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Summer Programs

Summer Programs

LITA’s summer programs are five-week and three-week trips that bring groups of dynamic high school students together from all over the country.

Each group is carefully arranged to ensure a cohesive unit in which participants can support each other through the triumphs and challenges of an immersive, rural-focused travel experience.

Although each trip is customized based on the particular group, all trips feature a similar structure, including an orientation, homestay, backcountry adventures and urban explorations.

Summer Programs

Language Acquisition

Our team works directly with high school students and their families to provide a language immersion program that transcends the norm. We offer genuine and personalized immersion experiences each summer, with the goal of providing students the opportunity to improve their language skills by developing personal, lasting connections in more rural settings.

A dynamic experience far removed from English-speaking tourism, our programs are built to support high school students in this unique, challenging language environment and to help them arrive at a profound understanding of the linguistic and cultural beauty of rural Spain.

Summer Programs

Homestay

LITA believes that a homestay is a vital component to understanding what makes Spain such a vibrant and beautiful place, and to acquiring the skills necessary to better grasp the nuances of the language and to speak more fluidly.

LITA's homestay communities are small to medium sized towns and are very safe. Each student is placed individually with his or her own host family and is fully integrated as another member of the family, both at home and in the community.

Summer Programs

Host Families

LITA works with a team of local coordinators to initially identify potential host families, with LITA's Directors spending time with each family prior to the trip to carefully match them with students based on mutual dynamics and interests. All students are placed with families with children of approximately the same age and gender or with families with younger children. We focus on selecting a unique group of new host families each year in order to provide a singular, lasting experience for all of our families and students. LITA takes great care in selecting families each year that are highly invested in establishing lasting relationships with our students.

Summer Programs

Academic Experiences

To further enhance the immersion experience, LITA offers each student the opportunity to complete an internship or take language classes and complete an independent cultural project during the homestay experience. These experiences provide students the chance to build relationships in the local community outside of their host family and to begin to explore personal areas of interest, all while developing their language skills. Internship options are diverse - working in a bakery, camp, museum or café - and are handled on an individual basis.

Summer Programs

Sample 3 Week Itinerary

*** While this sample itinerary is focused on a group that would visit northern Spain, we also have 3-week groups focused in southern Spain.
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JUNE 29

Depart New York

JUNE 30

Arrive in Madrid. Transport to Galicia, via chartered bus, a five-hour drive to the northwest

JUNE 30 – JULY 5 GALICIA

Lodging at a “casa rural” (Bed & Breakfast), about 30 miles from the northern coast of Spain.

Daily activities may include:

Visit to “gaetero’s” (bagpiper) workshop
Medieval market in Pontedeume
Traditional Galician music concert
Hiking on the Camino de Santiago
Day trips to Santiago de Compostela, Betanzos, and northern beach towns
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JULY 5 – JULY 17 HOMESTAY IN CASTILLA Y LEÓN

Each student will be placed with their own host family, matched by personalities, mutual interests and family dynamics

Host families have children of similar ages and interests to the student placed with them and/or younger children

Each student will be immersed in their individual host family’s life, participating in all family activities

1-2 day-long excursions each week. Destinations may include:

Burgos, Segovia, Las Médulas, León, Salamanca, and smaller towns of cultural and historic interest

Group Leaders are on site in the host community and available at all times throughout the day
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JULY 17 – JULY 20 BARCELONA

Lodging at boutique apartments in the center of the city

Daily activities are based on the group's collective interests and may include:

Discussion around current Spanish politics with a local journalist
Photowalk and exploration of the city's distinct neighborhoods
Investigation into local food culture
Visits to Antoni Gaudí's notable architectural works, including Parc Guell and the Sagrada Familia

JULY 20 HOME

Summer Programs

Sample 5 Week Itinerary

*** While this sample itinerary is focused on a group that would visit southern Spain, we also have 5-week groups focused in northern Spain.
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JUNE 22

Depart New York

JUNE 23

Arrive in Madrid. Transport to southwestern Castilla y León, via chartered bus, a two-hour drive northwest

JUNE 23 – JULY 28 CASTILLA Y LEÓN

Lodging at a “casa rural” (Bed & Breakfast), about 50 miles from the city of Salamanca

Daily activities may include:

A day spent in Salamanca
Exploration of local music and food
Hiking in Palencia
Day trips to small villages of cultural and historic interest
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JUNE 28 – JULY 19 HOMESTAY IN ANDALUCÍA

Each student will be placed with their own host family, matched by personalities, mutual interests and family dynamics

Host families have children of similar ages and interests to the student placed with them and/or younger children

Each student will be immersed in their individual host family’s life, participating in all family activities

Students may elect to participate in a volunteer internship with a local business, artist, camp, farm, etc. or take language classes and complete an independent project on a cultural topic of their choice

1-2 day-long excursions each week. Destinations may include:

Granada, Córdoba, Ronda, and rural explorations of interior Andalucía

Group Leaders are on site in the host community and available at all times throughout the day
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JULY 19 – JULY 21 3 DAY TREK IN THE SIERRA DE ARACENA

Hiking in the Parque Natural Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche, located northwest of the city of Sevilla
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JULY 21 – JULY 23 2 DAYS ON THE COAST SOUTH OF THE CITY OF CÁDIZ

Visits to remote area beaches and smaller towns of cultural and historic importance
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JULY 23 – JULY 28 SEVILLA

Lodging at boutique apartments in the center of the city

Daily activities are based on the group's collective interests and may include:

Discussion around current Spanish politics with a local journalist
Photowalk and exploration of the city's distinct neighborhoods
Investigation into local food and tapas culture
Visits to notable monuments and exploration of the city's intersecting religious and cultural histories
Flamenco workshop

JULY 28 HOME

Summer Programs

Preparation

All LITA students and parents receive a comprehensive Student and Parent Guide that will help them prepare for their immersion experience. The handbook focuses on expectations of behavior, ambassadorship and how to best engage with an immersive, rural travel experience in Spain.

At the individual pre-departure meeting, typically a month before travel, LITA’s Directors meet with each family in person or via Skype to review the Student and Parent Guide and discuss any questions or concerns, solidifying a comfort level and open dialog with all families.

Summer Programs

Safety

Personalized attention and a safe, fun travel experience are LITA's highest priorities. Trips are led by two experienced leaders and include on-site supervision and involvement from LITA’s Directors.

All trips are largely spent in smaller, more rural areas and tight-knit communities. During the homestay, students are encouraged to explore and participate in daily life, and to facilitate communication and ensure safety, each student is provided with a Spanish sim card for their cell phone upon arrival. That said, trip leaders travel with LITA students at all times and are always available to students in person throughout the duration of the program.

Summer Programs

Recent Trips

See one of LITA's Summer 2018 North Group blogs

See one of LITA's Summer 2018 South Group blogs

Summer Programs

Summer Program Dates

LITA’s high school summer programs are held from June through July. For Summer 2020, we currently have four trips to choose from:

5-Week Programs 
North Group - June 22nd - July 28th, 2020
South Group - June 22nd - July 28th, 2020

3-Week Programs 
North Group - June 29th - July 20th, 2020
South Group - June 29th - July 20th, 2020

Cost 
5-Week Programs- $8,650 per student (excludes airfare- departure airport is JFK)
3-Week Programs- $5,950 per student (excludes airfare- departure airport is JFK)