Day 12: Adiós Spain

Sadly, all good things come to an end.  Our last 10 days in Spain have been a blast, ones we will never forget, with memories & friends who made it unforgettable.
We also said good-bye to Solange at the airport this morning as she is extending her vacation to visit family in France.
We sadly said good-bye to our lovely Tour Director, Patricia, and thanked her for a magical week.  She truly made this week the best ever!
Our flights are Barcelona to Atlanta (9.5 hrs), 6.5 hour layover in Atlanta, then Atlanta to Moline.
All our flights went smoothly, our layover was long, but made the most of it...and they only switched out gate once!  (Thanks Delta!)
Made it home safe & sound....as well as did our luggage...phew

On behalf of Señora & Señorita, we would like to thank you all for taking the leap and coming with us to try this new trip!  From your feedback, we will definitely do this trip again, but boy!, the next group has big shoes to fill.  Thank you for trying new things, for practicing your language, for going with it, for smiling & laughing, for being such great troopers that everyone commented how wonderful you were!  Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!  Grathias!  :)

Day 11: La Playa

Today is the day we added to our tour.  Instead of going home, we extended our time in Barcelona by a day.....and hit the beach!  We had thought of doing all sorts of stuff, but when it came down to it, we had done soooo much already, that a beach day sounds great.  We headed down to Barceloneta, picked out a spot, and there we were.  Lots of sunscreen needed, but nice to just sit & relax & reflect on the last 10 days!  Kids wandered, played with their soccer ball, got some lunch, read, went in the water, etc....  Some got a little too much sun, guess that'll be their souvenir.
We headed back to the hotel to shower & change for our last dinner in Spain.... booooo
At dinner, we all presented out Invisible Amigos with a gift we had picked out for them.  There was some great thought put into the gifts & was fun to see what everyone got with their 5 euro limit!
We also presented Patricia with an honorary Roamin' Spartans team shirt!  She started crying...so the kids started crying....  #hotmess
The boys & I hit the mexican restaurant across the street from our hotel upon our return to watch the Spain World Cup match.
We sadly said good-bye to Prakruti as her family picked her up for an extended vacation throughout Spain!
Tomorrow is our loooooong day to get home.....

Day 10: All about Gaudi

We slept in a bit this morning (yeah!) and then headed to Parque Guell.  Most of us took a taxi up the hill while others took the Metro & then walked.  Our guide, Aida, met us there and explained all about Gaudi and his vision for the park.  The tile mosaics are just amazing!!
We caught a public bus to Sagrada Familia, and had our first close encounter with pick-pocketers.  No one tried anything on the kids - but we saw them trying with other tourists.  Darn Sausages!! LOL
We then were treated to a beautiful tour of Sagrada Familia!  To think that it's not complete...whoah...and then to imagine what it will be like when it IS finally done..... wow!!!
We headed back to the Gothic quarter for some free time...or ice cream, and then met up to do a bike tour!  With a local guide, all the kids headed down towards the beach along the boardwalk, to see the city by bike!  What a blast!!!
We are enjoying Barcelona greatly, but looking for a quiet day tomorrow!!

Day 9: Welcome to Barcelona!!

Up bright & early to catch an early morning AVE train (high-speed) to Barcelona.  Most of the kids slept as we cruised along the Spanish countryside.  Upon arrival in Barcelona, we checked into our hotel, dropped our bags, and headed downtown to Las Ramblas.  We can feel it's already a cooler temp here than Madrid - YEAH!!  We wandered down Las Ramblas and around the gothic quarter, before some free time prior to dinner.  Dinner was a bit of a hike to the other part of town, but was delicious, so worth it! 
Kids already like the feel & the energy here in Barcelona.  The 2 cities are extremely different, so good to experience both!!
Tomorrow is everything Gaudi!!!

Day 8: Cultura, Dancing & Graduation

Today was the last day of school. The kids had to say a said farewell to Abel, their profesor for the week.  The theme was all about culture, music, and dance.  At the end of the morning, there was a small graduation ceremony, where they all got their hats & diplomas!  Kind of cute!!!
Their 1st activity of the day was a city hunt.  We split the kids into groups by their rooming, and sent them into 4 different areas of the city with a list of challenges to do, take pics, and then meet back up!  They had a blast - got some great pics, and had some interesting stories to share!!
Next up was flamenco lessons!  We went to Las Carboneras, a famous flamenco place in Madrid and the kids got to learn the basics...and then we were treated to a private performance! We just sat in awe as to how quickly and precise the professionals move.
Had a nice last dinner in Madrid and then basically headed back to the hotel to pack. Tomorrow we are heading on the high-speed train to Barcelona!
Thanks for the memories, Madrid!  We will be back!!!

