Students experience Spain…family style

Posted by: Debbie Bowley on Wed, 20 April 2005 13:15:29

Spending six days with a Spanish family, viewing masterpieces in the Prado Museum, seeing the king and queen of Spain, watching a flamenco performance on the same stage where many of Cervantes’ works were first performed, visiting castles and cathedrals, eating octopus, sea urchin, eels, suckling pig, and much more...that’s how eight Lauralton students spent their spring vacation. Seniors Malina Boreyko, Anna Buccanfuso, Christine Rogers, Kim Rusatsky, Erin Strong, and juniors Alex Kirik, Rachel Oberg, and Sarah VanDine participated in this memorable experience.

The trip was organized by Spanish teachers Señoras Doerr and DÁmbruoso, who met with the students on a regular basis before school over a period of months to prepare for the program. The group learned about Spanish food, customs, history, and geography, and practiced various scenarios that they would…or at least might…encounter during their visit. By the time they left for Spain, the students were confident that they had the necessary knowledge and attitude to make the most of the program, and they did!

A tour of their “hometown” of Alcalá de Henares gave the visitors an appreciation of its prominence starting in the16th century when one of Spain’s first universities was built there. Other sites included Cervantes’ home and the church in which he was baptized, the 16th century palace of the archbishop and the building in which Christopher Columbus proposed his famous voyage to Ferdinand and Isabella. In Segovia the students climbed the tower of the castle whose construction was begun in the 10th century and was the inspiration for the castle in Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom, and they were awed by the 2,000-year-old Roman aquaduct that still brings water to the city over its 170 arches rising up almost 100 feet from the street below. Many of the host families took the girls to see other cities, including Toledo, with its Medieval cathedral, synagogues and churches, in which they were able to view many works of art by some of the great masters, especially El Greco. And there were outings with siblings to discotheques, malls and soccer games.

The best part of the trip for most of the students was the family stay. The girls went to school with their Spanish “siblings,” learned that students there call their teachers by their first names!, lingered for hours over family meals finding that even picky eaters learned to try new foods, took siestas, and Christine Rogers “laughed till it hurt” as she and her Spanish sister shared private jokes. When it was time to say goodbye to their Spanish families, lots of tears were shed on both sides. Memories will keep the experience alive for everyone, and it seems that some of the friendships are destined to continue since a couple of Lauralton students are planning to return in June, Alex Kirik is hoping to host her “sister” this summer and Señora DÁmbruoso’s family wants her to return every year.

Alex Kirik, on her return, said, “I had studied a lot, but nothing compares to actually experiencing what life is really like in another place.” And for Kim Rusatsky, “It was one of the best experiences I’ve had.” And no doubt all the girls agree with the comment that “The experience really made me appreciate my Lauralton education.”