Middle School
Spain Itinerary
Spring Break 2015
Global Journeys
LANGUAGE + CULTURAL IMMERSION PROGRAMS
Spain: Reading the Mediterranean Cities—Urban, Historical and Current Developments and Challenges
Improve and practice your Spanish with Avenues peers and teachers while discovering the Mediterranean cities in Spain.
This program will visit different urban environments (Madrid, Valencia and Toledo) honing in on both the historical
aspects and the current challenges faced by the cities and their residents. Travel to Valencia to catch the last few days
of Las Fallas, a unique Spanish festival. The program will settle in a suburb of Valencia where, for a week, students will
be locals, not tourists, as they take language classes in the morning and live with Spanish families as residents of the
community.
All activities will in both Spanish and English, depending on the language ability of the students.
Dates
March 14–27 2015
Location
Spain (Madrid, Toledo and Valencia)
Cost
$3500 plus international airfare
Eligibility
Open to students currently enrolled in grades seven and eight. Students must be taking Spanish
at Avenues to participate.
Pre/Post Sessions
Students are required to attend meetings with Avenues instructors before and after the
international experience.
Day 1
Saturday
March 14
Travel from New York
to Madrid
Meet at Avenues and travel to the airport for an evening flight
to Madrid.
Days 2 – 4
Sunday – Tuesday
March 15 – 17
Madrid Orientation and
Urbanism Program
Spend the first few days of the program exploring Madrid with the
guidance of a local leader. This orientation will introduce you to Spanish
culture and give you the opportunity to start practicing your language
skills. The urbanism theme provides insight into the city that became the
capital of the Spanish Empire in the 17th century.
Madrid hotel
Activities include:
• Introduction to Spanish culture and Spanish language lessons
• Interactive workshops on urban development where students
implement “learning challenges” while visiting sites around the city
• A scavenger hunt to discover the city, practice Spanish and interact
with local people.
• Visit to Madrid de los Austrias, the old center of Madrid, and the
Royal Palace
• Explore Lavapies, a medieval Jewish neighborhood that later became
home to a modest industrial working class and today is a symbol
of a multicultural society and an urban laboratory for grassroots
organizations
• Participate in an urbanism project with a local organization
(Hub Madrid or Medialab Prado)
Day 5
Wednesday
March 18
Excursion to Toledo
Travel 70 km south of Madrid to explore this World Heritage site known
for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage. Otherwise called the
“City of the Three Cultures,” Toledo is also known for the historical
co-existence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures. With the guidance
of your local leader, examine proposed solutions to local urban chal­
lenges the city faces.
Travel to Valencia
Take the train from Madrid to Valencia, one of the capitals of trade and
agriculture in the Mediterranean. Arrive in Valencia on the last day of Las
Fallas, a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph
and one of Spain’s most unique festivals.
Madrid hotel
Day 6
Thursday
March 19
Valencia River Hostel
After a paella lunch, explore the fallas—cardboard and paper mache artistic monuments (floats) created according to the year’s theme—and see
the final ceremony where the fallas are burnt in the city center.
Our local partner in Valencia operates the centrally located River Hostel. Students will be
in private rooms, separated by gender. For more information, please see
www.riverhostelvalencia.com.
Day 7
Friday
March 20
Aldaia: Homestay,
Language Lessons,
School Connection
Homestays
begin
Start the day off with a Spanish lesson and spend the morning visiting
some of Valencia’s historical sites such as the Cathedral, El Miguelete,
Puerta de Serranos, Lonja de la Seda and Mercado Central.
In the afternoon, travel to Aldaia, a suburb of Valencia, which will be
home for the remainder of the program. Upon arrival, meet the homestay
families at a homestay welcome party.
Our partner in Valencia carefully selects the homestay families in collaboration with our
partner school. The school recommends families, who then go through a selection and interview process with our partner. Most families have hosted foreign students before. All
families receive training from our local partner at which they are briefed on the Avenues
program and group. ​There is always a local leader with the group and in permanent
communication with the families. Families will provide room and board and take care of
the students’ everyday needs.
Day 8
Saturday
March 21
Language Class and
Outdoor Activity
Start the day with a language class, then spend the afternoon participating in an outdoor activity with the group and your homestay siblings.
Day 9
Sunday
March 22
Homestay Family Day
This is your day to live like a local and do what your host family does on
this day.
Days 10 – 12
Monday – Wednesday
March 23 – 25
School Connection
The mornings will be spent going to the IES Salvador Gadea school
(http://iessalvadorgadea.edu.gva.es) with your host siblings. Upon arrival
at the school, the group will meet for Spanish language classes and
experience life in a typical Spanish school. The afternoons will be spent
participating in activities with the host siblings.
Last homestays
night is
Wednesday
Day 13
Thursday
March 26
On Wednesday evening, Avenues will host a farewell party for the
homestay families.
Travel to Madrid
Madrid hotel
Day 14
Friday
March 27
Say goodbye to your homestay families and travel back to Madrid.
Spend the afternoon reflecting on your experience, discussing how you
are going to share your stories with friends and family back home and
working on your final presentations.
End the day with a group farewell dinner.
Travel from Madrid to
New York
This itinerary is preliminary and is subject to change based on group interest,
opportunities to engage in local cultural events, health and safety concerns,
and/or other factors beyond the control of Avenues.
Wake up and travel to the airport for your flight back to New York.
Arrive in the afternoon; return together to Avenues to be picked up or
travel home on your own.