The following post is from the host parents of students Jacob Drasin and Ben Salzman:

Hello students, teachers, faculty, and parents at Vermont Academy.

We are the host family (Rosa and Gustavo), we have been the host parents of Ben and Jacob during their stay in Spain. We wanted to share what has been our experience with these great kids. 

Although our house has always been open to many people and cultural differences, this was the first time the family lived with outsiders for a long period of time. We were very happy with the experience and thought it was very positive.  We shared languages, customs, history and roots of each country.  But we also spoke like a family.  We shared our lives, our fears, desires, dreams, aspirations, who we are, and more.  We broke some false myths about our cultures and other times the experience has helped us to understand our differences and influences of one country over another.  For us, the most important thing is to reinforce is that the important thing, in substance are the same: we all like to be respected and loved.  This is the most important part of Spanish culture which we hoped we shared with these two kids.

Our best wishes to each of you in your new projects. Congratulations to all of you who are going to graduate in a few days. Good luck to others in your final courses.  We do not like saying goodbye to friends so we prefer to tell you, ‘until tomorrow, until next time.

-Rosa Bueno y Gustavo Suárez

Post by the VA Spain Tech/ PR Team: Thomas Savoca

 To everyone who has kept up with the VA Spain 2011 blog, I would like to sincerely thank you for reading.  It means a lot to me to see that people back in the US knew what we were doing and this is what motivated me to make this blog what it is.  I hope you have all enjoyed reading it and seeing the pictures and videos as much as I have enjoyed updating it.  Next year's VA Spain Campus blog is sure to come back even better than this year, so check back then.  Thank you again to all the readers.  

Sincerely,

Thomas Savoca and the VA Spain PR Team

PS: A summary video of the trip will be posted at some point over the summer, look for that soon!

Remember you can see the pictures from the trip here and see the videos from the trip here.

Also, any feedback or comments on the blog would be appreciated.  This will help me to improve it next year.  Please email to: tsavoca12@vermontacademy.org

The first story is from the VA Spain english tutor Ms. Begonia Diaz.  The second is from the history tutor and Spanish Art History tutor, Mr. Sergio Valeriño.  Enjoy!

I lived in Galicia since I was born, except I was a student of law at Navarra. It was during those years when I understood how important this Galician land was for me, and how much I was missing it. Its people, its sea, its rain, its food, its smell, the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks, everything for me was desirable at the time. I never felt more Galician. Galicia is a friendly land, humble, hardworking, and strong. It’s full of gratitude and closeness perhaps because the Galician is grateful after years of emigration.  But Galicia also receives. It receives those who come with love and hospitality. It receives thousands and thousands of pilgrims who finish here in Santiago de Compostela their way. They take a narrow road to Obradoiro SQUARE from which rises as a spear to heaven, the majestic cathedral. 

I believe that the 13 VA students have gotten to share in this feeling . They have been with us during these two months submerged in life and customs of this land and I believe that, because I perceive it in their smiles, they are happy while walking in Santiago streets or their weekend visits to a church, to the beach, or to a lighthouse in the Costa de Muertos. I read in their poems and their stories texts full of emotion and happiness. Though I know they are happy to go back home, I’m sure too that this land has changed them in a strong way, although they may not know it now. I believe that they will leave with that Galician Morriña, the feeling that the poet Rosalía de Castro described in her poems which cannot be translated, but that the people of Galicia can feel. I would wish that they would remember this place with affection and warmth, and that they will continue with their lives with a good influence from this place. Though probably these 13 students may not return for many years, or maybe not at all as their lives take them different ways, I hope that whenever they hear a bagpipe, or about the pilgramage, about the Galician rivers, or see a picture of the Cathedral of Saint James, that they will feel this place in their hearts, and the Galician Morriña that we all share.  

Thank you to all the students and good luck!

-Begonia Diaz

A picture from the first day of class in Spain.  Third from the left is Ms. Diaz and in the top right is Mr. Valeriño

Here's another post from AP Environmental Studies student, Jae Ho Jung, Class of 2011:

During the last week of April, students from Vermont Academy took a trip to Paris, France. Since this is one of the biggest cities in the world, it has a systematic and complicated subway system. All the major tourist attractions, the downtown, urban and suburban areas and airport can all be accessed by subway and nearly every day we were there, we used the subway system to reach our destinations. The subway in Paris is not only very accessible it is also extremely energy efficient. Some trains were run automatically without operators. The central line which travels to the main tourist attractions and major downtown of Paris has two stories. This line seemed to be the most popular because many foreign tourists used it as a way to explore the beauty and wonders of Paris.  I did notice, however, that the train stations and trains were not as clean as those in Japan or South Korea; countries which can boast some of the cleanest subway systems in the world.

