Spain Trip 2020
Imagine a colorful, culture-rich plaza, bustling with people, full of local shops and restaurants. Now imagine a breathtaking view of thousands of houses clustered between deep green trees. This is Spain, but it’s really only the tip of the iceberg.
A Casady school tradition is to offer international trips every year. Opportunities are unique to Casady and are one of a kind learning experiences, leading to precious memories with friends. For this upcoming spring break, a number of interested Spanish students will travel to Spain and Portugal on a trip organized by Dr. Torres. The trip is available to all students currently enrolled in Spanish 3 and above. Latin students may also have the opportunity to participate.
Spain boasts an expanse of literature, architecture, famous art museums, authentic food, and much more, but don’t take it from me. Hear it from Dr. Torres, who I chatted with to learn what the experience is like.
I asked Dr. Torres what makes the Spanish trip unique from the other trips Casady has. He explained that there hadn’t been an upper school trip specifically for the Spanish division before. In the past, it had only been the other languages who had trips available to their students. As for his hopes for the project, he said, “I want to go beyond the classroom, and I want to expose my students to real-life Spanish.” In his itinerary, he listed a few famous cities he planned to visit, including Madrid, Córdoba, Seville, Mérida. Also in Portugal, he plans to visit Lisbon and Sintra. According to Dr. Torres, it’ll be the “most authentic cultural experience I can bring to my students.” He explained that it gives them the opportunity to meet new people and practice their grammar in an immersive environment, ultimately improving their language abilities.
Looking ahead to the future of the Spanish immersion program, Dr. Torres enthusiastically shared his hopes for more trips in years to come. Even if you are unable to make it this year, he noted that he plans to have similar Spanish immersion trips every year to different locations in the world. His sights are set on Machu Picchu, Argentina, Chile, and possibly the Galapagos Islands.
At the end of the day, Dr. Torres strives to inspire his students. He expressed, “I try to instill the love of my country.”