Pre College Enrichment Excel Madrid/Barcelona
Description
Get to know modern Spain through the complementary lenses of its two largest cities: Madrid, the stately hub, and Barcelona, the cosmopolitan port on this summer program in Spain for high school students. Choose from fun, field-based seminars to improve your Spanish skills, build a photography portfolio, or learn about dynamic Spanish artists such as Goya, Dalí, and Picasso. Spend a weekend in the Pyrenées and take days trips to Segovia, Toledo, and the Mediterranean coast.
Spain is one of the most visited countries in the world, but the tourist’s eye rarely takes in the Spain that exists outside of the sun-soaked beaches, paella, and bullfights of popular imagination. Join us for a fun and unique insider’s engagement with this country, and broaden your horizons as you prepare for college with in-depth, field-based seminars. Whether you are an intermediate or advanced Spanish speaker looking to improve your speaking and comprehension, an intrepid explorer eager to sample new flavors in food and music, or an international art buff fascinated by the dazzling virtuosity of famous Spanish painters like El Greco and Dalí—get ready to spend your days discovering the hidden wonders of the Iberian peninsula through your exciting seminars and electives.
Madrid: Located in the geographical center of Spain, high on the meseta beneath the backdrop of the craggy Guadarrama mountain range, Madrid has long been a social and creative hub, the nerve center that ties together Spain’s diverse regional communities. With a cultural heritage that ranges from the stately 18th century Royal Palace to what some would call its modern equivalent, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium, there are plenty of places to explore. At night the city is alive with tapas restaurants, the sound of guitars from flamenco tabernas, and the bright lights of theatre and movie house marquees. While here, we live in double rooms in the Colegio Mayor Chaminade, part of the Ciudad Universitaria, a short metro ride from the bustling Puerta del Sol, and the Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen museums.
The Pyrenées: From Madrid, we travel by private bus to the Pyrenées and stay for two days in the miraculously preserved medieval village of Castellar de N’Hug. Castellar provides a refreshing break from city life and an abundance of opportunities to interact with local people, whether it be on the cobblestone streets, in the corner cafés, or on the town soccer field. Experienced guides lead us in a variety of activities ranging from aqua-trekking to traditional cooking and beginner-level spelunking.
Barcelona: Europe’s largest city on the Mediterranean is a cosmopolitan gem. With a distinct regional character, Barcelona is known for its unique blend of pragmatism, style, flair, and civic-mindedness. Starting on the beach boardwalks of the Barceloneta, walk the narrow, lantern-lined streets of the Barrio Gótico, through the brilliant colors and riotous noises of the flower and bird kiosks on the pedestrian Ramblas. Then sit and enjoy a traditional pan amb tumaquets breakfast in front of the undulating, shimmering facade of Gaudí’s Battló House. The Picasso Museum, the recently opened Museum of Modern Art, Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia cathedral, and the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic all serve as invigorating city classrooms. As in Madrid, we stay in double rooms in a private residence hall near the center of the city.
Afternoons and weekends: Afternoon activities may include basketball at the Colegio Mayor with new Spanish friends, a trip to the Fundación Miró in Barcelona, a search for the most decadent chocolate y churros at a local chocolatería, or a frisbee game on the beach in Barcelona. The entire group gathers for a daily community meeting before dinner. After dinner, venture out again in the company of your instructors to see flamenco shows, classical guitar concerts, or movies, or enjoy your fellow students’ and leaders’ performances at an in-house coffeehouse.
Throughout the month, weekend excursions give you the opportunity to visit an even greater range of Spain’s vital historic and cultural landmarks. While day-trips vary from year to year, excursions may include marveling at the architectural wonders of Toledo and Segovia, hiking in the Sierra Guadarrama, riding on a cog railway through the Val de Nuria, and visiting the surreal Salvador Dalí’s museum in Figueres.
Final Presentation: Finally, a culminating series of final night presentations—photography exhibits, skits performed in Spanish, readings, architectural tours and more—showcase to your fellow students the best of what you have learned in your seminars.