MarivicPL

Hello there! I'm looking for 2 to 3-week Spanish language immersion program for my 15-year-old daughter. I'm hoping for a smaller town in Spain, where she can either be a camper, or even better I think, be in a homestay with a family.

I prefer Spain over other places from now because the rest of the family will also be in Europe at the same time. I also prefer a smaller town than a big city as she is a young 15-year-old and will be easily overwhelmed.

Thank you for any ideas you can share!

bosgal

Have you looked into CIEE?

greg

If she might be overwhelmed in a big city, it seems she would need to be in a group immersion program where the she is already part of a group such as her high school language program. We have hosted many students from Europe and unless she is super mature for her age, in which case she would not be overwhelmed in a big city, a 15 year old is too young to be in an program formed at the site.

My daughter spent a term in Spain, but little older. Even so, she was part of the program organized by her school with several of her schoolmates in the program. Even so, she got very homesick at the beginning. The most important factor in my opinion, is how well the organization vetted the host family. My daughter was adequately taken care by the family, but it was obvious the family was in it strictly for the money. They spent the minimum amount of time to remain in the host family program. A small town might be your choice, but would likely to be too boring for her.

kimhe

Perhaps relatively small Nerja by the Med could be an idea, high level of competition between Spanish language courses here. http://www.idnerja.com/
https://cesalanguages.com/learn-span...nish-in-nerja/
http://www.language-school-nerja.com/
http://www.estudiohispanico.com/index-nerja.html
etc. etc.

Good info about Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/andalucia/nerja

kybourbon

Most schools give the option of homestay, apartments shared, etc. DD's high school teacher always used Enforex in Salamanca. They have programs in several towns, but her teacher always used the Salamanca location.

Bedar

Personally, I wouldn't leave my 15 yr old daughter in some town while the rest of the family went gallivanting thru Europe. Too many stories of bad things happening.

nytraveler

I think this depends a lot on who is responsible for your daughter. If she is a very young and naive 15 (european kids tend to be more mature than many americans not from big cities) there should be an adult responsible - not just a "family" that provides a bed and meals but not supervision/advise.

IMDonehere

Bedar can you cite chapter and verse with regard to Spain?

Bedar

Sure can; lived there for 20 yrs, but you might have a look at articles in The Olive Press - theolivepress.es

MarivicPL

Thanks for your replies!

Another idea would be to join her as a mother/daughter immersion. I speak some Spanish and I know the time together would be beneficial for both of us (I did French immersion last year with my other daugher, 13 then, and it' one of our loveliest memories now).

So Nerja and Salamanca? Any other ideas?

IMDonehere

Bedar

I did a couple of Google searches on Olive Press, could not find anything. Could you please provide some appropriate key words, dates, or something that will lead to those articles?

kimhe

Middle sized San Sebastián (pop 180 000) close to the French border could be an idea, this course also have a special teenage program, "Accommodation is arranged with selected host families, on a full-board basis": https://cesalanguages.com/learn-span...guage-courses/

Plenty of other Spanish courses available, for example those arranged by the university from June to September as part of the excellent summer courses here: https://www.uik.eus/en/2016-edition/2016-programme

A very special place: http://www.euskoguide.com/places-bas...stian-tourism/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/a.../san-sebastian

MarivicPL

Thanks Kimhe, for your detailed response. I've been in touch with Cesa Languages and they are very responsive.

Contacting the others too who have been recommended on this thread. Thanks for all the leads.

cruiseluv

When my son was in HS he went to two different summer programs. One is sponsored by Choate https://www.choate.edu/summer/programs/study-abroad. It' 5 weeks, students have a homestay with a local family in La Coruña (Spain) and in the mornings have classes. The last week they go on a tour of several main cities in Spain.
He also went with TASIS to Salamanca, but it looks like they're not offering that program anymore.

cruiseluv

I meant to say La Coruña in the region of Galicia

Christina

I think bad things can happen to students abroad in any country--just ask Amanda Knox, for example.

Lots of people leave children alone to go to school even in their own country (boarding school), it isn't inherently dangerous to do that. I would think if you find a good school, it shouldn't be a problem.

You shouldn't need some English language expat newspaper to have a legitimate news story. A lot of expat newspapers print kind of alarmist articles, also. But if you want such stories, here are some. I especially like the student who had a homestay with Osama Bin Laden's brother.

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...prom-in-spain/

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...ama-bin-laden/

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...rcism-classes/

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...or-experiment/

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...shes-in-spain/

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...ring-holidays/

http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...ll-in-sevilla/

now falling off a balcony can happen anywhere, that has happened to drunk students in US universities. HEre is a positive article
http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-ne...udying-abroad/

MarivicPL

I have now narrowed my research for Spanish Language courses to CESA Languages, and ENFOREX.

THese are both summer camp-type programs and fully supervised. It anyone has further information on any of these two (or others if you still want to pipe in), Please share!

Muchas gracias!