Spanish Exchange Trip
From Wednesday, October 19, 2022, to Tuesday, November 1, 2022, Newman School will be visited by students from the Yago School in Seville, Spain. Spanish Instructor Maria Rodrigo Sanz is still looking for volunteers to host the students and participate in the exchange.
The students from Seville will have a welcome lunch, attend classes at Newman, and participate in a field day trip and the Halloween dance. They will have an opportunity to meet students studying Spanish at Newman. Señora Rodrigo explains, “It's great that they are coming in the fall, so they can see how beautiful Boston is during this season and how many traditions you have around this time of the year. When I came to live in Boston, I was amazed by the fall colors, the foliage, the amount of pumpkins and candies on display in the supermarkets, the Halloween streets, etc.” She expands on how in Valencia, Spain, where she is from, there is good weather but no fall season like in Boston. The goal is to have students from Seville experience autumn with Newman students and have them learn about the traditions of this season. Señora Rodrigo also hopes that students from Seville and Newman students will be able to build lifelong relationships like others have in the past.
In the summer of 2022, Economics Instructor Ms. Christine Saunders and Environmental Systems & Societies Instructor Kim Guerra organized a trip to Costa Rica. “It was an opportunity to explore and discover new forms of nature in a Spanish-speaking country,” said Señora Rodrigo. In contrast, the Spanish exchange program will be concentrated on cultural exchange and practicing Spanish. There will also be some tourism in Seville. “We have planned a day trip to Cordoba, and on the last day in Madrid, we will also do some activities besides eating good ‘bocadillos’ and churros with chocolate, yum….” The aim of the trip is to get to know the culture from the inside and have more time to practice the language, and generally improve one’s communicative competence in Spanish.
The Newman School and the Yago School share many similarities. They both combine traditions and innovations. Similarly to what we experience here at Newman School, The Yago School also focuses on sports, arts, and activities that foster skills and friendship. For the exchange students, it will be interesting to experience the same principles in a different cultural setting. Señora Rodrigo believes “that both give so much importance to language learning as a way to break down cultural barriers and open our minds to the global world.”
Señora Rodrigo hopes to give students an opportunity to apply what they have learned in Spanish class in real-life situations. “The best way to learn and practice a language is through linguistic immersion. In addition, when we learn a language, we cannot leave out the cultural component.” She also wants students to discover the routines, gastronomy, traditions, folklore, and daily lives in Spain while learning Spanish.
The students agree with Señora Rodrigo. Amma O’Gorman ‘26 hopes “to be challenged in … [her] ... language learning and have a unique experience that” she will remember in the future. Newman students will be visiting the Yago School in Seville during March break and won’t miss school. Lucy Keesbury ‘25 assumes “it'll be like the movies and tv shows since they are where I've gotten most of my information about exchange programs, but I don't know!” She also hopes that she will have “a better cultural understanding and improvement in my Spanish.” Chloe Mura ‘27 expects “to learn more about Spain and the culture there and to try many new foods.”
O’Gorman thinks “it would be difficult to adapt to the colder temperatures here as well as the difference in time.” She also suggests that the exchange students from Seville might have difficulty speaking a foreign language daily. Mura agrees with O’Gorman that they could possibly be jet lagged and adds that they might feel homesick or do not like the food. Keesbury believes that the students might be challenged to adapt to the fast-paced environment quickly. She fears that the students might have difficulties with navigation and public transportation. “I know I said that the fast-paced environment can be stressful, but it can also be incredibly invigorating,” she says. She hopes they will see all the things she loves about Boston.
If you are interested in the Spanish exchange trip, need more information, or want to join, then write to Señora Rodrigo at mrodrigosanz@newmanboston.org.
