By Claire Goldsmith

Harvard-Westlake students who are spending their junior year in Europe with the School Year Abroad program celebrated their winter breaks in a variety of different ways.

Eli Kogan’s ’13 parents and brother, Ben ’11, visited him in Zaragoza, Spain over the break. They toured his school and the stables where he works with wild horses and meet his host family.

The four took a train to Barcelona to visit museums and explore Spainish culture. Kogan then returned home with his family for four days.

Allana Rivera ’13 did “more traditional celebrating” with her host family in Spain, without her parents coming to visit. Rivera went to the pueblo with her host mother and spent Christmas with her extended host family. Rivera planned on spending part of her break studying for the SAT and spending time with the friends that she’s made on the SYA program.

For break, Eli Putnam’s ’13 entire family joined him in Spain. His parents and sister, Lucy ’14, toured his school and met his host family before traveling around Spain with him.

“We Skype every week, but it will be great to see Eli. I’m really excited to see Zaragoza,” Lucy said.

At the request of her host family, Ally White’s ’13 parents did not visit her in France until a break she has during February so she can spend more time with her host family over the holidays.

White and her host family vacationed during Christmas in Paris and New Year’s in either Bordeaux or Normandy, France.

“I’ve been able to get much closer to my [host] family by taking part in their Christmas traditions like decorating the Christmas tree and helping to put up Christmas lights,” White said.