More than sightseeing involved in Souhegan trip to Spain

This summer, 16 students from Souhegan High School received the incredible opportunity to travel to Spain for a month, marking the 10th anniversary of the school-sponsored trip. The trip consisted of a three-week stay in Campanario, a small town about five hours south of Madrid, multiple day trips, and stays in Seville and Madrid. Some students were given the chance to stay with host families in Campanario, while others stayed in apartments. They took language classes taught by trip coordinator Steve Goodwin and fellow Spanish teacher Bernie D’Amours in which they participated in skits, games, conversational activities, vocabulary and grammar review, and writing exercises. All of these activities were designed to enhance their Spanish as they tested their abilities in the community and with their host families. Occasionally, host siblings and friends were invited to the language classes to talk or play games, illustrating perfectly the understanding between cultures that the trip fostered. There are specific requirements for the class, as the students who pass receive credit on their high school transcripts. Students were asked to keep a journal in which they wrote about what they did or what their new friends were like or something new they learned. They were asked to keep a running list of new vocabulary words they learned and also required to write a formal reflection after the trip to be submitted to the school. Beyond these requirements, Goodwin says the students selected for the trip must “have an interest in Spanish culture and be willing to try new things,” mainly because there is so much to experience that the student has to be open-minded. The group went on daylong excursions ranging from visiting castles in Trujillo to jumping into one of the many swimming holes at Garganta del Infierno.