SPI High School Spanish Immersion & Cultural Leadership in Spain

My experience with SPI Study Abroad in San Sebastián, Spain was incredible. It has made me who I am today. I use to be very shy and wouldn't open up much around new people. While in Spain that totally changed. I made so many amazing friends that I am still in contact with today. I loved it so much I'm going back this summer, and this time with my best friend! Now I am very outgoing and I rarely ever get shy or nervous around new people! My abilities with the language has also grown, and my love for it also!

This past summer, I went to Spain with a vague idea of what my experience would be like, and by the end of the trip, my mind had been blown. The people you meet, places you see, and the strengthening of your skills in the Spanish language are amazing, and I know that for all the people I met through the program and I, will never forget these amazing memories. This program changed my life forever, and the bonds that you make and keep with people from all over the world is amazing. If you are unsure whether the price and time away from home and free WiFi is worth it, I can promise you that it totally is.

SPI Study Abroad program is second to none! Language immersion, cultural exposure, and diversity of local events made for a fantastic experience for the students as well as teacher travelers! I highly recommend SPI to all students and teachers that are interested in summer study abroad programs.

The trip to San Sebastian was incredible. First off, San Sebastian is absolutely stunning. I've traveled extensively and this city is a jewel in Europe. It's also the perfect size for a high school study abroad program. It's small but there's tons to do and the city is compact. It's safe and clean too.
This was my third trip with SPI Abroad as a teacher traveler. I went to Santander and Costa Rica as well. The families were very caring and well-screened. They really did want to help the kids learn the language. The teachers at the language school kept the learning relevant, interactive, and fun. The extracurricular activities were engaging. Several of my students are going back because they said the trip was "life-changing", I enjoyed seeing the students become more self-aware, independent.
As a mother and an educator, I feel very comfortable promoting this program.

A typical day during the SPI Spain, San Sebastian program for me and my roommates began with our homestay Maria serving us our breakfast., almost always containing the extraordinary marmalade of Spain. Then, we would gather our notebooks and other belongings and make the short walk to school. Since the school was only two or three blocks away from our apartment, sometimes we would have enough time to drop in the cafe next door to Tandem and grab a quick cafe con leche. At school, we would briefly review known vocabulary or watch a cooking show and pick out the terms we had reviewed. On top of vocabulary, we also were taught many cultural distinctions of the area and regional slang and dialect that we might encounter on the streets of San Sebastian. After school, we would either return to our homestay to eat lunch, or we would carry our sack lunches to the beach and have a picnic on the beach. For the next couple of hours, we would either swim in the ocean or shop around town or hang out with our new friends. At around 4 o'clock we would meet as a whole program group in a park to gather before starting the afternoon activities. These included activities from surfing to climbing Monte Urgull or Monte Igueldo to cooking classes to tours of the city to excursions to surrounding communities--all of which were extremely fun and memorable. After our activities we would usually return to our apartments for dinners and showers. On Thursday nights, our homestay would take us to a local restaurant for Pintxo Pote, a night dedicated to price specials in our neighborhood (Gros) on an incredible cuisine of the Basque region--pintxos. After dinner, we would sometimes meet up with our classmates for a trip to a gelateria or pastry shop for dessert, and we would often spend time on the beach at night playing games and talking or strolling down the Boulevard and conversing with local teenagers about life in San Sebastian until our curfew--which, coinciding with Spanish culture, was considerably late--was drawing near. That night, our homestay would make sure we were comfortable and happy, ask about our day, and collect our laundry. Then, the cycle would start over, and the next exciting day would begin!

My favorite parts of the trip were not only the amazing sights we saw and activities that we did but also the experience and friends that will last a lifetime. Of course, I will always love the views from Monte Igueldo and the adrenaline rush from standing on a surfboard for the first time, but with help from SPI, I now have lifelong friends from across the country that I can count on and visit for years to come! My finesse as a Spanish speaker increased dramatically after my study abroad program. The lessons in school certainly nurtured my abilities, but everyday life in a rich culture developed my Spanish equally if not more. Simple, impromptu conversations with my homestay, my guides, or even the gelateria employees assisted in my full understanding and love of the Spanish language. Before my program, Spanish was just another class that I had to take in my packed high school curriculum, but now I see it as a living language and culture that is more interested than ever before. SPI has allowed me to see the true greatness of the Spanish language through my program in San Sebastian, and those three weeks in Spain are sure to maintain the title of my favorite trip for a very long time.

When I first got to my home stay I was extremely nervous. What had I done! I was now stuck in a foreign country with little confidence in using the language. Looking back, I realize that although my fears were valid, I had nothing to worry about.
The program is extremely organized. After meeting my home stay, attending the first day of school, and walking around San Sebastián everything fell into place. The town is rich with Spanish culture from unique shops in La Parte Vieja to an amazing display of cuisine, from pinxtos to fresh seafood to decadent desserts.
If you love the Spanish language and want to expand your skills and experience the language's homeland, this is the trip for you.

San Sebastian, Spain was one of the best times of my life. I made new friends and memories I will never forget! It not only helped me grow as a person but also as a spanish speaker! I will never forget this amazing trip!

Going to San Sebastian was an awesome idea. I bonded with my friends from school and made new friends. Being able to speak the language and experience the culture helped me improve my Spanish because my homestay did not speak any English at all. It is such a great and safe beach town in Spain, and the directors are really friendly. The classes and teachers are great. There is so much to do in San Sebastian that my two weeks in Spain was the best week of my life. I would do anything to go back.