We really appreciate the teachers who take the time to accompany their students while attending our educational trips in Spain and the various other study abroad programs that you might be interested in as well. We also really appreciate the logistical challenges of bringing larger groups to Spain. To show that appreciation, we have a wide variety of incentives to offer teacher-chaperones. Here are some of the main possibilities:

• • • Free room and board via homestay, hotel, or apartment accommodation
    • Free teacher workshops or classes
    • Free attendance for all activities and excursions
    • Free airfare
    • Stipends

Please note that these incentives are worked out on a case-by-case basis, and some terms and conditions apply. The nature of the incentives we’ll be able to offer to you will depend on the size of your group, the date of your arrival, and the nature and location of the program you end up selecting. To discuss the possible benefits in more detail, please contact us, and we’ll work them out together!

We take care of most of the organizational work for you. This can include the processing of payments for the program, which each student can take care of on his or her own online; this way, you don’t have to handle any money from them. In the lead-up to the trip, your main role will simply be announcing the program in advance, spreading interest in it, holding an informational meeting about it for parents and students, and completing certain preparatory tasks, such as collecting copies of each participant’s passport. A Centro MundoLengua director can attend the informational meeting, either in person, by Skype, or by phone.

The short answer to the first question is “yes!” While you’re more than welcome to attend activities and cultural tours with your students for free, you can also use this time to explore Spain on your own. If a student becomes ill, a teacher will usually accompany him or her to the doctor, as additional support to a Centro MundoLengua staff member, who will always accompany the student in such a situation. Generally speaking, if any type of issue arises with a student during the trip, we will rely on the teacher(s) for advice and/or additional support.

If your group contains 10 or more students and adults, you can book your flights together through an agent with whom we work. Beyond that, we leave your flights up to you, so you and your group can have the flexibility to meet your own particular needs. That being said, we’d be more than happy to provide you with advice or guidance, so don’t hesitate to contact us about making travel arrangements; we can help you find the option that works best for you!

Here’s what a typical day will look like for your students. Note that the following schedule assumes that your group has opted for the homestay accommodation option.

9:00 AM to 10:00 AM: Breakfast With Their Host Families

Students will enjoy a delicious, home-cooked breakfast with their host families. Perhaps they’ll have some classic Spanish breakfast fare, such as tostada con tomate, aceite, y sal!

10:00 AM to 10:30 AM: Go on a Scenic Walk or Bus Ride to Cultural Tour

Students will be able to take advantage of their Spanish home base city’s walkable streets or accessible public transportation system, enjoying all of the city’s sights and sounds along the way. They’ll be sure to see some shops, restaurants, or attractions they’ll want to check out later!

10:30 AM to 12:30 PM: Attend Guided Cultural Tour (or Spanish Class)

Students typically spend this time attending a guided tour of one of Spain’s many world-class attractions. With the help of their well-informed guide, students will be to place the attraction within its historical and cultural context, while the attraction itself will enable them to forge direct connections and lived experiences of the country’s history and culture. Alternatively, depending on your preferences and the way in which you’ve customized your group’s tour package, your students may spend this time attending an engaging, interactive, Spanish class.

12:30 PM to 2:00 PM: Enjoy Some Free Time and Return Home

Students can this time to hang out with their friends, explore the city, or talk to their host families—a great chance to practice their Spanish in an authentic setting!

2:00 PM to 4:30 PM: Lunch and Free Time With Their Host Families

Students will share a home-cooked Spanish lunch with their host families. Perhaps they’ll have some gazpacho or a “Spanish omelet” (known here as “tortilla”). The meal will vary from day to day—and don’t worry: if they have any special dietary needs, we’ll make sure they’re met! Afterward, students can chat some more with their host families, or they can truly embrace the Spanish lifestyle by taking a siesta!

4:30 PM to 6:30 PM: Attend the Afternoon Activity

Students will head to the meeting point for the afternoon activity. Today, it could be a flamenco or salsa lesson. Another day, it could a guided tour of a historic attraction. And another day, it could be a bike ride through a beautiful park. Every day is different!

6:30 PM to 9:00 PM: Enjoy Some More Free Time

Students will enjoy another chance to relax, talk to their host families, hang out with their friends, and/or explore the city together.

9:00 PM to 10:00 PM: Dinner With Their Host Families

Students will have another opportunity to savor some Spanish cuisine with their host families. Perhaps they’ll have some paella tonight—or maybe some croquettes! This is also a great chance for them to talk to their host families about their days—providing them with yet another natural opportunity to practice their Spanish in an authentic setting!

10:00 PM to 00:00 AM: Attend the Nighttime Activity

Students will be able to unwind from their adventure-filled day and have some fun with their friends from the program. Tonight, it could be a concert, a dance, or a dinner. Another time, it could be a tapas or movie night. Some of these activities are optional, so if they want to just go home and relax, they’ll have a chance to do that too.