      France is famous for having the fastest express train in the world, the TGC, which can reach speeds of 500km/hr. Their subway system and the express train technology were modeled by South Korea.  Many European countries capitalize largely on their excellent train systems and their energy saving advantages. Some examples of this include ICE (the German Express train), TGV (the French Express Train), Eurostar (an underground railway between France and Britain) and Trans-Siberian Railway. Almost all European countries are connected by rails, and can be accessed within only couple hours via the express train.

      The United States is one of the biggest and wealthiest countries with extensive industry and natural resources. However, the U.S does not capitalize well on trains.  Instead, the U.S depends on airplanes, cars and huge fleet of diesel trucks for travel and distribution of goods.  When I took a train from Vermont to New York City, the train stopped frequently due to electrical problems.  Trains in the US do not seem to be regarded as an important and effective transportation.  Today, our world is on the risk of depletion of oil, global warming and air pollution. Like Europe, if the U.S capitalized on more energy efficient transportation by building express trains and subway systems, they could save large amount of petroleum and contribute to a reduction of air pollutants and global warming.

Written by: Jae Ho Jung '11

Edited by: Ms. Christine Armiger

Post by the VA Spain Tech / PR Team: Thomas Savoca

Jae Ho Jung, Class of 2011, wrote this post for his AP Environmental Studies class based on his experiences on his trip:

Last month, my host family had a reunion in Costa de Muros in Galicia. On the way there, we saw many eucalyptus forests and my host mother told me about some of the issues with eucalyptus trees in this country. Eucalyptus trees were brought to Spain about a century ago from Australia and they adapted well to the warm, Mediterranean climate.  In the 1990s, paper companies and many small farmers planted this tree extensively in the upland areas of Northwestern Spain.  They did this because eucalyptus is a fast growing species which can be used as a cheap source of pulpwood. Unfortunately, this decision resulted in some unforeseen consequences. Eucalyptus does not grow well with other plants; it actually inhibits the growth of native plant species and animals don’t like it, so it can lower biodiversity. It is also really flammable due to the natural oils in its bark.  Because of this, forest fires are becoming a huge problem for the Spanish government.  Even in the wake of a forest fire, however, the eucalyptus will continue to thrive because they are a naturally fire-adapted tree.  Because of all of these factors, Eucalyptus have been categorized as an “Invasive Species” in Spain one that has been brought from an exotic place and negatively impacts the growth of native species in the community where it is introduced.  The problem of invasive species reaches far beyond Spain.  In the United States, entire forests have been covered with a vine called Kudzu, a species that came from Asia.  On the island of Guam, an invasive tree snake decimated populations of native forest birds.  Every time humans introduce a new species to a place, they should not only consider the short term economic benefits, but also the long term environmental costs.

For more information, go to http://www.primabio.co.uk/bm_enitensinSpain.htm.

Written by: Jae Ho Jung '11

Edited by: Ms. Christine Armiger

Post by the VA Spain Tech/ PR Team: Thomas Savoca

Below are speeches from Mr. Ricardo Carreño and Jack Aitken on the April 29 presentation of 'Vermont Academy Spain Campus 2011':

Good morning. Secretary of Education, Dr. Jesús Vázquez, Head of School, Mr. Brennan,  and distinguished guests and friends, thank you all for joining us in this presentation of ‘Vermont Academy Spain Campus 2011’.

Most already know what Vermont Academy is but for our guests, I will give I quick introduction.  Vermont Academy is an academic institution, founded in 1876, with a long history of high quality teaching, academic excellence, and in general a strong community of students who want to strengthen their education.  Through its classrooms students from around the world have accessed major American universities such as Harvard, University of Vermont, and global institutions both in Europe and April.

Vermont Academy is endowed with with many amazing resources, including its college counseling office, a 7 to 1 student teacher ratio, excellent sports and arts facilities, and personalized attention to each and every student from our amazing faculty.  Vermont Academy is about helping students to reach their full potential in every subject matter in order to get them to the best college experience they can have.  Thus we are a college prep school.

