REACHING YOUR GOALS - LEARNING THE LANGUAGE AND THE CULTURE
The Middlebury College School in Spain offers graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to perfect their Spanish competency through guided language immersion, as well as through facilitated social and cultural integration.
Well in advance of leaving the United States students are encouraged to reflect upon how they want to achieve their goals while in Spain, followed by working with the Student Activities Coordinator on finding ways of integrating into the Spanish language and culture through exploring their own interests.
Individuals learn a language and culture as a result of personal choices and initiatives. Therefore, Middlebury in Spain “facilitates” the integration process rather than making decisions for the students. Two full-time staff members help students select activities that will benefit their progress. This may be participating in internships, volunteer work in schools, NGOs, sports or any other areas that students choose.
Most students who choose to study with Middlebury in Spain indicate the desire to avoid spending time with English speakers. Usually, after a month of acclimation, students are highly encouraged to strike out on their own using Middlebury´s staff and resources. Students will find a direct relation between learning the language and the culture and aspects of their life in Spain; from their living situation to how they spend their time outside of class.
For some students, study abroad is the first time that they find themselves in a position to make their own decisions and to structure their own time. At Middlebury we feel that this is one of the most important life skills that students can learn during study abroad, and so we provide support, encouragement and care, yet help students learn how to be independent and take initiative even in new surroundings.
Middlebury in Spain students become involved in extremely interesting and integrating activities that they have found through a combination of help from Middlebury as well as personal initiatives. They find their way in a foreign land using a foreign language overcoming obstacles and discovering much about themselves, and in the end feel a sense of self-satisfaction based on personal effort. As a result their Spanish improves dramatically precisely because they have such a personal investment in what they themselves have achieved.
The Middlebury College School in Spain offers graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to perfect their Spanish competency through guided language immersion, as well as through facilitated social and cultural integration.
Well in advance of leaving the United States students are encouraged to reflect upon how they want to achieve their goals while in Spain, followed by working with the Student Activities Coordinator on finding ways of integrating into the Spanish language and culture through exploring their own interests.
Individuals learn a language and culture as a result of personal choices and initiatives. Therefore, Middlebury in Spain “facilitates” the integration process rather than making decisions for the students. Two full-time staff members help students select activities that will benefit their progress. This may be participating in internships, volunteer work in schools, NGOs, sports or any other areas that students choose.
Most students who choose to study with Middlebury in Spain indicate the desire to avoid spending time with English speakers. Usually, after a month of acclimation, students are highly encouraged to strike out on their own using Middlebury´s staff and resources. Students will find a direct relation between learning the language and the culture and aspects of their life in Spain; from their living situation to how they spend their time outside of class.
For some students, study abroad is the first time that they find themselves in a position to make their own decisions and to structure their own time. At Middlebury we feel that this is one of the most important life skills that students can learn during study abroad, and so we provide support, encouragement and care, yet help students learn how to be independent and take initiative even in new surroundings.
Middlebury in Spain students become involved in extremely interesting and integrating activities that they have found through a combination of help from Middlebury as well as personal initiatives. They find their way in a foreign land using a foreign language overcoming obstacles and discovering much about themselves, and in the end feel a sense of self-satisfaction based on personal effort. As a result their Spanish improves dramatically precisely because they have such a personal investment in what they themselves have achieved.