San Sebastian Summer Study Homestay & High School Program in the Summer Capital of Spain!

  Spain

• All Other Areas: 
San Sebastian

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: 2009 Dates: June 24-July 24 (Session A) OR July 8-Aug 7 (Session B)

Description: San Sebastian, standing above the beautiful Bay of Concha, is an elegant and lively beach resort town that is home to about 180,000 people. Its fantastic location boasts golden beaches, an amazing beachfront promenade that runs the length of the bay and a very lively old town. In summer, it is one of the most popular resorts on the north coast. Its distinct Basque culture gives the city a flavor all its own, and makes it an ideal location in which to study the Spanish language and culture.

Enjoy two weeks of language classes & homestay (Session A) or Dorm (Session B) in San Sebastian, one week of Host Family Immersion, one week of travel, including three nights in Barcelona.

Language School:
Lacunza-ih-San Sebastian, established in 1986, is a prestigious language school that specializes in teaching Spanish to foreigners. All language teachers are native Spanish speakers, with university degrees in the teaching of Spanish. International House (ih) is a worldwide organization with one hundred and thirty language schools in thirty countries, with each affiliated schools operating independently. International House particularly excels in the field of Teacher Training. The school has a range of educational resources including a library, computers with free Internet access, free WIFI connection and a range of DVDs that are available for students. The school has a fantastic location in the center of the city, only a fifteen-minute walk from the beach.

Students are grouped into levels from complete beginners to advanced proficiency, based on a placement test. Classes are Monday through Friday for two weeks with a maximum of twelve students per class. The course is comprised of three hours and forty-five minutes of class per day, and is broken into three sessions. Emphasis is placed on grammar in the first session of each day, while conversation is the focus during the remaining two. Current events are discussed using newspaper articles, films and documentaries.

Our chaperones supervise a variety of afternoon and evening activities. Although some of these activities are optional and therefore not included in the cost of ECI's program, most are free or nominally priced. They include sports activities such as swimming, soccer, tennis, volleyball, ping-pong, basketball, and pool. Every week two documentaries are shown, as well as a variety of Spanish films (original version or dubbed). There are other options, such as salsa/sevillana/flamenco dance lessons, cooking, special dinners, etc. Local visits to important city monuments and interesting sites are done on an on-going basis.

Highlights:
* Participate in an enriching homestay, dorm and/or immersion experience in an exciting, youthful city in Spain as you absorb the culture and practice the language.
* Study at prestigious organizations dedicated exclusively to teaching Spanish in Spain with the opportunity to earn three units of university credit on most sessions.
* Choose from a variety of afternoon and evening activities, such as swimming, soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, pool, watching Spanish movies, salsa or flamenco dance lessons, tapas tasting, cooking, and horseback riding.
* Enjoy the food, ambience, and unique people-watching opportunities of the Spanish café scene.
* Experience the exuberance, originality, and passion of a Spanish flamenco show.
* Spend up to one week traveling to some of the most amazing destinations in Spain!

Cost in US$: Session A: $6340 without airfare; Session B $6840 without airfare

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Spain in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 30

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Edu-Culture International (ECI)'s Mission Statement: To broaden the academic horizons of students and to create well-rounded, culturally aware student leaders. Goals: ECI provides young people with opportunities to embrace new cultures, to improve foreign language ability, and to develop interpersonal skills. We strive to make each program a high-quality, unique, and enjoyable experience. It is also hoped that the programs will engender in students an interest in the pursuit of education, especially in the humanities and acquisition of foreign languages; motivate learning and independent thinking; promote world friendships and cultural understanding; educate students about the culture, language, people, and ideas of other nations and ethnic backgrounds; help students to realize their potentials and become aware of their roles in our global community.

Year Founded: 1998