Summer Camp in Barcelona - Testimonials

"The host family was polite and patient. The location was fine. My stay was perfectly good. The family was nice and understanding. My room mate was kind and fun to talk with. This trip was a great experience to meet new people and learn a new culture. The host family was nice and helpful. I learned to appreciate the language more so than being in the classroom. The school was great. The classes were great and I learned somethings just simpler than in any classes back home. The teachers were fun and enthusiastic. The other students were polite and easy to get along with. The activities were amazing. The sites were beautiful. Just know the language of where you're going and remember that you're there to study and have a good time. Make a good balance of the two."
Samantha M. (age 17) Summer program: Barcelona 2009, Spain

"Lots of diversity!! People coming from all over the world. Great experience to learn other cultures, i even ended up getting german classes from my new friends! Very easy to get along with everyone. The classes were hard but fun. It was hard remembering everything you've learned but you would practice it after class while speaking to other people. The school was beneath the residence. It took me less than a minute to go from my room to my class. The classes were a lot of fun. We would learn the language through games which were also meant to get to know your classmates. The teachers are nice, young, and funny. They are willing to help anyone in difficulty. The staff members are young too so they are very approachable if you have any problems whatsoever. It was the highlight of my summer by far and you get to meet a lot of people from all over the world. People are really nice. If you're social, it's the camp of your dreams!! :)"
Angele G. (age 15) Summer program: Barcelona 2009, Spain

"This was a life changing experience, from meeting new people to learning a new language in the family, to exploring a new city. I enjoyed every minute of the excursions and classes. I would definetely recommend this program for anyone ready for the time of their life. I loved the home-like atmosphere at the school because it was relaxed and inviting. I really liked the teachers and their positive attitudes everyday. I would recommend for the students to try to speak the language as much as they can, during lunch breaks to excursions. This is the best way to learn a language in the culture and with the people living in that country. "
Emily S. (age 18) Summer program: Barcelona 2009, Spain

"I was in a residence which was quite nice. it had computers, a gym, a cafeteria and the rooms were comfortable and nice. my room mate was great and we became great friends! It was fun, i have learned a lot and i have met people that i will stay friends with for a long time. I loved the classes cause i had a great teacher and the atmosphere was great. Relax, be friendly and nice with everyone, that is always the best way to meet new people."
Pavla P. (age 15) Summer program: Barcelona 2009, Spain

"The three weeks I spent in Tarragona might have been the best summer I have experienced so far ! I came knowing absolutely no one.. and left with tons of new friends from around the world that I know will last a life time. Tarragona is probably one of the best cities for teenagers to study in ! It was absolutety beautiful.. from the amazing views, the beaches, and beautiful streets. The people in the city are very friendly and helpful and so was the staff in the program ! I have improved my Spanish and my maturity level in these three weeks. I definitely recommend this program! The school and the program were great ! I loved the teachers. Advice I give to students who plan on attending teenagers abroad is to be open minded. It's best to come alone and not with a friend.. If you come alone you are more likely to meet more people and speak different languages. I came alone and it was the best experience ever! Don't pack too heavily because you end up wearing the same clothes over and over again and buying new ones."
Lisa B. (age 15) Summer program: Tarragona 2009, Spain

"I loved Barcelona. The trip itself was fun, but the best part about it was the friends I made. Before going i was nervous that I wouldn't make friends, but everyone was nervous that they wouldn't make friends, which made it almost impossible not to make friends. I was one of the youngest people there but no one cared, age wasn't an issue at all. I made life long friends from all over the world. I loved my Residence, we were able to just hang out and be teenagers, from the dance parties to the all nighters, i do not regret any of it. I learned a lot about the culture and language. I got a head for spanish class next year. It was an amazing experience to speak in a different language and have natives actually understand me! I never felt lost or left out. I loved every minute of it and if the opportunity becomes available i would do it again in a heart beat!"
Rebecca L. (age 15) Summer program: Barcelona 2008, Spain

