LITA: A Unique Approach to Language Immersion in Spain

I was initially hesitant to send my 16-year-old daughter to Spain with a group of strangers, but it turned out to be an AMAZING EXPERIENCE for both of us! From the very beginning, I was impressed by the program director, who is deeply involved in recruiting the right group of students and parents. He clearly explained the goals and objectives of the program, which got my daughter excited about the opportunity.

The team did an excellent job addressing all of my concerns, and they provided daily updates on the group's whereabouts and activities, which was very reassuring. My daughter loved being in a rural setting, away from the typical tourist spots, and had a wonderful experience with her host family. She also formed close bonds with the other students and the group leaders.

Most importantly, her Spanish improved significantly, and she is now speaking with much more confidence. I highly recommend this program for students who are eager to study abroad in an immersive environment.

LITA offers an exceptional program that I wholeheartedly recommend for students seeking an authentic travel experience and an immersive Spanish language adventure. My daughter spent three weeks with LITA in southern Spain and, as a parent, I was impressed by the program’s organization and attention to detail. The group leaders accompanying my daughter were outstanding, providing excellent communication both before and during the trip.

The travel experiences were perfectly suited to her age group and included unique activities that we wouldn’t typically explore as a family, such as hiking to hidden swimming pools and learning to cook tapas. One of the program’s key features is its commitment to conducting all activities in Spanish—whether with peers, home-stay families, or locals. While this was a challenging aspect, it proved to be incredibly rewarding.

My daughter formed a close bond with her home-stay family, who took exceptional care of her, showing her around the beach and historic city nearby. The program also included regular group activities with other LITA students and their home-stay families, fostering a strong sense of community. A particularly memorable moment was experiencing the local excitement of Spain’s soccer victory in the European championships.

LITA excels in selecting the right students and matching them with suitable home-stay families, creating a meaningful and immersive experience. My daughter returned with enhanced Spanish skills, increased independence, and greater confidence in social situations. Participating in LITA was a transformative experience for her, and I highly recommend it for any student looking to grow both personally and linguistically.

Before my trip to Spain, I would say I was just a normal kid who said they took Spanish in school and didn't really wish to continue learning Spanish afterwards. I thought Spanish would be an easy class. And it was. Sooner or later, I discovered that learning Spanish would actually be a huge task, but it would be very rewarding. After all, I did know a lot of people who spoke it, and I have found myself in many situations where my lack of Spanish knowledge prevented me learning/communicating something important.
Well, one day, my Mom introduced me to LITA. "LITA?" "Who is she?" My Mom had been looking online for Spanish immersion programs and found this one. She wanted me to do it. At first, I was hesitant, but I realized that this experience would be beneficial for my growth in the language. I started taking Spanish lessons with an instructor from Europe and that helped me improve more, sort of as a warm up.
I chose the Southern 3-week one initially. But afterwards, I decided, "Hey, I'm doing this to improve my Spanish, right? Why not do five weeks?" So, I chose 5. This was during the end of my summer, so I had other camps before this. After the last one before LITA, I had one day to relax before I left for the JFK airport in New York. It flew by quickly, and so did I before I landed there the next day. I was really nervous. I was meeting all these new people, teenagers that shared the same goal as I did. We all wanted to learn Spanish and be able to communicate with another half a billion people.
During the first week, it was hard getting used to the constant Spanish use and the different culture, but things all worked out. I was too quick to compare myself to others in the first week, but I kept my goal, and during the rest of the trip, I had my head held high ready to learn as much as I could. My teachers (los monitores) were amazing! They were very supportive and ready to help us whenever we needed it. Before I knew it though, it was time to leave for the south of Spain, where we would stay with our homestay families for three weeks in the middle of our trip. My family was the best I could ever ask for. They fed me and supported me along the way, all while helping me improve my Spanish skills! In this city, we all had classes at an Academy where we would learn more about Spanish culture, history, and cuisine through visits throughout the community. We even went to the Alhambra, a fortress in Granada, for a day. Another fun event that occured here was that Spain won the 2024 European Football Championship; We all watched our TVs every time they beat a new country. We even had a Fourth of July party!
After we sadly had to leave our families, the group would still be together for one more week in Andalusia. We went on long hikes and city walks, exploring everything Southern Spain had to offer. But, the time came for us to leave. Saying goodbye to everyone at the JFK airport for the last time was the hardest part of this trip.
Then, the transformation from Spanish to English was a little difficult. I really was worried over not knowing how to speak Spanish with locals or that I was going to be the "worst one" out of the group, but while I was there, that didn't even matter. I had so much fun and learned so much that the many pros greatly overweighed the few cons. And all of my fellow students there were so nice! The LITA family that I spent time with was so nice and so supportive of me the whole time. My experience may not be like everyone else's, but I know that anyone here who wants to learn as much as they can, will. I wanted to have a Spanish-learning journey that I would never forget, and I did!