Vermont Academy bases everything it does on four main pillars that are the backbone of all our actions programs. : Honesty, Trust, Respect, and Responsibility.  We see that these principles are relevant to everything we deal with in our life.  By standing by these principles, Vermont Academy continues to build on its already incredible programs and consistently creates well rounded, and academically and socially prepared students.  When ever we see a students drifting away from the road to success, we tend to circle back to these four core values.  Recently, we as a school have decided that in order to supplement these four core values, we must teach our students to live in a new a developing international world.  We are seeking to expand our student’s horizons beyond just the United States to bring them into a global community which they will join after college. 

In this effort, we chose Spain as our first destination for an expanding international program. The country has an openness to western culture and is filled with culture for our students to explore and theSpanish language is spoken by 400 million people around the world.  In this country, students will learn about the international community and learn skills which will help them for the rest of their lives.

Galicia, we believe, is a community with enormous cultural and educational potential, and where we find a clear-minded administration that respects and promotes traditions, while seriously wanting to prepare its young people in international education.  It is here that we hope to offer and amazing educational and human experience to our students, and we thank all of you for everything you do to help in this new oppurtunity for our students.  Thank you and without further delay, I would like to present the Secretary of Education, Dr. Jesús Vázquez.

-Ricardo Carreño

Hello, Good morning. It is my pleasure to introduce Vermont Academy in Spain. My name is Jack and I was lucky enough to come to Spain for the first time with Vermont Academy. When Mr. Carreño told me about the idea of Vermont Academy in Santiago de Compostela, knew this trip would be an incredible experience. Since my first year at Vermont Academy four years ago, the Mr. Carreño has always stressed the importance of learning a new language and a new culture. Mr. Carreño always told me that if you only speak one language, your opportunities will be limited. After being in Spain for almost two months, I realized that this is completely true.

Today everything is more advanced and learning a language like Spanish is becoming very important. This trip has shown me that to succeed I must explore their customs, culture, and language. To understand the world, people should leave their environment and learn about other countries. A person who has the courage to live and understand a different country can achieve anything they want.

Thanks to Mr. Carreño, I'll go to college with a new world view different from the United States. I have learned a lot about Europe and Spain, and their differences with the US. My only regret is that it can be longer. This trip has taught me many things about my life and the world. I thank the Mr. Brennan and Mr. Carreño because thanks to them I can see the world in a new way.  Thank you to everyone for coming today.

-Jack Aitken

Both speeches were delivered in Spanish

Check back Monday for pictures from the trip to Barcelona

Post by the VA Spain Tech/ PR Team: Thomas Savoca

This is the speech Mr. Sean Brennan gave at the VA Spain Presentation on April 29, 2011:

I would like to begin by thanking a few people who have been instrumental in helping to get our first year of Vermont Academy in Spain off the ground.  First, the Secretary of Education, Mr. Jesús Vazquez Abad, who shares in the belief of the importance of bilingual education, was excited about our program when we spoke with him last summer.  With his blessing, we were fortunate to have the General Manager of Galician Schools, Mr. Francisco Castro, to help with finding appropriate families to host our students.  The host families deserve a great deal of thanks for taking our students into their homes and treating them like family.  I also want to thank Dr. José Fernández Lago for providing an amazing space in the Monastario de San Pinaro.  Our students and teachers are so impressed with the historical significance of their classroom space. 

Our Director of the program, Mr. Ricardo Carreno, is the man with the plan.  He had the idea, introduced it to me, and then made it happen.  For Ricardo, this program is the union of his two worlds.  He clearly loves his homeland of Spain, but he has come to love Vermont Academy, the place and the mission of our program.  Here in Santiago de Compestela, a city with great history and culture, we are proud to begin our overseas presence as an educational institution with a significant international focus. 

 Vermont Academy is a school that brings together students from all over the world.  We currently have students from 16 countries enrolled at our school, including España.  Our mission statement clearly states that, "by providing a supportive community and close personal attention to its students, Vermont Academy develops confident, active learners and respectful citizens." We value every student and take special care to meet students where they are.  With that individualized attention, we are able to bring students along the learning spectrum, in academics, in athletics, and in the arts.  At the end of a student's career at Vermont Academy, we send our graduates out into the world with the tools necessary "to engage as critical thinkers and to make a positive difference in the global community."  Therefore, to best prepare them for the "global community," we are here in Santiago de Compestela.  Years from now, we will have campuses in China and other countries, but we will all look back and realize that it started here. 

Thank you to all who have worked and continue to work to make this great opportunity a possibility.

