A true royal arrival

Programs for this blog post

High School Abroad in Spain

Authored By:

Raquel Burgos

Our Fall 19 High School Abroad participants arrived in Spain a couple of weeks ago and attended a three day orientation in Seville, Spain. Out CIEE students experienced an extremelly long layover in Madrid , 12 hours, and if this wasn´t enough, they added a 7 hour bus ride from Madrid to Sevilla due to a flight cancelation (thanks Iberia). Because you always have to look at the bright side, this was an incredible opportunity for our participants to get to know each other. They arrived tired but excited for what was ahead of them!

The orientation is a smooth transition for students to be introduced to a new country, language and culture. What a better way be introducedto a new country than shaking hands with the King of Spain? Yes, that happened, and we let it happened. On our way to lunch we saw a small crowd of people. As we got closer, we could see that someone important was there...oh Hello, King of spain? Do you come here often? Many of our students went to the front row of a gated area and shaked hands with the King of Spain, Felipe VI.

At the end of Orientation, participants are introduced to their host families and start their semester living like a local and attending a Spanish High School.  Please click through our gallery to see photos from our Fall 19 Spain Orientation!

Orientation Highlights:

  • Walking Tour of Seville
  • Survival Spanish Class relating to host family and school life
  • Flamenco Class
  • Meals featuring typical Spanish cuisine like Tapas, Paella, and Churros
  • Q&A Session with current Academic Year participants
  • Surprise Dinner with Host Siblings
  • Informational Sessions on topics including Academics, Health & Safety, Host Family Expectations, Program Rules, and Culture Shock.