Salamanca 2

Salamanca—our students love this town!

Salamanca 2 will give you a fantastic opportunity to get to know your vibrant program town and explore some of the highlights of Spain. After three nights in Madrid, spend two weeks taking classes in Salamanca. Put your Spanish skills to the test during your True Immersion Week in Seville, and enjoy 6 days of touring in Andalusia & the Costa del Sol. During your time in Salamanca you will stay with a homestay family located within a twenty-minute walk of the school and town center.

• Program Location: Salamanca
• Student Age: 14—18 years
• Language Prerequisite: Two years of high school Spanish
• Housing: Homestay & Immersion Week in Seville
• 2012 Program Dates: July 4 — August 2
• Program Price: $6525 (not including airfare)—Chaperoned group airfare available
• For complete pricing details, see our Spain Program Fees

Salamanca—a perfect location for a summer abroad program

Year after year Salamanca has consistently proven to be one of our most popular study abroad program locations. This is because the city is such a great place in which to spend two weeks learning Spanish. There is so much to do and see. Not only is it immensely beautiful, but it also has a very vibrant and youthful atmosphere. In summer, the Plaza Mayor, an amazing 18th century baroque square, becomes the focal point of the city—full of young people, families, tourists, and ECI students, all soaking up everything that this great city has to offer—join us!

• Three nights in the exciting capital city of Madrid
• Travel to Salamanca via the beautiful medieval walled city of Avila
• Two weeks in Salamanca staying with host families, carefully chosen by our partner language school
• Morning language classes at Mester Language School, with the opportunity to earn three units of university credit
• Afternoon and evening activities & excursions—swimming, soccer, salsa dance lessons, tapas tasting, cooking workshops, horseback riding…and more!
• Getting to know local Spanish young people during our popular Language Partner sessions
• A True Immersion Week in Seville living with a volunteer family and speaking only Spanish — a great way to improve your Spanish!
• An additional five days of travel to some of the most famous sights in Spain, including Cordoba, Granada, and the beautiful beaches of Nerja on the Costa del Sol

Discover Salamanca on the official website www.salamanca.es and see its exact location on Google Maps.

We are very proud of our True Immersion Week in Seville!

• Completely unique among high school study abroad programs
• What better way to improve your Spanish language skills than to spend one week totally immersed in Spanish language & culture
• After honing your Spanish skills during classes at Mester Language School, spend one week with a carefully chosen volunteer Spanish host family
• During your week you will be the only student in the family and will spend your time completely immersed in Spanish family life, and speaking only Spanish
• No group activities during this week, giving you the best chance to really improve your fluency
• Learn more about True Immersion Week!

“My Immersion Host Family was incredibly nice. My host mom tried to teach me how to cook Spanish dishes. Ali, my sister, brought me along everyday to hang out with her friends, go to the beach, and sail on their boat.”
Samantha H, Salamanca 2009

How is free time organized?
There is free time built into every day of the program. Typically, there is free time and lunch between 2pm and 5pm. After your afternoon group activity there is free time before the after dinner group activity, in the hours before curfew. During every excursion there will be an opportunity for you to have free time and to explore the excursion town in small groups, within a safe environment.
What if I’m not happy with my host family?
This does happen, and for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the problem is as simple as a cultural misunderstanding, or a miscommunication, which can easily be resolved. You may find it difficult to adapt to your new surroundings, experience homesickness, or not enjoy the food. Many of the causes of initial unhappiness are connected with adjusting to your new environment. But we take all concerns very seriously, and our chaperones will work with you to find a solution. This might involve simply “giving it time,” but our leaders will closely monitor the situation and, if necessary, you will be moved to a new family.
Will my Spanish improve?
This is our goal and your goal! We will provide you with amazing opportunities to help you achieve this—quality Spanish classes, cultural activities & excursions where you will be participating and listening in Spanish, and a True Immersion Week where you have the chance to speak nothing but Spanish for the entire week. You can also play a part in achieving your goal by speaking Spanish as much as possible with the chaperones and your host families. With all these opportunities how can you possibly do anything but improve?

Please feel free to call, email or chat live if you have a question. Alternatively, check out all our FAQs

Cultural activities & excursions—have fun and learn!

This 4-week program, based in Salamanca, is the perfect opportunity for you to discover the incredible sights of your program town as well as many of Spain’s cultural, architectural and historical highlights. Starting your adventure in Madrid will allow you to experience, among other things, one of Europe’s finest art museums, The Prado. You will enjoy your True Immersion Week before your final five days of travel—a wonderful cultural adventure, with visits to the magnificent cities of Granada, Cordoba and Seville, and ending at the beautiful seaside town of Nerja on the Costa del Sol.

• Enjoy the many sights of Madrid—the Royal Palace and a visit to the Real Madrid soccer stadium
• Participate in plenty of fun sports activities in Salamanca—swimming, horseback riding, and soccer
• Take part in other local Salamanca activities—a guided tour of the city, a “ghost” walk, movie nights and tapas tasting with Language Partners
• Experience the beautiful city of Segovia during a full day excursion, including a guided tour and free time to explore
• Acquire new skills during a salsa dance class, a Spanish cooking workshop, and a Spanish art class
• During your travel portion, visit Arab baths in Cordoba, a flamenco show & the world famous Alhambra in Granada, and the Alcazar Royal Palace in Seville
• Round off your trip relaxing at the beach in Nerja, visiting the impressive Nerja Caves and kayaking—a perfect ending!

Check out some of our Activities & Excursions for our Spain 2012 Summer Programs in more detail!

Language Partners—one of the most popular activities of our trips

In Salamanca you will have at least two opportunities to spend time with a local Language Partner:

• Typically, Language Partners are university students, chosen by our Local Leader
• Their goal is to help you to improve your Spanish through exploring Spanish life and culture while having fun talking
• You will be in a group of two or three and spend a few hours visiting a local sight or café together
• Your Language Partner will be eager to talk with you about your life as a US teenager, and you will have the chance to ask questions about what it’s like to be a young person living in Salamanca

Many of our students report back to us that this was one of their favorite activities!

“The Language Partners were always happy to see us. Getting to know each other was fun. Getting a tour of Salamanca and going to the Tapas bars was awesome.”
Sarah W, Salamanca 2009

“The choice to do two homestays opened my eyes to Spanish culture while being with the group resulted in a fun-filled summer as well as long-lasting friendships. This was definitely one of the best summers of my life.”
Sofia B, Salamanca 2010

“I got to understand how other families across the world live their day to day lives.”
Hannah F, Salamanca 2010

“This trip was just what my daughter needed to grow in her independence and judgment in the year before she goes away to college. She came back more self-assured and knowing she can overcome obstacles and with a real sense of accomplishment.”
Stacy P, Parent, Salamanca 2010

“In class, our teachers were energetic and helpful. The whole trip was extremely well organized and it made me more motivated to learn the language and the culture. Our chaperones were amazing and so friendly!”
Jessica W, Salamanca 2008

• Ready to reserve your place? Then simply Apply Online via our secure form – a small deposit secures your place.
• For more details on our offerings, download the Spain 2012 Program Guide.
• Have a question or need additional information? Our team is happy to answer any question you may have—call us at 866.343.8990 or you can chat with us live
• Stay connected with us online through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
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• See more videos and photos from our trips on Youtube or on Flickr