Day 7: Jovenes (teens)

Today's lesson was all about a typical school day in Spain.  How they attend classes in the morning from 9-2, then have time for lunch and the very popular siesta, and then some return in the afternoon for a few more hours. How the teachers change rooms and the kids stay with the same kids, etc...
I think they are enjoying the classes with their teacher, Abel.  Señora & I do not attend the classes with the kids, so we hear from them what they do, different listening activities, presentations, .... and all in Spanish!  This group has really done a nice job of blending together and really improving their Spanish.  It's cool to see their growth with the language, and how much more comfortable they feel speaking Spanish & navigating the city.
Lunch was a very typical dish from Madrid, a cocido, or stew.  We started with a typical soup as an appetizer, then moved to the cocido.  It includes a variety of meats:  chicken, beef, pork, chorizo, morcilla, tocino...and then you mix it with the vegetables:  garbanzos, carrots, cabbage, potatoes.  Delish!!!
After lunch we headed to a very diverse part of the city, Lavapies,  for our interactive portion of the day, and visited an NGO, The Third Half, that works to improve communities through soccer.  The kids had to pick a goal to work on through soccer, and then we went & visited the soccer court. About 7 kids came to play with us.  We did some drills, played some pick up games, and then created visuals representing our day.  I think our kids enjoyed it as much as the Spanish kids.  Typically there are about 150 kids who participate in the Lavapies Dragones team, even girls!!  They practice on a sand/gravel court and then play around the city at different stadiums with other teams of similar HS ages.
We surprised the kids afterwards with a trip to the Faro de Moncloa, or Moncloa tower.  It looks like a house from the Jetson's, and gives you a 360 look at Madrid.  Even the kids with height issues really enjoyed the views!
After a loooong day, we headed back to our barrio for dinner and bedtime.  Tomorrow is our last day in Madrid as Saturday we pack up & take the train to Barcelona.  I think the kids are super sad to be leaving Madrid as they've grown to love it like home!!

Day 6: Flags, Fútbol & Families...oh my!!

Today's workshops were about fútbol...SOCCER...and the World Cup!!  The kids quickly learned that they do NOT know the flags from the countries around the world hahahha!  We have not been able to catch a game while here due to the timing of the games - we're always busy :(  But we still see the excitement around the city - many Spanish flags hanging in windows/balconies, many people in jerseys, and not just Spanish jerseys.  We've seen lots of Peruvians, Brazilians, Mexicans, Colombians, etc...
This prepped them for our tour of the Real Madrid Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu.  Wow - it's huge!  Seats over 80,000...and they are expanding it!!  Apparently the museum & stadium is the 2nd most visited museum in all of Madrid, after the Prado art museum!  We saw all the trophies & jerseys - so impressive!  Saw locker rooms and got to walk onto part of the field.  So, obviously we took our Roamin' Spartans team photo here....and imho, it's awesome!!!
The 2nd part of their class prepped them for their host family visits...dining customs, etc...  We divided the kids into 2 groups and gave them a map.  Obviously a teacher went with them, but we were not supposed to say a word. haha  They had to navigate the metro and then navigate the streets to find the houses.  The kids looked great - cleaned up nicely!  One group went to a host lady's house with her mom along as well, multi-generational.  Besides eating some delicious food, they had a great conversation for over 2.5 hrs in SPANISH!!!  The host mom commented to the profesora afterwards how great their Spanish was and how impressed she was that they held a conversation all in Spanish!  #proudprofesoras
The other group went to a younger lady's house who had her friend along.  The friend was from Michigan and here teaching English.  Again, delicious food, and also like the other group, all in Spanish.  #proudprofesoras
Both groups came back to the hotel quite animated and having really enjoyed their evening!  I think they were all nervous prior as they didn't know what to expect, but came away with their eyes opened and feeling more & more comfortable with the language.  What else could a profesora ask for?!?!

Day 5: It's all about the food...la comida

Tuesday's theme of class was the ever popular FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The kids learned about all the different types of Spanish food, many of which they have already tried.  The learned all about the ingredients, the dishes, etc....  All of this is tied to their afternoon activities.
We took the metro downtown and went to the amazing Mercado de San Miguel (San Miguel Market). It's not a typical market with lots of fruits, vegetables, cow carcasses, etc... It had some stand with fruits & meats, but mainly it was little mini-restaurants with tables in the middle.  The kids were split into groups and had a variety of challenges to accomplish around the market...like try a food you've never tried and video everyone eating it, talk with a local, ask them questions, and take a selfie lol  Just a variety of things.  The kids really enjoyed it and the boys, well, Brenner & Nico, even tried sea urchin!  #proudprofesoras
Kids had some free time for lunch and shopping and then we met back up for our next activity:  COOKING CLASS!!!  Donning aprons, they worked as a team and prepared gazpacho (cold, tomato soup), tortilla española (spanish omelet with eggs), paella (rice with & without seafood), and a cake.  The kids did amazing - and the food was delicious!!  They really enjoyed the class!!
Headed back to the hotel for a bit of down time and then went out for churros & chocolate!!!  Great way to end our food day!!!

