Spanish Gap Year

My daughter had a blast during her time with the hybrid Spain by Train and Future Leaders program! Extra language classes helped her deepen her Spanish skills, she saw so much of beautiful Spain and got exposed to its culture with hands-on activities. Her internship in Sustainability research & communication was hand-selected and incredibly helpful for her to crystallize a potential career direction. The Entrepreneurship program was a very effective introduction into the world of business and leadership. Arantxa is a gem and the team responsive, super friendly, and always helpful! Loved our experience with them and this amazing program.

Our son found the Future Leaders Program when he decided to take a gap semester after his first semester of college. Spanish Gap Year checked all the boxes we were looking for, offering an experience that had both the cultural component and the structure from which to keep building on the skills he was learning in college. Future Leaders offered the chance to continue learning challenging subjects (Spanish and business concepts), exposed him to two different cities, and also had independent dorm living in the second half so he could continue the independence he started in college. The program staff were incredible. Overall, the program exceeded our expectations and we would recommend it to anyone!

We were hesitant about sending our daughter so far away to "reset" herself. High school wasn't a successful four years and we desperately something for her to believe in her abilities again. Wow....did this program do that! The closeness of the group and support from the organization turned our daughter around. She loved the adventure and thrived both personally and professionally. The communication from the team was super. I reached out whenever I needed anything, and they were quick to respond. Who won't regret this adventure for your child or yourself.

Spanish Gap Year: Our son, who is a junior at a large east coast US university, decided to take a GAP semester to gain life and real-world work experience. After meeting with a consultant at Gap Year Solutions, he was able to learn about a number of different GAP options in different countries. After careful deliberation, he chose The Spanish Gap Year Future Leaders Entrepreneurship program. He had an amazing experience with this program and gained more self-confidence, especially by navigating through a foreign country. He really loved the Spanish culture, and totally benefited from the entrepreneurial activities/projects and mentoring offered by the Program. I visited him in Barcelona, and I was really impressed with the housing (clean, safe, and excellent amenities). He spoke very highly he quality of work given to him at his internship (Lean Mail) and really liked his boss. The Program's mentors and group activities were also top-notch (fun and enriching). He now feels inspired to return to school with renewed enthusiasm and has very valuable experience to put on his resume, not to mention wonderful memories! https://spanishgapyear.com/future-leaders/

My main goal going into this program was to improve my Spanish, and I was definitely successful with that, however you have to be intentional in ensuring that you are placed in a Spanish speaking internship, take advantage of extra Spanish classes, etc. Sagri and Maryam were very helpful, kind, and proactive, however the program’s instructions could be unclear at times. I personally had a fantastic time, but I think that you have to be self-driven to get the most out of it. Spain is a beautiful country, and it was a pleasure to spend 3 months here. The program has definitely opened my eyes to a new culture, and provided a good environment to grow as a person.

I had an awesome experience with this program. The month in Madrid was amazing and it was neat to go live in Barcelona. The only issue is that there are not nearly as many program activities in Barcelona as there are in Madrid. The fullest enjoyment of this program requires someone very self motivated.

I participated in Spanish Gap Year's Future Leaders program in the fall of 2024 and I had the most amazing experience. We started out in Madrid for the first 4 weeks and stayed with a host family. While in Madrid we took Spanish classes at Tandem. Tandem is so amazing and I had the absolute best time there. For the last 8 weeks we stayed in Barcelona and had internships. Barcelona is so beautiful and fun to explore so there was never a dull moment. If I could, I would do this program all over again.

Spanish Gap Year was an amazing program and experience. The mix of travel, home stays, and cultural immersion was the perfect balance. The hostels were great for learning how to co-live with others and budget for food. Cooking and food was an amazing aspect. Train travel was nothing like I’ve experienced and I love the adventure. I have met some of my closest friends on this trip. Arantxa and Sagri are both wonderful and make the program an incredible experience for gap students. I learned a lot about Spanish history, culture, art, and myself as a student through experiential learning.

From attending Spanish class in a beautiful old building with stained glass to pitching to a panel of investors on the 25th floor of amazing building in Barcelona, this program covered all the bases. We had the freedom to explore Madrid and Barcelona and find our favorite cafes and corner restaurants but were still kept busy with morning internships and afternoon entrepreneurship classes. I felt really supported by our mentors who are all extremely knowledgeable and always ready to lend a hand. Arantxa, the program manager, personally checked in on all of us constantly and made sure everything was going well. It was comforting to have such support while being in such a flexible program with time for whatever adventures we came up with. I loved this program and am sad to leave my new friends and Barcelona.

May 24, 2024 Taking a gap year in Spain before starting college was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The program was incredibly well-organized, offering a perfect blend of adventure, cultural immersion, and personal growth. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed by a diverse group of fellow students and travelers that I became really good friends with. Together, we explored spanish cities, had delicious Spanish cuisine, and participated in a variety of activities that ranged from hiking to going bike riding through Camino. The host families was a great experience which not only helped my language skills but understanding on the true Spanish culture. The program leaders always made me feel supported throughout this whole process. The most unfamiliar fish I had was called Arroz negro. Pros Host families Program leaders Location Cons Group pairing Strict rules Excessive amount of group reflection session

The Spanish classes alone provided a ton of hands on learning. However, the entrepreneurship and internship portions are what provided a level of experience that has changed my life. With the internship portion you are given the opportunity to explore a field of your interests while making connections within the field and learning real business and work skills. The entrepreneurial portion provided invaluable experience where one can create and chase their ideas while working with mentors who have real credible experience. The skills of forming, creating, and pitching an idea as a real world entrepreneur is invaluable. You will learn public speaking, networking, how to ask for help, what works and what doesn’t with business, and a million other practical real world skills.

The Spanish Gap Year staff is incredibly diligent, knowledgeable and caring, and this combination fosters an incredible environment to explore future career opportunities alongside a group of peers while immersing yourself in a new country. The program balances busy days that bring together Spanish language, entrepreneurship and individualized internships with plenty of independence to explore the cities you live in as well as the rest of Spain and even other parts of Europe if you choose! The support from program leaders in helping me fulfill my individual goals for the experience was truly one of a kind and I learned so much during 3 months, both in the classroom and in terms of maturity and independence from living in foreign cities. I would 100% recommend this program to anyone who has ambitious future goals, wants to expand their worldview, and is looking for a tight-knit group of peers to explore with!

My son participated in the Future Leaders’ program and it was a great experience. I loved how the program started out in Madrid with a host family followed by two months in Barcelona where he lived in his own room, a great transition towards independence. The program is very well structured and run super professionally - as the program is new we didn’t really know what to expect but we were impressed by the dedication and organization of both teachers, classes, internships & mentors.