¡Fútbol y música!

Dear family, friends, and fans of Team León 2017,

It's been a big week here in the city of lions! Apart from advancing in classes, continuing with afternoon activities, spending plenty of time with the host families, and exploring the special festivities throughout the city, we've been able to do some really exciting things in the evenings.

On Tuesday night, Spain played against Italy in the sub-21 European soccer tournament (all players on the team are 21 or younger). It's an interesting tournament, because it gives a bit of a sneak peak at what the top levels of international soccer could look like in 4-5 years as these players continue to hone their abilities and play on other teams. This was the semi-final match in the tournament, and the stakes were high, so obviously we organized a night out to have some tapas and go watch the match together. While some chose to sit the evening out, many put on their red and yellow, broke out the flags and vuvuzelas, and joined the professors for a night of international soccer.

A strong contingent of Team León out for tapas and fútbol to support the Spanish side

We set up in a local spot with an enormous projector screen to watch the game, and it was a close one (at least for the first half). Spain, of course, took home a decisive 3-1 win, securing them a spot in the championship match against Germany on Friday. Fortunately, we'll be arriving in Santiago de Compostela (more on this later) with plenty of time to find a place to watch the final match, because now everyone is very invested in seeing Spain's eventual victory. 

Madison, Reagan, Jade, Helen, and Tessa getting PUMPED to see Spain stomp Italy

Last night (Wednesday) marked one of the biggest events in León's summer schedule - an outdoor concert by the famous Spanish band La Oreja de Van Gogh (Sarah T and Israel have been huuuuuge fans for years). Nearly every student came out to the jampacked Plaza Mayor to see this show, and the band did not disappoint - even those previously unfamiliar with their music were instant converts, dancing and singing along, electrified by the energy in the crowd.

New Oreja de Van Gogh super-fans, representing IUHPFL

La Oreja played all of their big hits, including "Cuídate," "La playa," "Jueves," and a number of brand new songs from their freshly released album "El planeta imaginario" (The imaginary planet). It was a huge show, and everyone had an amazing time - in fact, the concert didn't end until after 1:00am, so the professors mercifully began classes a bit later this morning to let the students rest up.

La Oreja de Van Gogh taking the stage getting the crowd excited for the first song of the night

La Oreja de Van Gogh is AMAZING!!!!

This weekend finally brings us to our biggest and bestest excursion - it begins with hiking the last 20km of the Camino de Santiago, entering into Santiago de Compostela on foot like the pilgrims we are. We'll take the following day to visit beautiful Santiago and then explore a pristine national park on an island off the coast of Vigo. On Sunday morning, we'll head west, crossing the border into Portugal on foot. It's going to be an unforgettable few days, so expect many photos and stories to come afterward.

Until then, we thank you again for letting us borrow these brilliant, hard-working, and often hilarious students for a few weeks. 

~Mark (and Isra, Sarah T, and Sarah G)

Un día típico en León

Dear family, friends, and fans of team León 2017,

There haven't been very many noteworthy events to write about this past week, but that doesn't mean we've slowed down the pace at all. On the contrary, it's been a full 5 days of classes, food, activities, sports, and exploring the city.

With that in mind, I thought this might be a good opportunity to say a bit about afternoon activities, which are going súper (Spanish for "super"). Students split up about half and half between theater and Latin Dance. The theater group has been busy since the beginning of week 1 - beginning with icebreakers, improvisation games, and dramatic exercises, team León's theater group quickly developed a tight group dynamic.

Theater group 1. Acting dramatic or dramatically acting? You decide

Isaac and Nate in the middle of an improv-off - to appreciative laughter of the rest of the group waiting their turn

Theater group 2 (skits) hard at work thinking of ways to parody and satirize the program 

David, Jasper, Reagan, Leah, Emma, and Gabby smiling, no doubt about some sarcastic joke they wrote about me

After week 1, the theater group has split into two groups (who, I'm told, often collaborate and do certain dramatic activities together). One group works closely with Sarah T. and will be preparing a Spanish play, complete with costumes, props, stage directions, etc. The other group has been working mainly with Israel to write their own comedy skits about the experience in León (which in years past have been hilarious and pretty spot-on). Both groups regularly practice theater games, and everyone seems to be having a great time.