More speeches from the event will be posted after this weekends trip to Barcelona, so check back then for speeches and pictures.

Post by the VA Spain Tech / PR Team: Thomas Savoca

Speakers, (left to right) Father José Fernández Lago, Mr. Sean Brennan, Secretary of Education Dr. Jesús Vázquez Abad, and Don Ricardo Carreño

On April 29, 2011, Vermont Academy Spain held a presentation for the host parents of the VA Spain students and the local media.  This presentation included speeches from Mr. Sean Brennan, (Vermont Academy Head of School globally) Mr. Ricardo Carreño, (Director of VA Spain) Spain's Secretary of Education Dr. Jesús Vázquez Abad, Father Pr. José Fernández Lago, (who has been a great help to the VA Spain program since its inception) and VA students Jack Aitken and Anna Brown.  The presentation ended with a casual gathering in which the students shared stories with their host parents and others.

An article featured in the Spanish media about the presentation can be found here.

The video shown at the presentation and pictures from last weekends trip to Madrid will be posted very soon, so check back later!

Post by the VA Spain Tech/ PR Team: Thomas Savoca

All the pictures from last weekend's trip to Paris have been geotagged and given captions.  Check the VA Spain Flickr page to check them out!

Tomorrow, a few of the VA Spain students will post summaries of their experience in Paris, so be back here tomorrow to see their point of view!

Post by the VA Spain Tech/ PR Team: Thomas Savoca

The following blurbs are from four VA Spain students regarding this past weekend's trip to Paris:

This past weekend, the VA Spain students went to Paris for five days.  We did a lot while we were there.  We saw the Eiffel Tower, the Pompidou Center, the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, and much more.  Paris was a lot of fun and was an amazing city to explore.  Some parts of it were very different from anything I had seen before.  For instance, the McDonalds we went to had a bouncer!  The city as a whole also has a focus on art, leaning towards the classics with less modern pieces shown.  When we were there, I had the opportunity to see my cousin who is currently study abroad in Paris.  See said that when the Pompidou Center opened, there was a huge controversy over its modern art content.  Overall, the trip was incredible.  Paris is a beautiful city and I would definitely urge everyone to see it.

By: Ben Salzman ’11

Paris is definitely the city of romance and lights. Views of architecture in Paris are breathtaking. Pyramids from Louvre Museum or hall of mirrors from the Palace of Versailles are just the tip of the iceberg. There were many more sights in Paris that caught my attention.  In particular, tour of Paris on the second floor bus was priceless for me. All of us shared unforgettable memories in Paris like when Mr. Carreno tried to have a conversation with French girls for us or when Jacob and I danced with a random dancer in the middle of the street. Paris was a great place to visit and I would lone to do it again someday.  

By: Jin Tak Lee ’11

When in Paris we had loads of fun going to a lot of the crazy sites that had a lot to offer My favorite site was the Louvre. To get there, we took  a double-decker bus and went by many amazing sites. Then we arrived at the Louvre and the first thing we saw was the glass pyramid which was truly amazing. Then we went inside and I was shocked  by the beauty of the Louvre. Some of the rooms which were a part of the palace the Louvre used to be were filled with incredible sculptures. There were rooms bigger than my house filled with the astonishing painting some of which were so large you had to strain you neck to see them. Even the rooms themselves were really amazing. This was an amazing place and I hope to return some day.

By: Galen Robinson '12

Paris was amazing: The Eiffel Tower, The Palace of Versailles, The Louvre, and the Notre Dame were among some of my favorite sites we saw. I felt like I could spend weeks in these places and still not see everything. But apart form the incredible sights, there was so much more of the city to enjoy.  From watching the street performers on Champs-Élysées to walking around the streets and bridges of the city, there was something amazing everywhere. We had a great time but were very busy.  As soon as I got back to Santiago I took a long nap.

By: Jared Reed ’12

Students at the San Pedro de Rocas Monastery last weekend

This tomorrow, the VA Spain students will travel to Paris for a five day adventure!  During these days, the students will see all the most important sights of the city.  On the first day, they will see Notre Dame, the Montmarte, and have a general tour of the city.  The next day they will see the Louvre, the old city of Paris, and the Eiffel Tower!  The other days, the students will continue to see the rest of the city, explore the museums, and expierience all that Paris has to offer.  Pictures from the trip will be posted Monday, so be sure to check back then.  Until then, 'adios' from Santiago!

