School trip to spain

[WaterLilly28]

Hi, all... My 15 years old daughter's school specialise in Spanish language and it's one of the subject she will be doing on her gcse's. So her school has planned a trip to spain salamanca for 4 nights, where they'd be staying with carefully selected Spanish family and will have 3hrs Spanish lessons each of those days along with other activities. They want deposit already, and I am feeling quite indecisive whether I shall let her go or not. I wanted to ask have any of you sent your daughter's to such trip? If so how was it? Was it beneficial for their GCSE? And did they vegetarian food option? I would appreciate you views.

I think it would be a great idea, I did GCSE Spanish many years ago and my Spanish really escalated when I did trips like this.
The Veggie thing MAY be difficult though as we spend a lot of time in Spain and DD is a veggie and its not always easy to find food for her. In some cases even the supposed Veggie food isn't and its even more difficult if fish isn't an option either

My daughter did a trip to Holland where she was staying with a family but it wasn't a language trip it was a model united nations. She enjoyed it so much she saved up to go the next year. Her friend who went was vegan and they usually make sure that host families know about these things.

My son went to Spain on a football trip with school and again it was very enjoyable. I'm sure it will help with the language skills.

My son's school was in quite a deprived area and they gave families 18 months notice of the trip in order to be able to save up.

My dd is much younger, but did a Guiding International. Very much sightseeing , experience of being away, no community work or community engagement. She got a lot out of it in terms of soft skills e.g. confidence in her ability to be independent, appreciation of another country and different perspective of other cultures. She's much younger, but it was an eye opener for her that girls in other parts of Europe do not feel compelled to wear head to toe sports brands and how sophisticated (better!) they can look for it. That sounds very superficial typing it, but she really thought the local social pressures happened everywhere.

I would recommend letting her go and paying the deposit. It is a really great experience and it's good to not have a child being left out when all her friends are going if you can afford it. How expensive is the trip?

My daughter did a France trip for 5 days and her school also offered a German exchange trip and both were apparently helpful regarding speaking. The children will often be allowed free time and to communicate with people, they will have to speak their language occasionally. They will be offering vegetarian food, I'm sure.

I did a German exchange growing up and it was amazing for my German - you have to speak and listen and you develop quite a bit of confidence.
Spain isn’t really set up for vegetarians but the family and any food places they pick will cater for them. (I’ve just done a trip to Spain and food was ordered in advance and they managed to cater for veggies and vegans - lots of chips…… and vegetarian paella!)

4 nights is very short for a language trip. I doubt she will learn a lot in that time, but will get a taste for the culture and it might motivate her with language learning on return also.

My 15yr old son did the same 30 odd years ago. The only Spanish he learnt was how to order beer in the bar, he hardly slept for 4 nights and wasted his money on a massive sombrero. I'm sure school trips are better organised now.

My ASC DD did this in Year 10 (IIRC) - she went to Germany, It was a great experience for her. I'm not entirely convinced it massively improved her German language skills but she really enjoyed it.

Four nights? Let her go. I think it’s a great opportunity for a 15 year old.

That sounds bloody brilliant !!

The only way to really learn a language is in the county. It will be really beneficial.

Well, he thought so!

I think it sounds a good trip, debatable how much he will learn I'm sure! I've visited Spain the last two years and it is hard to find decent vegetarian food though, I do think that's a legitimate concern.

I am feeling quite indecisive whether I shall let her go or not

Does she want to go?

re food -

patatas bravas
various stuffed and cooked peppers
tortilla / omelette type variations
croquetas with cheese
huevos rotos
gazpacho
pisto - like ratatouille
Spanish hot chocolate
churros
and lots of sweet dishes

DD did a Spanish exchange and DS a German one. A trip which doesn't involve hosting another child back (is that the case with yours by the sound of it?) is hitting the jackpot!

If she wants to go and you can afford it? don't stand in her way. Living with a family is great for understanding the culture in a way you don't get by just visiting, you are surrounded by the language and they also learn just general social skills and experiences.

Definitely. DS went on Spanish exchange. He's veggie so lived on spinach for a week but it was great. He was in touch for years after.

Most of those things always seemed to have some sort of ham stuffed in them 🙄

I went to Spain on holiday with three vegetarians. We are mostly Indian and Mexican food 😂.

Most of those aren't strictly vegetarian though... for example:

patatas bravas - often cooked in lard and usually has chicken stock in the sauce
stuffed and cooked peppers - usually stuffed with cod or prawns and sometimes pork.
tortilla / omelette type variations
croquetas with cheese - ham croquetas are most common, rarely contain cheese.
huevos rotos - served with ham

She'll be okay if she eats egg and fish. Even a mixed salad has tuna!

I agree on the Veggie front.
We have a house in Spain so go very regularly and my Spanish is pretty good but its very hard to get Veggie food for DD (doesn't eat fish, not keen on eggs). Even a lot of the food that may appear vegetarian isn't and often DD will just eat a tomato salad (have to make sure they don't put anything else on it) and bread.
There are restaurants the rest of us love but there is literally nothing on the menu for her, its getting better and there are a couple of restaurants that do ahve suitable food but its not always easy to find something and if you don't make it very clear that the food is to be vegetarian even if the menu suggests it is as they may add some meat or fish even as a garnish.

We organised a similar trip with a German family we met on holiday when I was doing GCSE German and spending 2 weeks of the summer with a German family brought my German on more than any number of lessons. 4 nights might not be quite as big an advantage, but it will definitely have an impact and also be a good reminder of the main motivation to study language- the opportunity to travel and communication and connection with other cultures.

Re vegetarianism, it's not as big of a "thing" in Spain and you might find that the family doesn't fully understand it, but I'm sure she'll find enough to keep her going for 4 days. Food is a massive part of Spanish culture and the idea of cutting out food groups isn't something that would occur to a lot of Spanish families! As mentioned above, patatas bravas and so on are vegetarian albeit not the healthiest. If she has spending money, fruit and vegetables in Spain are tasty enough to be eaten without much preparation whenever she passes a grocers shop.

I’m surprised by everyone’s comments on difficulties for vegetarians in Spain?? I’m veggie and have gone to different parts of Spain plenty of times and have never had trouble finding something to eat. Many places will mark if things are veggie and as long as she’s not otherwise too picky she should be ok!

Hi

I am Spanish

Lard is not used in cooking in Spain at all. If they use cheap alternatives to olive oil it will be other vegetable oils.

Huevos rotos don't come with ham.

There won't be as many vegetarian options as with other cuisines but plenty to manage for a few days. When I go to restaurants and there is a set menu there is always a vegetarian option for each course.