 My more familiar point of reference is the Latin Dance group, which I teach, and rarely have I taught a group that has learned so fast and enthusiastically.

Latin dance group practicing some basic steps

We have spent the first two weeks learning the basics of salsa, merengue, and bachata - three common and popular Latin dances. We have a lovely outdoor patio area as part of the academy building where we have classes, which we take full advantage of for dancing. Having started with salsa (objectively the most challenging of the three dances), our group has approached each new step, turn, and technique with excitement. Not only are they mastering fairly challenging dance material, but they're also having a great time doing it (it's always a good time when everyone is laughing as they dance complex choreography).

Learning new moves in merengue and evidently having an awesome time

Look how synchronized they are! We have a seriously talented dance group on our hands

This is a huge weekend for León - it kicks off the celebration week of San Juan and San Pedro, which is the biggest celebration of the summer here. There will be fireworks, concerts, special markets, games, and all kinds of other festivities. Students are looking forward to an unforgettable weekend experiencing the celebrations with their host families. And who knows, maybe they'll bump into some of their instructors while they're out and about in León this weekend ;-)

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! As part of our grand excursion to Santiago de Compostela (including the Camino de Santiago), we will be spending a weekend in PORTUGAL!! The students were all incredibly excited to learn that we will be crossing a national border on foot into mysterious Portugal (more info soon to come on our destination in Portugal). In preparation for our brief extra-international expedition, students have also been learning just a bit of survival Portuguese (to order food, say 'good morning', purchase souvenirs, etc), and some of them have expressed an interest in studying Portuguese in the future (obviously in addition to Spanish).

As ever, we marvel at this group of curious, quirky, and kind students, who are already beginning to realize how fast the summer is flying by.

Until the next update,
~Mark (and Sarah T, Sarah G, and Isra)

¡La primera excursión - Astorga y Ponferrada!

Dear family, friends, and fans of Team León 2017,

Despite hitting the climax of an extreme heat wave (a high of about 104 fahrenheit in the afternoon), we had an AWESOME first official excursion of the summer to the beautiful cities of Astorga and Ponferrada on Friday. The day began at around 9:00am when we convened in the Plaza de Santo Domingo - our central meeting place for most excursions. Our charming bus driver, Chema, had the air conditioning prepped as we boarded the bus, some of us still a bit sleepy. After a quick bus ride, we arrived in lovely Astorga, greeted by a very pleasant sunny morning with a light breeze (the heat got oppressive later on). From the arrival, we already had a great view of Astorga's stunning palace, designed by Antoni Gaudí, the celebrated Spanish architect. Of course, we had to take a few photos...

Equipo León at the Palacio Episcopal de Astorga

The girls wanted a photo...

...and then the boys

Designed around the end of the 19th century and finally completed in 1915, this palace is recognized as one of Gaudí's masterworks, and it isn't hard to see why - students compared it favorably to fantasy palaces from Disney movies with its elaborate arches and spires, its ornate windows, and its lush gardens full of sculptures. We had a chance to visit the inside of the palace as well to see what today amounts to a museum of religious and municipal history, including a number of beautiful reliquaries. Needless to say, Gaudí's palace did not disappoint.

From the palace, we advanced onward toward Astorga's world-famous chocolate museum, and the anticipation among the students was palpable.

Jutta, the German-born tour guide explaining Spanish chocolate cultivation in Mexico to a group of US students. Chocolate clearly brings the world together.

Our friendly museum tour guide, Jutta, led us through the history of chocolate cultivation, refinement, and manufacturing in Spain, from the Spaniards' first encounters with xocolotl in the Aztec empire to the historical circumstances that would eventually position Astorga at the center of Spanish artisan chocolate production. We then walked through a room of hand-operated chocolate refining machines that demonstrated important technological achievements in blah blah blah... the history was very interesting, but at this point, the students just wanted to eat some CHOCOLATE. Mercifully after the tour, the group got to do a chocolate tasting which included different percentages of cacao (the higher the percentage of cacao, the more pure and less sweet the chocolate is). The chocolate tasting was unanimously hailed as a success, and students subsequently shopped for artisan chocolate bars made locally in Astorga. They said the chocolate was intended as gifts for their US families and friends, but we'll see how much of it survives their appetites this weekend.