From your group’s home-base city, you will be able to go on organized trips to a customized selection of destinations. Transportation, meals, and tours are included, so you and your group will be able to enjoy hassle-free travel. Examples of possible destinations include:

Within Spain

• Madrid: both the capital of Spain and one of Europe’s most important cities, this bustling metropolis draws millions of visitors per year to its world-class museums, unique neighborhoods, gorgeous central park, and fantastic mixture of historic attractions, preserved traditions, and modern Spanish culture.
• Barcelona: visited and beloved by millions of tourists per year, this city boasts it all: fantastic museums, charming neighborhoods, beautiful parks, relaxing beaches, a vibrant atmosphere, a dynamic cultural scene, and unique architecture—from the medieval stylings of the city’s Gothic Quarter to the world-famous modernist designs of Antoni Gaudí.
• Sevilla: the 2,200-year-old capital of Andalucía (the southern region of Spain), where you and your students will find the largest cathedral in the world, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, multiple palaces, gorgeous gardens, ornate fountains, charming buildings with wrought-iron balconies, cobblestone streets, lively plazas, numerous outdoor restaurants, and bustling markets.
• Cadiz: Dating back more than 3,000 years, this is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in all of Western Europe, where you and your students will find beautiful architecture, fantastic food markets, golden-sand beaches, and historic attractions such as the Cadiz Cathedral and the Tavira Tower, which houses a camera obscura and provides amazing views of the city.
• Córdoba: an ancient city filled with gardened courtyards, Moorish architecture, and an Old Town that’s so beautiful and culturally significant that the entire area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
• Granada: a gorgeous city that reveals one Instagram-worthy vista after another at nearly every turn—its eclectic mixture of Moorish, Medieval, Baroque, and Renaissance architecture set in relief by a scenic backdrop of snowcapped mountains and rolling, tree-covered hills.
• Tarifa: a charming beach town that is situated on the southernmost point of Continental Europe, just 8.6 miles across the Strait of Gibraltar from the shores of Morocco—the intervening waters providing a habitat to many whales and dolphins, while the coastal waters attract windsurfers from all around the world.
• Vejer de la Frontera: a picturesque village full of whitewashed buildings, situated on top of a hill overlooking the scenic river of Río Barbate.
• Salamanca: dating back to the 12^th-century, this picturesque city features sandstone architecture, the baroque-style public square of Plaza Mayor, the intricately designed Salamanca Cathedral, and the shell-covered Gothic palace of Casa de las Conchas.
• Toledo: situated on top of a hill overlooking a river, this ancient city boasts attractions such as the 13^th-century High Gothic cathedral of Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo, the 15^th-century Gothic-Flemish church of Monaesterio de San Juan de los Reyes, and the 16^th-century palace and military museum of Alcazar de Toledo.
• Segovia: rising out of the plains of Old Castile, this historic city is famous for three attractions in particular: a Roman aqueduct that dates back to the 1^st-century, a Roman Catholic cathedral that was one of the last Gothic cathedrals to be built in Europe, and a fairy-tale-like castle that influenced the design of Walt Disney’s iconic Cinderella Castle.

Outside of Spain

• Gibraltar, UK: a British Overseas Territory on the Spanish mainland, where you and your students will find the world-famous Rock of Gibraltar and the almost equally famous Barbary macaques that live around it, providing Continental Europe with its only population of wild monkeys!
• Tavira, Portugal: a quaint, riverside town in Portugal’s scenic Algarve region, where you and your middle / high school students can enjoy a peaceful getaway from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
• Morocco: a variety of destinations are possible here, including the vibrant city of Tangier, the historic city of Tetouan, and the iconic city of Chefchaouen (also known as Chaouen), where nearly all of the buildings are painted in striking shades of blue! 

For students (and you, the teacher, if you choose this option), it’s like a home away from home—with a few added benefits: enjoying homemade Spanish meals and practicing Spanish in a natural, real-life setting!

Each host family lives in a middle-class home (most likely an apartment), where the student or teacher will find all of the standard amenities of modern life. Students will probably share a bedroom with another student attending the program, while teachers will enjoy a private bedroom. Both students and teachers will also probably share a bathroom (European homes tend to have fewer bathrooms than those in other countries).

All meals are included with the homestay accommodation. Special dietary needs can be met; all you need to do is inform us about them in advance. On top of meals, the host families will also take care of their guests’ laundry!

Like families everywhere, each of our host families is different, so it’s difficult to generalize about them. For example, some have children and/or pets; others do not. However, you can rest assured that each of our host families has been carefully selected by our housing staff, and each of their homes has been personally visited by our housing director to make sure it will provide every student and teacher with a comfortable, enjoyable place to live, relax, dine, and gain first-hand experience of Spanish culture and hospitality.

We maintain a network of host families with whom we’ve been working for many years, so it’s not like we’ll be putting anyone with a random Spanish family; you can feel confident that everyone will be in good hands! If you or a student needs any assistance during your group’s stay, our housing director will be available to provide support.

They vary from location to location, but we’ll make sure that the hotels you stay at are both comfortable and centrally located. The hotels sometimes provide certain meals, such as breakfast—but since this is a customizable program, we can add other meals to your package as well!

Students will have at least 3 hours of free time per day—sometimes more. It’ll just depend on what the group is doing that day, how much time needs to be factored in for travel time, and whether a student is attending the nighttime activity, which will sometimes be optional. If your group elects to have Spanish classes as part of its tour package, your students won’t have to worry about any homework, because they should be able to complete their work in class!

Students will have 24/7 adult supervision and support while they attend our program. Thanks to our extensive, experienced, and knowledgeable network of teachers, directors, coordinators, and host families, students will feel very well-supported during their time with us here in Spain. Every day, a member of our staff will be present to check in with them and make sure they’re okay during their classes, activities, and excursions, and they’ll be able to contact someone from our staff for assistance 24/7.