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La Mariposa is embarking on a new and exciting development bringing together our 10 years of experience of teaching Spanish with
our commitment to work alongside marginalized local communities to improve our environment and tackle challenges affecting all of
us such as climate change and deforestation. This is a unique combination, offered by no other Spanish school, and providing
exceptional opportunities for both individual students and groups from high school & university. We take into account how
global issues affect us locally and how local changes impact the global situation. All this in Spanish at your level
(with assistance from our English speaking teachers for complete beginners).
Some of the course is class room based and, of course, incorporates the essential grammar. Conversation class will use a
broad range of environmental themes to introduce you to relevant vocabulary at the same time as practicing Spanish.
The Environmental Spanish program includes:
- Walking and horse riding through a stunning variety of different eco systems …including a live volcanic crater, lava flows and crater lakes, dry pacific forest.
- You can explore the nature reserves set up by La Mariposa and learn about the challenges of protecting the local flora and fauna
- Visiting a variety of local farms (including tobacco, coffee, pineapple) - some mixed, some practicing mono culture and learn about the impact humans have had on the landscape
- Interacting with the most marginalized local communities and learn about their problems - for example with the water supply and food security
- At the same time, you can also learn about traditional food and cooking, music and dance, natural medicine, myths and legends, the history of the area…….
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Themes covered in the classroom will include:
- Local ecosystems, flora and fauna
- Water supply
- Food security versus growing export crops
- Pollution and erosion
- The problem of trash!
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We also think about what some of the solutions may be and use the experience of La Mariposa as a starting point.
La Mariposa takes a holistic approach - so we can look at our solar power systems, ecobuildings, organic farming,
and nature reserves as attempts to begin to address the problems.
La Mariposa also has strong links with Grupo Fenix in the north of Nicaragua - an NGO which specializes in
solar projects though they have also undertaken earth buildings in the local community. We can arrange for
you to spend time with us and then go on to deepen some aspects of your learning in conjunction with Grupo Fenix.
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