Athena

Program Reviews

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Chloe
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life changing

Being able to participate in the Athena program was a life-changing experience. I found a whole new world and in that world a whole new community along with friends and family. From the first day of meeting my family and being nervous to see what they would look like how they would react; to the last day of unstoppable crying having to leave them. The program not only provided growth towards my education, but it provided growth towards my independence, emotional growth, and overall person growth.

What was your funniest moment?
When our surf instructor called me crazy for trying all the tricks he was showing us, for example surfing on his head. I tried many times and failed many as well, but had a good amount of laughs doing it.
Pros
  • Balanced schedule
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Stacy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Happy Parent

My son August joined the Athena program last summer and spent a month in Spain. He loved his host family, and made many new friends. He particularly enjoyed traveling to different cities and experiencing new foods while becoming immersed in the culture. He went in with a knowledge of Spanish but came out being much more fluent. I know he also enjoyed going to the elderly home to play bingo with them. I can see how it has helped him mature. I am hoping to send my two younger daughters on this program when they are old enough.

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Karen
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Conil

Every aspect of this experience was fantastic. The host family was caring, fun, educational, warm and welcoming. The instructors were smart, informative, flexible, and fun. The organization was meticulous, and communication with parents throughout was very good. The experience broadened students' understanding not just of the Spanish language and its varieties, but of culture, history and geography too. Highly recommend.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
The experiences of food were so fantastic because everything was so fresh, delicious, reasonably priced, and tasty. The cooking class was really fun and gave real skills that I could bring home with me.
Pros
  • Fell in love with the Spanish language and Spanish culture
  • Had a wonderful experience with another family
  • Saw fantastic places and gained a lot of independence
Cons
  • I now miss everything about my experience in Spain
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Gail
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Lots of language learning and lots of independence

Athena is a great program for a teen who likes their independence. It is a great program in a safe town where the weather doesn't get too hot in the summer. The kids have a lot of freedom since it is a really safe place where they can wander and be independent. Our teen learned a lot of Spanish and had a really relaxing summer.

The town is quite small so the kids could just hang out at the beach in the afternoon and be super chill. It is a great program for a kid who wants to learn but also wants to relax. Perfect combo of learning and relaxation.

What was your funniest moment?
Surfing was great!
Pros
  • Safe
  • Independent
  • Language Learning
Cons
  • It is a small town which is great but some people prefer cities.
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Henry
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Had a ton of fun!

Conil was awesome. The family I stayed with was wonderful. Everyone is super friendly and the food is great. Conil is very hot in the summer so going to the beach often is smart. The morning classes were useful and they didn’t get in the way of having fun. There were many exciting activities such as surfing, cooking, and volunteering. I really enjoyed exploring the cities we took trips to. These included Gibraltar, Cadiz, Sevilla, and Cordoba. Overall I had a great time and I learned a lot. I would definitely recommend this experience to others.

Pros
  • Made a lot of new friends.
  • Explored many cities across the south of Spain
Cons
  • Very hot.
  • Lots of walking through cities and in Conil
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Stella
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Athena in Spain

I had so much fun doing this program!! I made really good friends and the staff were very supportive. I also had a great host family and had many opportunities everyday to practice my Spanish. The activities we did in the program were my favorite part, especially the ones where we would take day trips. I loved getting to see many different areas, like Seville and Gibraltar. Something else that I really enjoyed was all of the free time we were given to spend time with friends. I would definitely recommend the program to any high schoolers studying Spanish!

Pros
  • Learn Spanish
  • Host Family
  • Spend time at the beach
Cons
  • Host families food sometimes
  • Some people in group did not have an open mind
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David
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Athena Spain Program

Traveling to Spain is fun, of course, but living with a Spaniard family in a small town is an incredibly unique and immersive experience that is truly once in a lifetime. In this program, you can spend your time with your family as well as the other members, so you truly choose how much you want to immerse yourself in the Spanish culture and force yourself to practice your Spanish as well as have a good time with other kids your age. If you do this program, you should be comfortable with or expect to live in a small town where you walk everywhere and spend a lot of time outside. Enthusiastic counselors as well as weekly trips to other Spanish cities keep the program interesting throughout the month. Your time at the program will be spent learning Spanish in class, spending time with your family, doing activities like cooking and surfing, and exploring Conil during the day and night, alone and with new American and local Spanish friends. Overall, this program was a great and fun experience during my summer that improved my Spanish skills and built a special relationship with Spain, which I went back to the next summer.

Pros
  • Spanish Immersion
  • Small Coastal Town Vibe (cool weather)
  • Trips to other cities
Cons
  • Lots of walking if you don't like it
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Emily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing!!!

So much fun!! My Spanish definitely improved and I had an amazing time doing it. Filled with surfing, cooking, swimming and more there was never a dull moment. My family was welcoming and always made me feel at home. You were left to do what you wanted to do and there was always your choice involved with decisions. There was freedom so you could explore the town on your own with your friends but there was guidance when needed. The classes are fun and enjoyable. I Highly recommend this program!!!!!

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Elizabeth
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing homestay experience in Cádiz, Spain

Athena (was Summerfuel) Cádiz was the first time I traveled abroad without my family. I was 15-years old and it was the first summer I did not return to the sleep away summer camp I had gone to for many years. In Cádiz, I got to stay with a local family and one other student from America. My roommate and I developed such a strong bond with our host family that we have actually gone back to Cádiz a handful of times since the end of our program to visit them. We also still call our host parents "mama" and "papa". One of my favorite memories was our Sunday family beach day. Each Sunday, we packed up the car and drove across the city to my "parents'" favorite beach and had a little picnic while we enjoyed the beautiful coastline of Andalusia. I also enjoyed the activities built into our summer calendars such as flamenco classes, the tapas tour, and World Cup watch parties that Summerfuel organized for us so we could take part in cheering on the Spanish National team. I came out of this summer (summer 2010) with numerous new friendships, a new sense of independence and interest in adventure, and a fervent love for Spain. I can't recommend this program enough. Homestay is the way to go!!

What would you improve about this program?
Honestly, many of us wished the program was longer! Four weeks sounds like a long time to be away from home but by the end of the program, we wanted nothing more than to stay.
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Rose
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Summer of My Life

My spanish improved soooo much, and I am now even more interested in Spanish at school than I was before. The program is a great mixture of education and fun, because there is time for both. Plus, Even when you are just having fun, you can't help but learn Spanish because you are in Spain. There is plenty of freedom, so the staff doesn't treat you like young kids at summer camp. This program is perfect for you if you like the beach, small towns, ice cream. I am glad I did this program because I do not like touristy things like touring churches and museums and stuff like that, so this was perfect because we only did one weekend of stuff like that. My host family was absolutely perfect for me and I am still in touch with them. I hope to go back soon!

What would you improve about this program?
The classes in the morning were very short, but very boring. I was in the least advanced class so it was a lot of review.