From the chocolate museum, students were given some free time to eat their picnic lunches (prepared with lots of love by their León host families) and to explore some touristy gift shops. Stomachs and shopping bags full, we got back on the bus for the quick ride to Ponferrada, a beautiful and very ancient city set at the foot of a mountain chain. Ponferrada is a lovely and scenic place, but it is famous for one attraction in particular... the Castle of the Templars.

Team León at the Templar Castle, smiling and excited despite the 100+ degree weather

Our destination in Ponferrada was, of course, the Templar Castle, which most students agreed was the highlight of the day. However, before visiting the castle, we had a chance to drop by a nearby gift shop where some students purchased replica Templar shields, daggers, and swords (don't worry, they're not sharp!). Upon entering the castle, we were given a brief history of the castle as well as its ancient Templar occupants.

The group had a couple of hours to explore the tall towers and turrets, deep dungeons (one of which is said to be haunted...), and beautiful halls of the castle, which included a temporary Templar library exhibit with replicas of centuries-old books. From the tops of towers, students had a beautiful view of the scenic mountainous landscape that surrounds Ponferrada.

Reagan, Ellie, and Madison have breached the castle's defenses and scaled the walls!

David, Trey, Nicole, Chyan, Leah, Maya, Isaac, and Augie standing inside the castle with the oldest portion in the background

The day was long (and at times brutally hot) and did not see us back to the Plaza de Santo Domingo in León until almost 8:00pm, but we left the bus energized and enthralled with a most successful first excursion. Still, as beautiful as Astorga and Ponferrada were, everyone was excited to be back in León, which is already starting to feel like a second home for the students.

After spending the weekend with host families (and hopefully escaping the heat), we're looking forward to another full week of classes and afternoon activities. Next weekend brings us to one of the most festive times of year in León - the nights of San Juan and San Pedro, during which there are open-air festivals and live music all over the city. Many students will be heading out at night with their host families to enjoy the festivities and celebrations, and they may bump into their professors while they're out and about in León...

Until the next update, we thank you (as always) for sharing these talented, curious, and super fun students with us for 7 weeks. Things in León couldn't be going any better!
 ~Mark (and Sarah, Sarah, and Isra)

¡A comer!

Team León holding the IU flag in front of the cathedral

Things are going wonderfully in León! Today marked the first day of classes - a moment of initial nerves and eventual reassurance as students realized that they were, in fact, more than capable of taking multiple different courses 100% in Spanish. Tomorrow will begin afternoon activities (Latin dance, theater, and jokes/comedy skits), which everyone is very excited about.

The photo above also shows off our group's return today to the cathedral to do a scavenger hunt for famous and/or obscure landmarks around the downtown area in small teams. Suspense was running high at the end of the afternoon to know which team will claim the coveted León Scavenger Hunt 2017 Grand Prize (to be announced and awarded tomorrow morning in a beautiful ceremony). Apart from providing a bit of healthy competition, the scavenger hunt is also a great way to get students acquainted with the downtown area of León - something they took full advantage of immediately afterward as they split up into smaller groups and headed off toward one of various ice cream establishments to break this week's heat wave.

As promised, below are some photos taken of students enjoying lunch (la comida) at our usual restaurant, Casa Blanca. A number of students sampled gazpacho today, while others had peas with Spanish ham, pasta, fish, or meatballs. Enjoy!

Mikhail, Katey, Helen, and Tessa feeling pretty good about life in Casa Blanca

Isaac, Anthony, Chyan, David, Nick, Trey, Nicole, Jasper, and Gabi thrilled to be eating in León

Maya, Augie, Grace, Sam, Ivy, Julia, Lauren, Paige, Veronica, and Leah smiling about lunch being so great

Reagan, Madison, Nate, Emma, Mikhala, Eleni, and Jade showing off awesome food

Classes will continue as the week progresses until Friday when we have our first official excursion to Astorga and Ponferrada, where we'll see (among other things) a famous palace designed by Gaudí, a chocolate museum, and an ancient Templar castle. Look forward to a long and photo-filled update at the end of the week!