Post by the VA Spain PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

VA Spain students in the watchtower of a hill fort in the town of Castro Caldelas

What a weekend for the VA Spain students!  It included visits to monasteries, ancient hill forts, Roman bridges, an amazing hotel, rafting, and much more.  More pictures will be posted later, but check out Flickr now to see some of the pictures from the trip!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vermontacademyspain/

Post by the VA Spain Tech/ PR Team: Thomas Savoca

The article below is written by Jae Ho Jung, a student in the VA Spain program who continues to study in his Vermont-based AP Environmental Science class.

Two weeks ago, my classmates and I traveled to Coruña, a city in Galicia, Spain.  This mountainous region overlooks the beautiful Atlantic Ocean and a coastline infamous for historic shipwrecks caused by extreme tides and wind. Visiting this coast, one can feel how strong and powerful these winds are.  I actually had a hard time standing!  The strong coastal winds are caused by uneven surface heating of land and water from the sun's natural radiation.  Spain is taking advantage of this clean energy source and thus Coruña is home to extensive wind farms which can be seen scattered throughout the rolling hills and mountains.  When the winds are blowing at a maximum, over half of Spain's power can be supplied by this power source.  On average, wind supplies approximately 17% of Spain's power (roughly 20,000 megawatts) and this percentage is rising every year.  In fact, Spain is second only to Denmark in terms of total installed wind power capacity per capita.   When I think about how much Spain has invested in wind as well as other clean energy sources, I feel inspired and hopeful that other countries like the US and Korea could follow their leadership.

Picture: One of the many coastal wind farms in Coruña

Written by: Jae Ho Jung

Edited by: Ms. Christine Armiger

Post and picture: Thomas Savoca

VA Spain students on a beach in Corrubedo last weekend

The main focus of this weekend’s trip to Ourense is to experience tangible examples of Romanesque architecture and art, which the students have been learning about in their Spanish Art History class.  The first stop of the trip will include a visit to one of the best preserved Roman bridges in Europe.  Next, the students will travel to ancient Roman baths, which remain well maintained that the students will have the opportunity to take a dip themselves!  This will allow them to experience first hand what the people of the Roman Empire did so many years ago.  The remaining stops will consist of visits to Romanesque monasteries and the Fortress of Castro Caldelas.  The group will then spend the night in a mountaintop Galician-style home in the town of Sober.  The next morning, they will get up early to go river rafting on the Rio Sil.  That afternoon, the students will visit more monasteries, one of which was constructed for the Benedictine order, the same order for which the San Martin Pinario monastery, (the VA Spain school building) was constructed.  Pictures from the trip will be posted Monday, so check back here on Monday.

Post by the VA Spain PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

The VA Spain students were some of the first to explore a recently-opened archeological exhibit under the Cathedral of St. James.  There, they saw the remains of the ancient basilica, Roman graves, and the changes in the structure of the city over time.  Over the weekend, some students took local trips with their host families while others went to the beach in Corrubedo.  The beach was 8km of white sand in a protected national park area.  After the beach, the students enjoyed a paella and BBQ and a restaurant on the beach.  (Photo on Flickr)

Photo by Anna Brown

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Thanks to a streak of amazing weather in Santiago, the VA Spain students enjoyed class outside in one of the courtyards of the monastery.  In a discussion led by Ms. Diaz, the students talked to each other about poems they wrote for their Spanish Literature class, taught by Ms. Murphy.

This morning, the VA Spain students enjoyed a tour of the Cathedral, the palace within the Cathedral, and the roof of the Cathedral.  They explored the different rooms of the building, the many architectural styles of the building, and the social significance of the different elements of the architectural styles.

Post by the VA Spain PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Pre-Session Photobooth Fun!

This afternoon, the VA Spain Campus communicated with the Vermont Campus via Skype.  The both sides watched the other on a projection screen and were able to ask each other questions.  There will be one or two more of these sessions before the VA Spain students return to Vermont in late May.

Post by the VA Spain PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Every photo on the Vermont Academy Spain Flickr page has been geotagged!  By clicking on the link below, you will be brought to the VA Spain Flickr page.  On the map, each of the pink dots corresponds to a picture and where that picture was taken.  Zoom out to see a broad view of our travels, or zoom in to see specific locations.  For the rest of the trip, each picture posted will be geotagged, so keep checking in on the map to see the newest places we visited.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vermontacademyspain/map?&fLat=42.6373&fLon=-8.8393&zl=11&order_by=recent

Post by the VA Spain PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

As of just hours ago, the photos on the VA Spain Flickr were viewed over 1,000 times!  We will keep the pictures coming for the rest of the trip, so keep checking back on this page for the latest from Santiago and beyond!

