture. This is what distinguishes our programs from any other individual, family or group travel experience. Our host families are volunteers who genuinely want to welcome the student into their home and daily family routine.
After almost 50 years of arranging family stays, we are no longer surprised when students consistently report that living with a family is the best part of their experience abroad. Our success with family stays is thanks to our network of dedicated people around the world who work to ensure a wonderful experience for our students.
How does Xperitas find host families?
At Xperitas we take great pride in helping world language learners and host families create lifelong connections. All of Xperitas’ host families are carefully screened using culturally appropriate practices and selected by local coordinators in the destination country. Many of Xperitas' family stay coordinators abroad are educators and other well-connected members of their community. They network through local schools and community organizations to select families who not only speak the language being studied by the visiting student, but also are eager to share their home and their culture with an American teenager. We select host families who are not financially motivated but motivated by the genuine desire to share their home, language, and culture with our student travelers. Our primary concern is the safety of our participants, and we hope almost 50 years of experience will put your mind at ease.
When will participants receive information about their host families?
We generally distribute host family information when it is received from our family stay coordinators, approximately two weeks prior to the group’s departure. We know you’re anxious to get this information and we’ll pass it on as soon as we get it!
How can participants best prepare for the Family Stay Experience®?
Xperitas has many helpful resources for participants to prepare for this exciting part of their program. These include the "How Host Families are Chosen" document, monthly Navigator parent newsletters and articles on our blog.
How should participants thank their families for hosting them?
Host families very generously volunteer their time and open their homes to students. Xperitas recommends that participants write thank-you notes before the last day of the family stay and leave them with their host family.
Xperitas also recommends that participants bring small gifts to thank their host families for their hospitality. Gifts given to the host family do not need to be expensive or extravagant. Think about what would be unique and meaningful. Some ideas include:
- Something that comes from or is made in your town, city or region
- Preserved food items from your region that you can cook with your host family
- Clothing or souvenirs featuring sports teams from your school, city or state
- A book or calendar about your town or state with lots of pictures
- A personal photo album with photos that depict your life at home – pictures of your family, school, pets and things that you do are best
- Games that can be played with your host family
What is the leader’s role during the family stay?
Xperitas requires at least one leader to remain on-call during the family stay. Leaders may stay with a family as well, or in a nearby hotel. The on-call leader is available to address any problems that arise during the family stay. If everything is running as planned, the leader is not expected to check in with students individually, and we also encourage leaders not to do so in order to allow students to interact with their families.
What if an issue arises during the family stay?
Xperitas has staff on call 24/7 while our groups are abroad to address any issues that arise. Participants will have the group leader and local coordinator’s contact information in case an emergency arises. Participants should feel comfortable reaching out to their leader, and the leader should work with the local coordinator to address any issues in collaboration with Xperitas.