Day 4: It's all about the Art

Today our workshops started at the EF Language School.  The school is about a 20 minute walk from our hotel, and as there is a primary school next door to our hotel, we were able to see daily life...mom's walking their kids in uniforms to school as well.  The tour company I use, EF tours, has a Language School component in their portfolio.  So, around the world, they have different offices to teach locals English, or they go to where the Olympics are being held, and train the translators.  Each day of our 3 hour workshops has a theme.
So, today's theme Art & History.  In the workshops, they learned all about different pieces of art, and had to present with a partner, all in Spanish.  Their professor is named Abel, and he is doing amazing with them!  Señora Buchter & I are not allowed in the room....so we just hang out in the computer lab (hence the blogging) and in the patio, until they are done.  We had lunch around the school and then headed down to the Prado museum.  Because the students learn a lot about art in Spanish 3, they knew most of the paintings from the workshop.
In the Prado, Patricia split them into 3 groups, gave them a challenge and off they went.  While they were doing that, Señora & I headed to Opera and once they were done with their challenge, they got to participate in an Amazing Race.  We called it "Amazing Race: Find the Profesoras" edition.  In their groups, they had to find us and the team who did first, won a secret prize.  They could walk, metro, taxi, bus, etc.... to get to us.  And the winners were:  Team #2:  Nico, Meredith, Lilly, Abby, and Sarah!  They used their metro skills and got to us first!!  Well done - so proud!!  The other 2 groups showed up a bit later as they chose to walk.  Proud of them all for using their maps & asking for help (in Spanish).
Our last tour stop of the day was the Royal Palace, one of the largest in all of Europe.  The King & Queen do not actually live here, but use it for official visits.  It's very ornate and each room has a different clock & chandelier that are quite eccentric!
After a bit of free time to shop, we had tapas for dinner:  tortilla española, croquetas, calamares, pan, chorizo....all super yummy!!!
When it was time to head back, Señora & I took the winner for ice cream...and learned that almonds are NOT nuts....nice try, crazy ice cream lady!!  After ice cream, we treated them to a relaxing taxi ride back to the hotel!
All in all, great 1st day of workshops!!  Excited to see what tomorrow brings!!

Day 3: Madrid & Toledo

Today we headed to Parque del Retiro, Madrid's Central Park, to surprise the kids with boat rides around the lake....but there was some boat exhibition going on, of course, so we just wandered around the park with them, saw the Crystal Palace, and then headed to the Reina Sofía museum.  It's at this museum that Picasso's Guernica is housed.  As the kids have studied art in class, they know all about it.  Many were shocked as to how big it actually is.  Lots of modern art at this museum..Dali, Picasso...  Quick lunch and then we hopped on a bus to Toledo.  It's called Holy Toledo for a reason due to all the churches, mosques & synagogues.  We did a panoramic tour of the city before heading inside the city walls to do a walking tour.  The cobblestone streets, the narrow sidewalks and alleyways...this city is amazing!  And all we heard from the kids were lots of oohs and aahs!!  While it was hot, the shade was delightful!  We ended at a sword factory where the kids got to play Game of Thrones lol  :)  Dinner downtown and back to the hotel.  Tonight's reflection conversation was:  what have you noticed that is different?  Great answers from the group.  Tomorrow our workshops start, so off to bed we go!

Day 2: We have arrived!!

Boy, was that a long flight in not very comfortable seats from Atlanta to Madrid.  But, we made it...and so did all our luggage!!!!  We met up with Patricia and headed to our hotel...and the rooms were ready!  *that never happens!  Our hotel is great - spacious, a/c, super location.  We dumped our bags, changed, and headed into center city for lunch.  Lunch was very typical Spanish food: croquetas and paella....yummmm!!  We did a little walking tour around center city, and went to the top of Corte Inglés store for a panoramic view.  Did a little shopping, and by 430, the kids were done.  Cool part of the day was when 4 PV students who are studying north of Madrid, met up with us.  As a teacher, to see your kids studying what you taught them...#proudseñorita
We headed back to the hotel for some down time and then had dinner in our neighborhood.  It's a quaint little neighborhood, very typical Spanish, so good for the kids to see non-touristy parts, where the real people live.  After that, they were pooped...early to bed as tomorrow is a fun day!!

#27: España, here we come!!!

It's that time of the year again!  We are ready to embark on our trip to Spain, but this year with a different twist!  Normally we tour Spain in the even numbered years - fun to be in Europe when World Cup or Euro Cup is happening. Well, this year we are trying a different tour, a Language Immersion tour.  Instead of hopping around from one city to another, we stay in one city and really get to know that city, know the neighborhoods, etc...  Then, Mon-Fri, the kids take language workshops at the EF Language School that will help them with their afternoon activities.  We have 15 students joining us this year, some having completed Spanish 3, many have completed Spanish 4, and will be in my AP class in the Fall, and a few have already completed AP.  We will spend a week in Madrid & then head to Barcelona for a few days before coming home.  Mrs. Buchter & I are excited to go with the kids and try something new.  We are so proud of the kids who took the leap to try something new, to spend most of their day immersed in the Spanish language and culture.  That's pretty impressive!!  We have great flights:  MLI - ATL - MAD, easy peasy. Our guide is Patricia, and she is more then ready for us to show.
Bring on #27!!!