Post by the VA Spain PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

A short film of highlights from the first three weeks of the 2011 VA in Spain Program

Filming & Editing: Jared Reed and Thomas Savoca

Post by the PR/ Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Picture: Mr. Carreño stands on deck on the Pinta while watching the students explore the ship

Hello all!

The VA Spain Campus has been enjoying its inaugural trip for already nearly four weeks. The experiences that we are having are really amazing and the response that the Vermont Academy group of students is simply overwhelming.

We have already traveled to different destinations in which the students have learned about ancient culture and the origins of organized society that built our modern world.  More trips are planned for the next few weeks which will continue to expand this knowledge.  We have studied ancient Roman, Celtic and the pre-romanic culture which has had a  huge part in the development of the Irish, English and Spanish culture.  Someone once said that if you do not know and understand your own history you will never be able to understand other’s and you will succumb to the same mistakes of the past. Here, as we keep up with our classes back at VA Vermont, we are also trying to learn from our past in order to teach our Vermont Academy Students skills which will make them capable of solving the problems of the future from a consistent platform of knowledge.

Trips still to come include Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona with many things to learn in each location. I would like to thank the VA Spain team of Ms. Diaz, Mr. Valeriño and Mr. Bello.  I would also like to thank our students for their hard work and dedication in enjoying this experience to the fullest while still keeping up with their work. Also, thanks to Tom Savoca on the IT&PR team and captains Jack Aitken and Blake O’Brien for their extra work in keeping thinks organized, and Magda Blakeson for taking care of sports and keeping everyone in shape.  We have also to appreciate all the support that we receive from all the VA Staff back home.  None off this is possible without their support!

We will continue to enjoy the program and work hard for these next couple of weeks.  Please continue to check in on the blog to see the latest of what we are doing.

Our best from Santiago!

Ricardo Carreño

A picture of the group on last weekend's trip

Hello from Santiago!

After being rained out last weekend, the weather forecast looks good for this weekend to go on the trip planed for last weekend.  The VA Spain students will leave Santiago at 8:30 for Monte Santa Tecla where they will explore a national archeological park, visit an ancient hill fort, and see upper Paleolithic cliffs and the river dividing Galicia from northern Portugal.  Next they will travel to the historic district of the beautiful coastal city of Bayona, (the city where Christopher Columbus returned from his voyage to discover the Americas).  There they will explore the city and port and visit an exact replica of Columbus' ship, the Pinta.  Next they will visit the Pazo Quinones, an old palace for Galician nobles.  The trip will end with a visit to downtown Vigo, where the students will explore the city and practice their Spanish with the locals.  The trip will be led by Sergio Valeroski, the Spanish Art History teacher.  Pictures from the trip will be posted on Sunday, so check back then!

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Today after sports and history class in the morning, the VA Spain crew walked to La Salle, a private school near the VA Spain Campus & their daily lunch spot, to enjoy some food with their friends and teachers.  During lunch, the students talked with some local Spanish students, allowing them to practice their Spanish in a real conversation scenario.

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

On April 23^rd, the city of Santiago de Compostella will celebrate the 800^th anniversary of the consecration of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Though work began a few years before, in 1075, the temple's construction lasted more than a century, led by two major figures charged with leading the construction: Diego Gelmirez and Maestro Mateo.

 The Cathedral of Saint James in Santiago has been the true economic and religious engine of Galicia for centuries. It is significant not only for Galicia, but for the country of Spain as a whole.  The Ways of Santiago, the routes of travel leading to the cathedral, are the oldest highways in Spain, which centuries ago were not only used religious purposes but also for commerce and other economic activities. 

During early 2011, in celebration of the 800^th Anniversary of the Cathedral, the necessary planning occurred for the restoration of the cathedral including facades, roofs, towers, the Tower Clock, the facade of Azabachería, and a section of the Portico de la Gloria. Restoration projects have already commenced and work is going well. This restoration is necessary because the Cathedral has deteriorated more in the last 20 years than in the nearly 900 years before.

On April 4^th, archaeological excavations of the ancient basilica (located in the basement of the present cathedral), will open for cultural and political leaders. These archaeological discoveries  include the old cemetery located near to the original church, many tombs of the first pilgrims (who later made their home in the former Campus Stellae, “field of stars” giving the name ‘Compostela’), and the tombs of the first priests of the temple of St. James.