Until then,

~Mark (and Sarah T, Sarah G, and Israel)

¡Buenos días León!

León's 30 new residents representing their new city

Dear families, friends, and fans of Equipo León 2017,

The summer is now well under way! Our students have been living with their host families for a few days since arriving in León and are already beginning to get into the rhythm of things - taking shorter showers, eating enormous lunches and late dinners, giving two kisses to their host families as a greeting, and all the other everyday things that make living in Spain special.

Heading up an ancient Roman Imperial military wall to have a spectacular view of the city

On Thursday, our very first full day in León, we took the students on a walking tour of some of the more iconic, historic, and beautiful parts of León. One of the first things noticed was that León is ancient - in fact, it existed before Spain did, as it was founded as a Roman military city (hence the resilient centuries-old walls that remain from Roman rule). In fact, walking through the streets of downtown León, one can see centuries worth of growth and change built into the architecture and layout of the city. Students internalized a lot of history and cultural information (not to mention a lot of new vocabulary), and were in awe of León's unique beauty - we visited a number of famous sites including the Cathedral, la Calle Ancha (like León's version of Main Street), and the Plaza Mayor.

Equipo León in the Plaza Mayor

On Friday, we had our first full day in the academy building where we'll be having classes for the remainder of the program. Friday included a tour of the building and an academic orientation. On Friday we also had our first lunch in Casa Blanca, the restaurant where we eat on weekdays (more photos of Casa Blanca and Spanish food to come soon!). Some students were adventuresome enough to order cod lasagna, green beans with chorizo, and even pig feet (they're delicious!).

Now students have the weekend to relax, explore their new city, and get to know their host families a bit better. On Monday, we begin our regular class schedule with afternoon activities, which will bring plenty of new challenges and exciting experiences. Look forward to another blog entry early in the week :-)

Hasta la próxima,
Mark (and Sarah T, Sarah G, and Israel)

¡Estamos en León!

Dear families, friends, and fans of Team León 2017:

After months of anticipation, weeks of preparing and planning, days of packing, and nearly 30 total hours of travel, we have arrived safe and sound in our beautiful host city, León. We departed from Indy ready for adventure, most of the students having little to no idea what to expect from our next step.

A new generation of León peregrinos ready to depart

The flight from Philadelphia landed us in Madrid, Spain's beautiful capital city, at about 8:00am (Spain time). Heaving heavy sighs, it quickly began to dawn on everyone that WE HAD ARRIVED IN SPAIN. Of course, the immediate excitement of arriving was matched by an jarring realization: the Honors Program had now become real, and for nearly seven weeks, these students knew they would not be uttering a single word of English.

Equal parts exhaustion and exhilaration

 We collected our luggage and our bearings, made our way to our charter bus, and set off toward the Northwest to our destination: León. For quite a few students this was by far the longest plane ride they'd ever taken (and for a couple, it was the first plane trip ever!), so nearly everyone was understandably exhausted once the bus had pulled out. Between bus naps, students were getting accustomed to the idea of having a conversation with each other in Spanish, listening to songs on the radio, and admiring the beautiful and vast Spanish landscape that stretched from Madrid to León.

About halfway through our four hour bus trip, we made our annual stop at a hotel/restaurant where students had their very first opportunity to order food in Spain and to sample said food - many ordered sandwiches (bocadillos) with Spanish ham, while others tried Spanish tortilla, a delicious omelette-like dish with egg, potato, and onion.

Celebrating a successful first encounter with food in Spain!

Upon arrival in León, the anticipation was palpable, because the students knew that within minutes they would be meeting their host families, who had been looking forward to this moment with equal anticipation. Students were greeted immediately with hugs and kisses and promises of way too much excellent homemade food upon arrival at home.

Day 1 now complete, we look forward to the first full day of the program tomorrow - we'll be taking the group on a walking tour of some of the most scenic and historic sites in León, as well as the best ice cream and churros shops. By the end of the day, they'll be well on their way to being comfortable, acclimated León residents.

On behalf of my esteemed (and exhausted) instructor team - Sarah T, Israel, Sarah G, and myself - we thank you for sharing this group of talented, curious, and fun students with us for the next seven weeks. We're off to a great start, and we only anticipate greater adventures to come.

~Mark