My experience with the 2023 LITA 5-week program

My experience with LITA's 5 week program in the summer of 2023 was completely unforgettable. I had the privilege of getting invited by my friend to travel with her but most of my peers during the trip were solo travelers. My group got super close very quickly because of the vulnerable environment we were in but I would not have it any other way. During the 5 weeks we experienced so many different unique things from nature exploration to "scary" social situations and by seeing each other as a "family" in a new community, we all grew closer. We as students had a lot of autonomy but that just caused us to encourage one another to stay true to the LITA plan and improve in our Spanish and to branch out and make the most of the trip--especially the homestay experience. My Spanish improved significantly after being thrown into the “deep end” of complete immersion and the bonds that I made on the trip have lasted until today. Every travel program comes with its "cons" or hardships but I think the challenges I faced in this program were far outweighed by the pros. I would recommend the LITA program to anyone who was looking for an immersion opportunity and I am forever grateful for my experience with it.