The Program

We begin with a two-day tour of Segovia and Toledo, where we will give students an introduction to Spanish history and culture, and an orientation to practical aspects of living in Spain. The heart and soul of the academic program –as always- will be the classes at Los Geranios school and the home stay experience in Dos Hermanas, Seville. The program will end with a two-day visit to Madrid, Spain’s exciting capital city.

Main features of this program:
· Live in a Spanish home and adapt to their life.
· Get to know Spanish teens and make new friends.
· Three hours of Spanish language instruction at Los Geranios, a language school.
· Visits to Escorial, Granada, Cadiz, Huelva, Cordoba and Ronda.
· Afternoon activities such as visits to historic sites in Seville, beach days, flamenco dancing, Spanish tapas and traditional dishes.

This academic program is designed for students with a language base of Spanish 2 or higher, who are committed to developing their Spanish language skills. One-on-one tutoring is also available.

TENNIS CLASSES AVAILABLE. Click here for details.

Group I June 16 – July 10
Group II July 6 – July 30

Dos Hermanas – Los Geranios School

“The Dos”
Ideally located a few metro stops away from the historical center of Seville, Dos Hermanas, fondly nicknamed “The Dos” by our students, is the geographical heart of this program. Its recent growth has not diminished its small-town flavor and attraction. Full of young people, Dos Hermanas has a vibrant social life, which has allowed our students to make many friends.

Los Geranios
Los Geranios is a private language school in the city of Dos Hermanas. Miguel Becerra and Macarena Alonso have directed this school for over 25 years with deep roots in Dos Hermanas. The role of Los Geranios in this community is key to the selection of Spanish home for this program. As well, its central location in the charming heart of the town makes it an ideal site for the classes. Upon arrival, our students are tested for placement and grouped by levels of proficiency. Students have 3 hours of classes each weekday, from 9:30am to 12:30pm. The Spanish classes are designed to develop students’ vocabulary, applied grammatical skills, and knowledge of the history and culture of Spain. The classes also provide students the opportunity to ask questions about phrases they have heard in their conversations with their host family, or other Spanish friends.

Home Stay

Spanish Hosts are drawn from the language school communities. For almost all our students, the relationships they develop with the people of Spain are what they value the most about this program. At the top of their list are their Spanish host and the other Spanish friends that they make. Los Geranios selects Spanish hosts that are interested in getting to know our students, and incorporating them into their daily life. Many of them have hosted our students in previous years, and are within walking distance of the school. Students should expect to eat all their meals with their hosts; we have found this to be the key to developing a relationship with them. Whether it’s the Spanish hosts, their friends, or the young people they meet the primary goal for students in this program is to get to know the people of Spain.

Daily Routine

Students start the day with a light breakfast of usually juice, coffee, toast or fruit. The classes at Los Geranios begin at 9:30am. There are four, 40 minute classes per day, with a 20 minute break between the second and third classes. Classes end at 12:30pm. Lunch is the main meal of the day, usually starting at 2:00pm. Afternoon siestas are common, and some students become enthusiastic practitioners. Afternoon activities usually start around 5:00pm. These activities will usually finish by 8:00pm. Suppertime varies, often starting when the sun goes down, which is around 10:00pm. In all cases, we expect our students to adapt to the norms of the Spanish host.

Activities

Activities take place in the afternoons, and are designed to expose students to a wide variety of typical features of Spanish culture and customs. On some afternoons there will be visits to places of interest in Seville, or to wonderful sites nearby. We will climb up castle walls for a sentry’s view, walk down into caves to see prehistoric paintings that are 25,000 years old, and stand in the sands of a Roman amphitheatre and imagine what it felt like to stand, sword in hand, ready for gladiatorial combat. In between we will learn to prepare some Spanish tapas (and eat them!), make some flamenco moves, and hang out with our Spanish friends.