A few days after the official opening for cultural and political leaders of Galicia, our group of Vermont Academy students will have the honor of being the first visitors to these archaeological wonders on April 8th.  This will be a great experience for them as they are very excited about discovering new things in the city and learning about the origins of western culture in the beautiful city of Santiago.

The Cathedral is just one part of the amazing cultural offering that exists in Santiago de Compostela, a city of 150,000 people that hosted 9.7 million tourists last year and the home of the University of Santiago with students from more than 40 countries.  Our students are really taking advantage of a huge cultural center and learning skills that will make a difference in their lives.

Regards from the staff of Vermont Academy Spain!

Written by Art History Teacher and Humanities Tutor, Sergio Vilariño

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

In lieu of the weekend trip, the VA Spain students spent the weekend with their host families.  Some had some free time to write about and experience they’ve had in the past two weeks:

‘My New Family’ by Ben Salzman

Getting to know my family here in Spain has been great.  They love to have fun and joke around.  My brothers are always running around the house, doing different things.  The parents are more than welcoming and are always offering to help me and Jacob, my roommate, do various things.  They really take the time to go the extra mile and make sure that we are both having fun.  They have taken us to their home in Coruna and to their grandparents’ home for Father’s Day.  The bond of love in our family is amazingly strong, especially with those who are not family.  Immediately when we arrived, they tried to make sure that we felt comfortable, even though we had never met before.  It was not long before I found out that we all have much more in common than I had thought we would.  If things keep going the way that they are, I think our friendship will last even after we return to the US.  

‘Friday in the Park’ by Blake O’Brien & Jack Aitken

This past weekend was a slow one, as the group’s weekend excursion was cancelled due to a 90 % chance of rain. However, on Friday some of the group enjoyed the last day of a long stretch of good weather by kicking back in the park, playing a little soccer, and enjoying the beautiful view of city. In the beautiful city of Santiago, there is always something to do.  God bless this country!

‘A Day with my Family’ by Magda Blakeson

This is the first weekend I got to spend with my family and we spent it very well.  I started my day off with a jog in the park near to my home. After a shower and breakfast, my host mother, sister and I went to the market. In the market there were all kinds of different meats, cheeses, flowers, vegetable, fruits, breads, fish, and desserts! Yum! After shopping in the market and learning about many different foods, my family and I returned to the house around 3:00 to have lunch. My mom cooked while my brothers, sisters and I made homemade brownies (which were amazing). After eating, my family and I went to the house where Taki is living to play some games and have tea (we picked up Anna on the way). The two families played ping pong and Pictionary together. After some hot chocolate, cookies, and more Pictionary we returned to my house. My older brother and I went to play pool in a building close by. I learned I am no good at pool but it was really fun! When we got home it was about 11:00 my family and I watched “National Treasure” in Spanish with English subtitles. It was about 1:30 when I crawled into bed.  I was exhausted, but very happy. It was a great day!

‘Meeting the Locals’ by Galen Robinson & Herve Mudahakana

Earlier this week, Herve and I mentioned to our host parents that we were interested in meeting some Spanish kids, (especially ‘chicas’).  So our host parents called some girls and had them meet us in the city on Saturday!  We were joined by some other students on the trip.  We hung out with the girl and made progress with our Spanish. We also helped the girls improve their English. The girls showed us around the town explaining where Spanish kids usually hang out and what they do. We had a long conversation while eating lunch at an Italian restaurant.  We had a great time and plan to hang out again to meet more Spanish friends.

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Due to the forecasted heavy rain in Galicia for tomorrow and the outdoor nature of the planned excursion, tomorrow's trip has been cancelled.  While the VA Spain administration works on rescheduling the trip, the students will spend the weekend at their homes enjoying some family time!

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Hello From Spain!

This weekend, the VA Spain students will leave for their second weekend adventure.  This time, they will go to Vigo and Baiona for tours of historic districts and beautiful coastal towns.  Stops will include Pazo Quiñones de León-Museum, La Guardia, and Carabela Pinta.  Pictures from the trip will be posted Sunday, so check back then!

Post by VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

The first week was amazing. The school and the Cathedral are incredible. To think about how long it took to build them is mind-blowing. The streets of Santiago are incredible, with beautiful girls and amazing street musicians playing guitars, bagpipes, harps, flutes, and almost any instrument you can think of. The old town is gorgeous with its cobblestone streets, old stone buildings, and giant fountains. It has been tough speaking Spanish with the locals, but everyone is getting better at it. Overall, it is great here and I can’t wait for the rest of the trip.

