A select group of eighth-grade students taking Spanish went on a trip to Valencia, a city in the south of Spain on March 28 to April 1.
The trip offered many activities such as going to an orange grove to taste Valencia’s famous oranges, making paella, a traditional dish from Valencia, and going to see a dolphin show. According to Cala Lindsay, “The purpose of the Valencia trip was to give students from ASL an idea or perspective into what it is to be a Spanish speaking person, and to give a perspective on their culture.”
“I hope they loved being in Spain, and I hope they realized they can communicate very much better than they thought they could,” said middle school Spanish teacher Ms. Amanda Penaranda, who also attended the trip along with Spanish teachers Ms. Yolanda German and Mr. Carlos Santos Alvarez.
For Ms. German, the visit to a native school in Valencia was a highlight of the trip. “At the beginning, everyone was a bit tentative, not quite sure, and once the ice had been broken, I think that we all realized how much you could say, and the fact that you were understood,” Ms. German said.
On the trip to the school, ASL students were paired up with students from Valencia, and talked, and then played with them outside.
Cala Lindsay said that overall it was a good trip and that she feels that she is more confident in her Spanish speaking skills. Ms. German said, “I hope that they will continue to love the language and to build on everything they have achieved so far. And I hope it sparked a further love of the language.”
