WOODBURY — April break is just a week away and Nonnewaug’s collective campus is getting excited for vacation. This year, however, Nonnewaug students are even more excited as the long awaited Spain trip is quickly approaching.
The 10-day trip, lasting from April 10-19, will bring students through some of the most beautiful places that Spain has to offer including the capital city Madrid, Barcelona, and Costa del Sol. This gives students plenty of opportunities to sightsee, experience the authentic Spanish culture, and test their Spanish skills in the real world.
“I am excited to see both the modern side of Spain in cities like Barcelona and Madrid,” says Gavin Sandor, a former AP Spanish student who will be one of approximately dozen students traveling abroad this month. “I’m also looking forward to seeing the historical side of Spain including Toledo and famous locations like the La Sagrada Familia. I also want to go to tapas bars around Spain to try new dishes, especially to experience the Mediterranean diet.”
To kick off the trip, on the first day after departing from an eight-hour flight, with a layover in Paris, students will get to unpack and relax at the luxurious B&B Hotel Barcelona Sant Cugat, where they will stay until April 13. This hotel offers modern accommodations including a breakfast buffet, an outdoor swimming pool and fully equipped rooms as students adjust to the time difference and jet lag.
While staying at this hotel, they will spend the first few nights in Barcelona. There, they will get to explore the city to see unique landmarks, architecture and the authentic Spanish cuisine. With so much planned for this experience, planning began early to ensure that NHS students got most of their time abroad.
“I started planning all the way back in January of 2024,” said Karen Sandor, a Spanish instructor and trip coordinator. “This involved calling around to hotels and locations to get the best price deals so I could see how much it would cost. Then I opened up trip applications in late June.”
Following the initial three days in Barcelona, the next seven days of the trip will move students to different hotel locations around the country. Most notably, they will stay in Madrid at the B&B Hotel Madrid. This will give students and teachers an opportunity to see all different parts of Spain and how the culture compares in all corners of the country.
From Karen Sandor’s perspective, the trip will offer immersive experiences for NHS students.
“I’m most excited for students to see all the different cities, European architecture, try authentic Spanish cuisine, and most importantly practice their Spanish skills in the real world,” Sandor said.
During the course of the 10 days, students will be able to immerse themselves in a new culture where they will put their Spanish speaking abilities to the test. For most, this will be the first time that they will travel outside of the United States. This goes for Toby Denman, an NHS science teacher who will serve as a chaperone and is excited to see what this incredible experience has in store.
“I have never been to Spain or even Europe before,” says Denman. “I am going into this trip with the same view as the students and excited to see similar things like architecture and try new foods. I took Spanish when I was in high school and would have loved to have the opportunity to experience something like this.”
