Meet Carmen Anders, a Spanish teacher who led a life-changing immersion trip to Oaxaca. Her program bridged cultures, deepened language learning, and empowered students through authentic connections.

 By Veronica Zavala

Carmen Anders (UCLA 1996), a Spanish high school teacher and department chair at New Roads School in Los Angeles, has long promoted cultural understanding both in and outside the classroom. Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, she moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and later broadened her global perspective by studying in Spain through UCLA’s Education Abroad Program.

This experience reinforced her belief in the transformative power of immersive learning. That vision came through during her participation in the UCLA Latin American Institute’s month-long Oaxaca program, developed in collaboration with Coyote Aventuras. Through rich, reflective encounters with Oaxacan cultural leaders, Carmen deepened her connection to her roots and saw the potential of cultural immersion to change lives. Inspired by the experience, she returned determined to offer her students a similar opportunity to engage deeply with language, identity and community.

She now brings that transnational perspective to her role as chair of Spanish language, culture, and literature at New Roads School, where she teaches levels 1 through AP and mentors students through dynamic, culturally grounded learning experiences. Her passion for equity and storytelling also extends beyond the classroom. In 2021, she served as co-executive producer of the award-winning PBS documentary “Ferguson Rises,” a powerful film that explores grief, activism and healing in the wake of the Michael Brown tragedy.

Most recently, Carmen launched Beyond Borders, an international immersion program that brought students to her native Oaxaca. This trip was more than just an educational experience; it was a personal project shaped by Carmen’s journey. Collaborating with Coyote Aventuras, local experts in Oaxaca, she organized a 10-day program that gave eight students the chance to explore indigenous knowledge, connect with local communities and strengthen their Spanish through real-life immersion.

“The experience was incredibly rich, diverse, challenging, beautiful, reflective, and transformative,” Carmen reflects. 

Designing an Immersive and Equitable Program

Working closely with community partners like Coyote Aventuras, Carmen curated a culturally immersive itinerary that prioritized authentic learning. From cooking alongside master chef Reyna Mendoza in Teotitlán del Valle to hiking through the Sierra Norte and hosting a community movie night in Lachatao, students were not just observing culture; they were actively participating in it. Intentionality was key. Carmen required students to speak only Spanish during the trip, having them sign a palabra de honor as a symbolic and practical commitment to language immersion. While some struggled at first, by the end of the trip, they had gained not only fluency but also confidence and cross-cultural awareness.

“Every single student put forth their best effort,” she recalls. “They were mentally exhausted, but in the best possible way.”

Launching such a program took nearly two years of planning. With support from school leadership and a robust financial aid system, Carmen ensured accessibility for students from diverse economic backgrounds. Some families paid in full; several even contributed extra to help fund scholarships, while community fundraising filled in the rest.

Parental response was overwhelmingly positive. “They had been asking about a travel abroad experience for years,” Carmen notes. “They believed in the mission and encouraged their children to take full advantage of every opportunity.”


Challenges That Became Lessons

Despite the successes, the program also presented pedagogical challenges. The range of student Spanish proficiency became evident when local experts spoke rapidly or used unfamiliar expressions.

“A couple of students became frustrated because they could not understand the pace… and others struggled to express themselves with fluency even though they understood,” Carmen shares.

Still, students supported each other and demonstrated remarkable perseverance. In response, Carmen adapted the itinerary by introducing nightly debriefs in English, offering students space to reflect and decompress.

“I’ll retain that practice moving forward,” she says. “And I’ll also add more brain breaks throughout the day.”

Even the car rides between villages became moments of rest and shared storytelling. With flexibility, empathy and thoughtful leadership, Carmen turned challenges into learning opportunities for both her students and herself.


Looking Ahead

For Carmen, it was a return to home. For her students, it was the start of something bigger: a lifelong awareness that language and culture are living threats to who we are and how we connect with others.

“The trip was life-changing for everyone, in one way or another.”

Carmen Anders’ Oaxaca program stands as a testament to the power of education when it transcends borders, linguistics, culture and geography. By fostering connection, resilience and global understanding, she continues to shape her students into compassionate and engaged citizens of the world.

Published: Monday, June 23, 2025