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Jared Reed

Yesterday, Galen Robinson and Herve Mudahakana went to play soccer with their host-father and his friends. They went to a local school at 8:30 and played until 10:30 non-stop. It wasn't a serious game; they kept score but it was just a fun game. They were playing with people from age 20 to 50.  Even though some of the Spanish players were in the 40's, they were still very skilled. The end score was 9 to 7, with Herve's team victorious. Herve had 4 assists and one goal, Galen was on the losing team and had 1 assist and 1 goal.  This game was just one example of the fun things the students do with their host families in their free time.

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Galen Robinson

Buenas tardes from Santiago,

Yesterday the VA Spain students traveled from Santiago to the west coast of Spain, down to Finisterre.  The stopped at many points along the coast, seeing old lighthouses, the grave of shipwrecked sailors, a museum about the history of fishing in Spain, and the remains of ancient Roman villages.  Check "VermontAcademySpain" on Flickr to see more pictures from the weekend.

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

Hello again from Santiago,

After another day of classes, the VA Spain students started today by giving their Spanish history presentations.  In the picture above are Jacob Drasin and Herve Mudahakana giving their presentation on flamenco music.  Other topics included the Spanish Civil War, the Olympics in Spain, and the Spanish-American War.  Tomorrow the group will travel to Finisterre for their first excursion trip.  

Post by the VA Spain PR/Tech Team: Thomas Savoca

After the gym, the VA Spain students returned to classes.  They just started their first project, research on six different topics from Spanish history ranging from "The Spanish Civil War" to "The Olympics in Spain".

After their second night with their host families, the VA Spain students woke up early to go to the gym for some three-on-three basketball.  This afternoon they will go to back to the school building for classes.

After lunch and a short break, Mr. Valarino led the group on a tour of Old Santiago, the area surrounding the school.

After the first class period, the group walked to the cafeteria where they had their first Spanish lunch together.  This afternoon they will take a tour of the city with their new teachers.  (This picture was taken on the steps of the school)

After spending their first night with their host families, the VA Spain group arrived at the school, met their teachers, and started their first day of classes.

After getting through check-in and security at JFK, the VA Spain group is ready to head to Madrid, and then to Santiago de Compostela. By Monday afternoon, they will be with their host families.

After a busy third quarter, the 13 students traveling to Galicia set off for Spring Break last Friday.  During the third quarter they were very busy preparing for their studies abroad.  They also spent a lot of time familiarizing themselves with Spanish culture through their Spanish Literature class.  During this week off, they will get everything ready to travel to Spain.  They will leave the evening of March 13 and arrive in Santiago de Compostela on March 14, where they will meet their host families and begin the inaugural trip of the Vermont Academy Spain program.

Jack and Blake, two senior day students, will be heading off to Santiago de Compostela in March to spend ten educational weeks immersed in the dynamic culture of Galicia, a region in northwest Spain. Before they head off, we thought we’d ask them a few questions about their impending adventure.

Q: What about the VA Spain Campus excites you the most?

Jack: I can’t wait to learn about Spanish culture first hand. I’ve read a lot about Spain and experienced it through movies and pictures—but I’ve never actually lived there for an extended period of time.
Blake: I want to improve my Spanish fluency. Living and learning in Spain will help me with this.

Q: What are you most worried about?

Jack: The language barrier.
Blake: The language issue, as well as keeping on top of VA life and courses back home.

Q: What special item are you bringing with you to Spain?
 
Jack: My soccer ball.
Blake: My iPod, in case I get sick of Flamenco music, and my guitar.

Q: Where are you most excited about visiting on your weekends?

Jack: I want to check out Italy if I can, and definitely Madrid.
Blake: The cathedrals in Barcelona.

Q: How is your spanish?

Jack: I’m almost fluent.
Blake: I have a good amount to learn.

Q: Why is learning spanish important to you?

Jack: I think it will broaden my horizons before college. It might also give me more job opportunities in the future.
Blake: I want to be in touch with the Spanish speaking world. It will open more doors for me in the future.

Back for the beginning of the new semester, VA Spain Campus' inaugural group of students are busy preparing for their departure to Galicia, Spain in March. They just began reading El Cid, a true Spanish classic!