"My summer in Spain was excellent and there was very little that I would actually change! My homestay family was absolutely wonderful -- they were all that I expected … I found that I was learning the perfect material for my level and accomplished a lot in terms of my Spanish conversational skills ... Thanks again for everything on the trip -- it was one of the best experiences of my life!" Anjali, student - Kensington, MD
"I just wanted to tell you how wonderful Caroline's experience was this summer in Cádiz. She quickly developed a warm relationship with her homestay family, the Menacho's. I was traveling in Spain as well, this summer, and I went down to Cádiz for an evening to see Caroline and meet the host family. They were most lovely and hospitable (and tolerant of my limited Spanish!). We took them out for dinner, and loved being in their company. Caroline enjoyed her Spanish classes, and in particular, had great fun in the afternoon salsa class. She also developed an appreciation for the city of Cádiz, and loved the sense that at the end of the 3 weeks, she had really come to know a new place well. Thank you so much for putting together such a great combination of people, and activities." Tobi, parent - Boca Raton, FL
Cádiz Homestay
SPAIN Spanish Immersion & Homestay: Language and Community Service
Program Overview
Town:
Cádiz (Andalusia region)
Dates:
2 Week Option July 1 - July 15, 2009 4 Week Option July 1 - July 29, 2009
Day Trips:
El Puerto de Santa Maria, San Fernando
Optional Travel Extension:
Seville(3 nights)*
*For 4 week program only
Primary Subject:
Spanish Language
Electives:
Community Service, Conversation and Culture
Housing:
Homestay Placement
Level:
Grades 9-12
Prerequisite:
Minimum 2 years of Spanish
Our Spanish homestay program in Cádiz is designed for students who seek to improve their Spanish proficiency, learn about Spanish history and culture, and explore some of the most beautiful parts of southern Spain. Students will live with host families in the beautiful coastal city of Cádiz, take Spanish classes at a local school, and participate in many cultural and recreational activities, excursions and travel.
About Cádiz
Cádiz is located along the beautiful Costa de la Luz ("Coast of Light"), on the Atlantic Coast of Andalusia, Spain's southernmost region. Founded over 3,000 years ago, Cádiz remains Europe's oldest inhabited city. Cádiz is situated along a long, narrow strip of land in the Atlantic, forming an urban island. This charming beach town is characterized by narrow streets, colorful homes, and lively squares and markets.
Popular with young people and families from all over Spain, the region of Andalusia is widely known for its rich and unique cultural and historical legacy, as well as for some of the best beaches in Europe. Cádiz is one of Spain's best kept secrets: a favorite destination among native Spaniards but overlooked by most foreign tourists. The city affords our students an untainted view into the southern Spanish language and culture.
Optional Travel Extension: Seville
Seville is one of the most popular and exciting cities in Spain! Participating students will spend 4 days and 3 nights in this former capital of the Moorish kingdom famous for its century-old flamenco tradition, ancient mosaics and thriving artistic culture. Participants visit the world famous Alcázar, tour the Guadalquivir river, climb to the top of the Giralda tower, explore lively plazas and diverse neighborhoods, as well as the many outdoor cafés and parks. From Flamenco to high culture, Seville is the place to be!
Seville:
Academics
Primary Subject:
All students will be enrolled in the Spanish language course.
Spanish Language:
The Spanish language courses are taught by experienced Abbey Road faculty and will be offered in small groups (typically 8 to 12 students), with a duration of approximately 3 hours. The first half of the class will focus on grammar and vocabulary. Then, the community becomes our classroom! Students take what they have learned and put it into practice by participating in activities throughout the city of Cádiz, making the learning process both practical and fun!
Elective Options:
Students will also have the opportunity to choose an elective course. These options will generally be 3 days a week for 2 hours per class:
Community Service:
You will have the opportunity to interact with locals on various community service projects. Your contribution will help you fulfill your high school requirements in addition to making a difference within the local community.
Spanish Conversation and Culture:
With exciting discussions about Spanish culture from art to music, you will improve your conversational skills by supplementing regular Spanish classes with this course. We will take advantage of the café scene in Cádiz as an informal classroom for our lively conversations.
The Cádiz program offers recreational, cultural and artistic activities and workshops based on student interest. In the past, our students have gone to Flamenco concerts, learned how to Salsa dance, participated in cooking workshops, sampled tapas and even attended professional sporting events!
Homestay
Our homestays are typically a 15-20 minute walk from the school, in quiet residential neighborhoods. Homestays play a central role in each student's cultural immersion. They have most of their meals at home, attend events and join their host parents during day trips and other activities. Typically there will be two to four students in each homestay.
Each host is carefully screened by local Spanish affiliates and regularly visited. The majority have 5 to 7 years of experience hosting young foreign students. We believe that a good homestay experience is the foundation for a successful Spanish immersion program. Therefore, we make every effort to match the students with the right homestay placement, taking into consideration their preferences and needs to help them adjust as quickly and comfortably as possible.
Daily Schedule
Students begin each weekday with their Spanish Language course. Outside of class time, they will participate in their elective course if they have chosen to do so, and will also be able to choose from a variety of additional social, recreational, and artistic activities. Typically, these activities include beach days, soccer matches, volleyball or other athletics, local site and museum visits, performances and shopping excursions.
We strive to maintain a perfect balance between structured activities and free time. Consequently, in addition to planned activities with the Abbey Road group, students will have plenty of free time to pursue personal interests, make friends and explore the town. While we give our students this privilege, we expect them to adhere to the program rules and safety guidelines, especially the policies on alcohol and curfew, and to uphold our standards of responsibility and maturity.
Day Trips
Abbey Roaders will take a day trip across the bay to the town of El Puerto de Santa María. Students participating in the 4 week program will also travel to San Fernando for its annual carnival celebration!
El Puerto de Santa Maria:
San Fernando:
What's Included
Our program fee includes:
Tuition
Course materials
1 elective course
Lodging
3 meals a day
Pre-planned day trips and activities
Student orientation and packet
What's Not Included
Our program fee does not include:
Airfare
Optional Travel Extension
Student Insurance
We encourage you to compare our program fee to other programs.
The fee for the Cádiz Homestay program can be found here:
Now is the time to apply! There is currently availability on this program. Due to strong interest, however, we encourage serious students to apply soon.
If you would like to receive a brochure by mail, please complete the short online Preliminary Inquiry, and we will send one immediately.
If you are ready to apply now, click on the Online Application to get started.
For general questions about the application process, please visit our Application & Fees page.
If you have any special questions about the program or need assistance with the application process, please call us toll-free at (888) 462-2239. From outside the U.S call 001+310-276-1745 or email us at info@goabbeyroad.com.