This summer I participated in the LITA 3 Week North program. It was an incredible experience and completely life-changing. The group had an extraordinary bond throughout our time, and the group leaders were perfect. They worked hard to ensure everyone's inclusion and emphasized the importance of immersion. They were always there as friends and extremely helpful. Every person involved with LITA, directly with the group or teaching us about the culture along the way, was extremely generous and ensured that we had the best experience possible. The program was most definitely challenging at many points, but everyone was understanding and wanted to make it a learning experience for us.

I loved this program so much, and I know that everyone else will too! Leading up to the program, all of the staff was super friendly and responsive, which was really great for someone who has never done a study abroad before. During the 3 weeks, I connected with people around the US who were able to speak in a whole different language, and I had the best host family ever. I really think that the pairings were magical for the towns that we went to and the families, because everything was astounding. I think that the program was really difficult in terms of just speaking Spanish, but once I got used to it, it was really fun to do! I felt as though the activities were all super fun while they were educational, like we got to do a cooking class which was super yummy and centered on Spanish cuisine. All in all, I would not trade this experience for anything, and I am so glad that I got to meet the people that I did on this trip.

The weeks I spent in Spain with the program were a life-changing experience. I learned more Spanish in three weeks than I did in an entire year of high school Spanish class. LITA's strict language requirement was challenging but helpful; reading entirely in Spanish and conversing with the other students was essential to achieving the level of growth that I did. The program was so well thought out, the level of care and attention to every day's activities was unparalleled. Our activities focused on cultural immersion as well as language immersion. Specifically, there is a focus on interacting with locals in the areas of rural Spain we visit. My homestay family was engaging and committed to my experience. I was able to experience so many unique things with them, including food, local museums and important sites, and their daily life. I have made so many connections with the group members and my host family, and I remain in contact with them.

I would definitely recommend this trip for someone who is passionate about learning the language beyond what they would learn in class, and would commit to the 100% Spanish requirement and take advantage of all of the unique cultural opportunities that come with the experience.

The summer program at LITA was great! My son learned more Spanish in a month than I thought was possible. After the program ended we went to Spain together and my son was able to talk perfectly with everyone there! I recommend this program to anyone who is 100% committed to learning Spanish and is looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

What makes LITA different from other programs is the fact that all students have to speak Spanish 100% of the time in Spain, even amongst each other. This helps them truly immerse themselves in the language and improve their skills immensely. It is also a program focused in rural areas in Spain as opposed to large, touristic cities, giving them a cultural immersion that no other program can provide. My son also made priceless connections with his fellow travelers, his host family, and the residents of his homestay town that made this experience incredible.

Overall this program is perfect for students who are extremely committed to learning Spanish and have a sense of adventure!

The three weeks I spent in Spain with this group were incredible! The first week of activities were thoughtfully planned out in a way that we could adjust to a new culture and country as well as bond within the group. The following two weeks with my homestay was one of my highlights. It was so fun to experience a new country and language in such an authentic way that I would not have been able to do on my own. Through trying new food, seeing historic sites, participating in local festivals, and meeting so many incredible people I was able to make the most of my time in Spain. The activities chosen were insightful and allowed me to have a more genuine experience, as they provided me with opportunities to connect with locals. In conclusion, this experience will stay with me for a long time, not just including all the memories and friends I made, but also the more confident person I became.