Students from both the upper and middle schools will travel to Spain for the annual Spanish immersion trip from March 22 to April 6.

The purpose of the trip is to provide a real-life encounter for students who wish to learn more about Spanish customs, culture and language, upper school Spanish teacher Javier Zaragoza said.

The students will study in two different language institutions, in Toledo the first week and in Valencia the second.

The group will visit a variety of places, including urban centers like Madrid and Barcelona, smaller cities like Zaragoza and cultural areas like Toledo and Segovia.

“I’m scared to be going to a different country with very little skill in Spanish, but I’m expecting to learn a lot more than just the Spanish language,” Jordan Brown ’16 said. “I get to experience an entirely different culture than the typical American one. I’m really excited for this trip.”

Although in some years the trip is purely a home-stay experience, because of the mobility of this particular trip, the group will be staying in both hotels and with native Spanish families.

Most days comprise of Spanish lessons at the institution in the morning, followed by group or family excursions in the afternoon or evening.

The excursions range from sightseeing  in downtown Toledo to visiting the Picasso Museum in Barcelona.

“This is a great opportunity to teach them independence and the responsibility of decision making,” Zaragoza said. “In this regard, it is just as important of a trip about learning skills away from the comfort zone of home and school.”