To think that six weeks
in León flew by sounds very distant, or perhaps impossible, or maybe hard to
understand. In any case, that period allowed our 28 students to experience a
life-changing cultural, literary, linguistic, and grammatical experience. Beyond
the classroom, students were able to visit local sites (museums, monuments, restaurants,
fields, fairs, etc.) and other towns around Castilla-León, Asturias, and
Galicia. Furthermore, students developed long standing relationships with their
Spanish host families. They lived together, they laughed together, they ate their
meals together. Their parents took them to school and picked them up. They
lived a very Spanish (Leonese) life. A very unique experience.
We hope that with the
years to come, our IUHPFL alumni reflects upon the life changing six-week
immersion into Spanish culture and its importance in their daily lives and
careers. We always encouraged them to be curious, creative, and, equally
important, to engage with the language and the people’s traditions and history.
From our first excursion to the Lagos de Europa and Covadonga, to our trip to
Santiago de Compostela (and our 20 km. way of St. James), we feel that the journey
was both an academic and a cultural one for everyone in the program, and we
want to thank the opportunity for working with very talented young people. Special
thanks and acknowledgment go to all of the site host families, as well as to
Sira Quindós, our onsite coordinator. Thanks to Israel Herrera, Sarah Grauvogl,
Sarah TeKolste, and Ollin García Pliego for their outstanding work in the
classroom. Furthermore, special thanks go to Loni Dishong, the IUHPFL Managing Director.
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