Final Post

Hello everyone! 

Here are some final highlights from the last few days of the program. We ended with the Farewell Show that is a tradition of IUHPFL to say goodbye to families and highlight our students' talents. On Saturday, we hugged the host families goodbye before hearing to Madrid for our final excursion. 

In Madrid we visited to world renowned art museums, El Prado and Reina Sofia. Students were able to see the famous works by Salvador Dali and Picasso among other prestigious painters. We also enjoyed churros in Madrid and some students ate "bocadillo de calmares" which Madrid is known for. 

Ava and Aaron presented some awards for superlatives that the students voted on during the farewell show. Jackson received the award for the most athletic. Maya was nominated as the best dancer and Lily as the most creative. 

Here is the best dressed award going to Liliana. The nicest award went Abby and the best duo went to the host brothers, Lucas and Carlos. 

Saturday morning, giving hugs and saying goodbye! 

Sightseeing in Madrid and traveling by Metro. 

Saying goodbye to students that were picked up from the residence on our last day. 

Thank you everyone that made this a great experience for our students abroad. This group of 26 students will always have a special place in our hearts. Thank you for being such a great group of students to have had the pleasure of sharing this experience with. We wish you nothing but the best! 

Please enjoy the rest of your summer, recharge, and spend time with your loved ones! We look forward to hearing about all the amazing things you will do again in the future. Never stop being curious, traveling, and opening your hearts to new experiences in new places. 

-Almeria Team 

All about our host families!

Tomorrow we head out to Madrid from Almería for our final excursion before heading back home. This post is dedicated to our amazing host families. We thank you for being such gracious, kind, and patient families for our students. We know it will be hard saying goodbye tomorrow. 

Last week in Almería

 Hello everyone!

We are in our last week in Almería. Our students have impressed us with their willingness to step outside their comfort zone and take this journey on with an open mind and an open heart. 

Our students represented IUHPFL during a visit to the City Hall (Ayuntamiento) and met the Mayor (Alcaldesa). During our meeting, students read a letter they had previously written during class time and they were all volunteers!

"Archaeological site and museum collection. You can visit the site formed by an Andalusian neighborhood of the XI-XIII centuries (houses, streets, wells, etc.) and a collection of 118 pieces recovered during the excavations." 

-Mesón Gitano

Photos from class today! 

We hope you enjoyed this quick update! <3

Nijar & Cabo de Gata

Hello! 

This weekend our students had another awesome excursion, this time we went to a quaint town, Níjar, painted in white and other beautiful colors. After Níjar, we went to Cabo de Gata which is a National Park. 

In Níjar we took a steep walk up to the Tower, on our way we stopped to see the beautiful church that has beautiful wooden ceilings. We visited a water museum on our way up. After our hike, we made a stop at an artesanal museum that showcases local handcrafted "Jarapas" or rugs in English and lots of woven items from baskets to Christmas trees and ornaments. 

Our students learned about making pottery and painting from a local woman that started her craft when she was 7 years old. It was amazing watching how swift and expertly she painted, she made it look effortless!

At Cabo de Gata, we enjoyed the drive towards the scenic view where the lighthouse meets the sea. Unfortunately the windy conditions didn't allow our students to swim at the beach but they enjoyed sunbathing. 

Thank you for visiting! It's our last week, our students are getting excited to be home in their beds and missing their pets (and families) but they are also sad about leaving Spain. They will take all these memories with them! 

Photos from the artesanal musuem: 

Photo Credit: Monica 

A little bit of everything!

Dear parents back home,

This week's update includes lots of other activities that have taken place but have not been featured on the blog. 

The first three photo collages are pictures from our visit to the Asalsido (Asociación Almeriense para el Síndrome de Down) organization which provides life long support and education for its members. We toured the building and we were impressed by the endless opportunities they offer. We split up into three groups of both IUHPFL students and Asalsido members for fun activities together. 

This group went to the Cable Inglés. 

This group went on a walk to the main plaza and visited the catedral in Almería. 

Everyone enjoyed taking pictures! :) 

We visited the Cable Inglés as a group with all students as well later on in the week. It was used to transport minerals from ships to land and is nicknamed the English Cable in Spanish since it was built by the Alquife Mines and Railway Company Limited. It was in use from 1904-1970 and is one of Almería's historical landmark. The views were amazing!

Up next is our visit to the "Refugios de la Guerra Civil" which is an underground tunnel used to take shelter during Civil War bombings. It was built in under a year and even though we toured a large part it it, it was not even one fourth of the total length. It did not have any light when it was used (must have been scary) and it also features a hospital whose main goal was to provide care for pregnant women who went into labor while taking shelter. 

The tunnel shelter also had a food pantry in case people had to take shelter for a long period of time and needed food for sustenance. The last photo is a private entrance to the tunnel system which was right outside the owner's house and marked for public entry, however, public exits must be used when leaving the shelter. 

Last but not least, we had the honor of visiting a school of art of Almería. High school aged students created all the the art that was on display. The art exhibit was named "Tránsito" and showcases LGBTQ+ art. Here, our students are posing with the director and Fran who so kindly gave us a tour and talked about the art pieces. Students enjoyed talking to him about how the education system work in Spain in comparison the US. 

*Aaron and Kailey posed and said "Para el blog?" so here they are :)

Thank you for your visit and we hope you enjoyed seeing all of the fun things we have been getting the opportunity to see and learn about in Almería.

La Alhambra de Granada

On Saturday, June 15 we took a day trip to Granada bright and early! The Alhambra was originally built in 889 AD and later on transformed into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. It was a treat for our eyes. The Alhambra is palace and fortress complex on top of the hills in southern Spain. It is the pinnacle of Moorish art and architecture. Our students were mesmerized but the delicate stucco work, colorful tiles, and elegant arches that take us back in time. They will be proud to show you their photos and tell you about the experience of walking through the palace. 

The Alhambra's history and architectural  make it a UNESCO World Heritage site. We hope you enjoy today's blog photos! 

We took a group foto in one of the towers.

Here are our students marveling at the architecture, gardens, and views.

Our models posing!