Sea Kayaking Programs in Western Europe

My 16 year old son loved this program in Granada. The staff did a great job from the application prcess through to the return. Arcos has two programs in Granada, Spain--one that is a traditional language immersion program and one focused on outdoor exploration. My son chose the outdoor program ad he loved learning about Granada by hiking and biking in the Sierra Nevada, swimming in waterfalls and exploring caves. Granada is a safe city that allows teens to feel independent in a fun enviornment. I highly recommend this program!

ARCOS did a great job! I had a great time! My host mom was really kind and had the best cooking, and the program directors were enthusiatic and really fun to be around! I would definitely recommend this experience to any of my friends. It helped me improve my Spanish and make friends around the world!

As the parent of high school students who have traveled with Global Works as well as another group, I would highly recommend Global Works Study. From the first encounter, asking questions, getting information, navigating the process, etc. it was all simple and detailed. I was able to ask questions and get responses quickly and accurately. Once my son was on the trip, updates were frequent and were written by the students, with photos attached! Flights were easy to book and the group leaders were easy to find at the meeting airport location. Loved that the group leader called us before the trip to introduce herself and ask if we had any questions. My son's (16 years old, going into Junior year of high school) said his favorite part was the homestay...made friends for life!

My Global Works trip was a life changing experience. I went on the Spain Language and Leadership trip. The three week trip was amazing. We formed friendships and learned how to better our global community. Our trip started in Madrid and ended in Barcelona. In between, we visited medieval castles in Segovia and kayaked in Sebucor. We worked on an organic farm in Almuyeas and learned the importance of growing produce with no pesticides, better for the environment and us! We also learned how to make bread, a fun process with a delicious end result. Next we went to the Valencia and learned about how rice patties had destroyed a natural biome of the wetlands. We saw first hand the pollution of the wetlands but did our share to clean up the trash in the water. It may not sound so, but we also had fun. We rewarded ourselves with a dip in the beautiful ocean, which was warm and the color of blue beach glass. The next day, we made traditional Valenciano paella and took a Flamenco dance class. Our trip ended in the beautiful city of Barcelona. We had the amazing opportunity to see a live Flamenco show, which was awesome, especially after having taken a class a few days earlier. The next day we visited the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's masterpiece, which has been under construction for 128 years, and still not finished. It was stunning and the stained glass windows that reflected color into the Cathedral itself were my favorite part. Between discovering Spain and its incredible culture and food, practicing and improving my Spanish, and meeting new people and making incredible friends, this trip was an experience of a lifetime, one I will cherish and remember forever. I loved my counselors and thought they were great trip leaders, keeping us engaged, informed, immersed in Spanish language and always amused. My group was fantastic and there were lots of hugs and tears at the airport. I can’t wait for my next Global Works trip!

Naturally, I was really scared to go out of the country for 3 weeks without my family. And it felt unreal that I was traveling across the world as I was getting on the plane, but the whole group clicked immediately and I already felt at home. As you adventure throughout Spain and see cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Segovia, and Sebulcor, you get to know the Spanish language and culture. On top of sightseeing, you get to participate in fun activities, like kayaking, swimming at beaches, hiking, and bike riding throughout the cities. You also earn 40 hours of community service, as you work on wildlife and environmental preservation, wetlands, and living in a sustainable community. Although it's hard to narrow it down to just one, one of my favorite memories from the Spain was when we went on a hike after working at a children's camp for the morning. It was hot and we were all tired at first, but when we got to the top, which overlooked a pretty, blue lake, we realized every moment was worth it. We swam around and ended up discovering a cave which we climbed into and cooled off, as the most beautiful waterfall rained over us.