WHY DO WE TRAVEL?Everyone travels for different reasons. Being that this is a university sponsored program, the students will receive credit for the courses they are taking. However, that could happen back at home and for less money. I like to think that they are looking for a lot more than that. They want to learn more about Spanish culture; better their knowledge of the Spanish language; interact with individuals different from themselves; experience new places and things; eat foods they can't pronounce; get outside of their comfort zone; get lost for a little while; and ultimately, to learn more about who they are. Who they are on day one will be different than who they are at the end of the program, and that's a really awesome thing to see.
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What cities will you visit and why?We will visit a lot of the central part of Spain, with time spent in some large cities like Madrid, Toledo, Salamanca, and Ávila, as well as smaller cities such as San Ildefonso de La Granja, Coca, Pedraza, and Turégano. The most cosmopolitan and possibly well known city we will visit is Barcelona. The goals of the program are language acquisition and cultural exposure. We spend the bare minimum time required in the classroom to receive credit because all their cultural exposure will happen while living with local families and being a part of what's happening around them. My goals for the students on this trip are not just to learn the language and enjoy being in Spain, but to interact with as many cultural elements as possible and to feel comfortable while respectfully traveling and interacting with the world around them.
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Where is Segovia? |
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Segovia is northwest of Madrid by about 75 minutes. It is the capital city of the province of Segovia. Only 155,000 people live in the province, with about 53,000 living in the city of Segovia. It's about the size of Delaware. It's located near the base of the Sierra Guadarrama, which is the mountain range that separates it from Madrid. Due to it's proximity to Madrid and the advent of the high-speed train called "El AVE," people are now able to live in the town of Segovia and work in Madrid since the train can get you there in about 20 minutes.
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