Valencia 2012

I enjoyed the program so much that I have since returned to Valencia to visit the city as well as the program staff (Isa and Jose). The first time I was there, I studied with a group from my university and we had a terrific time. We were able to explore Valencia on our own and really experience the Valencian/Spanish culture first hand. Of course Isa and Jose helped out if we had any questions about what to see or do. They also set up weekly excursions for us that ranged from cultural museums to kayaking in the mountains and sailing in the Mediterranean.

From and academic stand point I learned more than I thought I ever could in only 5 weeks. The teachers did a great job of integrating our daily experiences into the class curriculum. For example, when we took a trip to the central market, we were able to experience something completely new (no markets like that in the USA) and were able to learn many new vocabulary words. After a weekend trip to Madrid and Toledo, sponsored by the program, we learned the different verb tenses to use in discussing the trip we just took. The classroom setting was inviting and fun, and we were able to learn from the teacher as well as each other.