LITA: A Unique Approach to Language Immersion in Spain

During my time traveling through the north of Spain with LITA, I was exposed to cultures and customs far more intricate and personal than could be taught in any classroom setting. My travels with LITA began in a striking rural home/inn located in a northern province of Spain. For the first week, my fellow group members and I got to know each other through very intentional activities and daily excursions, including hikes, meals, music concerts, visiting landmarks, and more. The people I met during this initial period of my time in Spain, have stuck with me ever since. Each person that our group organizer/head of program planned for us to meet, was incredibly hospitable and welcoming. Additionally, being in a rural part of Spain introduced me to lifestyles and traditions very different from my own and was extremely eye-opening and informative, while also being very engaging. During the next three weeks of LITA, I was welcomed, with thoughtfulness, into the host community where I stayed. During this portion of the trip, I participated in many excursions with my incredibly kind host family, and was exposed to true Spanish culture in many different ways, including taking a daily siesta with my host sister, and enjoying mid-day family time. I was able to visit many well known Spanish cities, and go on local adventures through the daily classes the program offered. Most importantly though, I have kept in contact with my host family since the program ended, and plan to continue doing so, as they have become a great presence in my life. The final week of LITA was filled with adventure, including a two day hike, and exploring cities, while continuing to meet friends of the head of our program, who were all very talented and gracious people. LITA provided me with an experience that will forever be a highlight of my life, as I grew in my ability to speak Spanish while having a great time. I was also able to see the dedication of each group leader, monitor, and member, who created a thoroughly curated program and provided support and resources to ensure each student had the best possible experience. Thank you LITA!

LITA is a program unlike any other I’ve seen or heard about. Their focus on full immersion in the Spanish language, combined with an enjoyable and safe environment, left me feeling that I had truly experienced authentic Spanish culture. Some of my friends and classmates participated in other immersion programs, and they said that the lack of immersion and the frequent use of English kept them from fully engaging with the language and culture. I highly recommend LITA for anyone who wants to be fully immersed in Spanish culture through fun, interactive activities while building meaningful connections with host communities and fellow participants.

I loved being a part of LITA, and I'm so glad I did it. It drastically improved my Spanish, and I really bonded with my host parents and younger sister. I think there are two main things that set LITA apart from other Spanish immersion programs. First, I'd like to highlight LITA's absolute commitment to its "no English" rule. Everything was in Spanish—even casual conversations with other LITA students. This was occasionally enforced by counselors, but for the most part, all the students followed it on their own because of the program's culture. The previous summer, I did a Spanish immersion program in Costa Rica, which was fun and improved my Spanish to some degree, but it was still mostly in English. I'm under the impression that LITA is the only (or one of the only) Spanish immersion programs with true immersion. The second important thing that sets LITA apart is the host families. When I did the program in Costa Rica, my host mother was a very nice older lady who cooked for us but didn’t really bond or talk with us much. With LITA, I became very close and connected to my host family. They included me in all their meals and activities and truly welcomed me into their family. I know I’m going to stay in touch with them. Overall, LITA was an amazing experience I’d recommend to any dedicated student who wants to learn Spanish and create a lifelong connection with a Spanish family.