Welcome 2023 HSSA Language and Culture to Palma de Mallorca

This past Sunday our first session students arrived to Palma de Mallorca for our month long Spanish Language and Culture Program. We are so excited to have the program back after a brief hiatus. The students came tired after long flights from both coasts, but excited nonetheless to get started. They were greeted at the airport by local Ciee staff then soon after picked up by their host families. Once settled in with their families they were fed and toured around the city before calling it a day and heading to bed for a well deserved good night's sleep.

Monday we were ready to see the city and the sun. Our global navigators met in Plaza España in the morning to meet with their program leaders and head over to Ele Usal, the language school in the city center that we'll be calling campus for the next month. We spent the morning meeting center staff and language teachers and going over logistics and academics while also learning about Spanish culture and customs. After a full morning of orientation it was time for some fun in the sun for our global navigators, finally, beach time! We walked down to the local city beach, Can Pere Antoni to have a swim, sunbathe and some friendly fútbol (soccer to those back home in the states) and volleyball competition. On the way home we made the first of what will be many gelato stops. 

Tuesday morning we got the lay of the land by doing a scavenger hunt through the city center. Our global navigators visited important landmarks throughout the city to learn their way around while also learning some cultural and historical facts. Now that we know how to navigate our way around this beautiful seaside city we are ready for our adventure that has only just begun!