"The combination of a great city and an awesome program made my stay in Barcelona unforgetable. The program had a perfect balance of freedom and structure that made it really easy to learn the language, enjoy the city, meet new people, and have fun all at the same time. Thanks Teenagers Abroad! Loved the program. It had a really good balance between learning and also having fun. The activities were fun and i liked that we also had a good amount of free time. For me, the placement test placed me in too low of a class i think, and placed some kids were placed too high. But the classes and teachers were good anyways, and i really enjoyed them.
Future Advice: You should really consider staying in a host family. I may have been the luck of the draw, but my stay in my host family really made my stay a lot better for me. And make sure you bring a Barcelona guide book with you on your trip. You'll use it, trust me."
Victoria M. (age 17) Summer program: Barcelona 2008, Spain

"The accommodation was great! The location was right in the center of Barcelona, near the beach and Placa Catalunya. The residence was very clean and we had plenty of room. There were 12 of us living in the residence and we all got along very well! The food was amazing as well. the atmosphere in the school was great. The teacher was very helpful and class was conducted in an orderly manner. I learned a lot of Spanish there!
Future Advice: The students should be very open to new experiences, but shouldn't be too nervous!"
Katarzyna H. (age 16) Summer program: Barcelona 2008, Spain

"I had an amazing time in Barcelona! Everything exceeded my expectations. Barcelona is great city to study Spanish in with great beaches and a vibrant atmosphere!

My host mother was extremely accommodating and I got to meet many people around the world. With me there were 2 German girls, another from Poland and the other from Russia. I found that we weren't fed enough, we had to buy ourselves a lot of snacks to get through the day because from 12:00 pm -9:00 pm no food was served since they eat very late in Spain.

Living in a host family really helped me improve my Spanish because my host mother spoke only Spanish so it was great because I know that if you lived in residence the girls didn't really speak Spanish. I don't regret living in a host family because I felt more independent and it really improved my Spanish.

The program and school exceeded my expectations. I didn't expect the school to look as nice as in the pictures but it DID! The school is air conditioned, clean and modern and the teacher are AMAZIING.

Our teacher was really fun and we learned a lot. Other than that the teachers were very helpful and we did a lot of fun but productive activities. The activities after class were fun as well. We had a lot of freedom and some of the activities were optional but I went anyway because they were just so well organized and fun.

We also had TONS of free time. I had an amazing time! Everyone was really great and friendly. I had no problems whatsoever.

Future_Advice: don't guess answers in the evaluations test (it's multiple choice)- make sure you look up some places you want to visit in a guidebook because you have tons of free time and you can see what you want to see- if you have a day off take the Bus Turistica which costs 20 euros and you get a bus pass for the whole day and you can see all of Barcelona!

Make sure you start early because there is so much to see. I went on Sunday and most of the museums were closed by 2 pm (this is only on Sunday)- Carry more than one memory card for your camera because I filled up my 1 GB card really fast.- Bring a lot of money for food and snacks - Don't be shy and try to meet as many people as you can!- Just go! You'll love it!
Caroline B. (Age: 16) Barcelona, Spain 2007

 

My experience in Spain changed my life. I experienced spanish culture at its best. I was able to take advantage of everything Barcelona has to offer. Through the guidance of teachers and teamers I learned to look at life from a worldly perspective. I also made friendships with people from all different locations in the world, that will last a lifetime. I would never trade my experience in Barcelona for anything.

The staff was very insightful and prepared me for my experience. The website offers a lot of information. I enjoy the photo albums and the extensive detail of the extracurricular activities. I lived in a residence and loved every second. My roommates were great and I don't how else I would have met people.

I was in a class to advanced, it was hard for me to keep up. I enjoyed my teacher better the second week because she understood more english. The kids in my class were friendly. Thank God we would have a half an hour break.

My only advice is to do everything the city has to offer or you will regret it. Try to meet as many new people as possible! My experience rocked my world. Barcelona has so much to offer, you cant even imagine. It is a thriving city that has great food, awesome nightlife, beautiful beaches and eye opening museums. Spanish culture is fan static! I loved the Gaudi house and Picasso Museum. I love walking down Las Ramblas and the fresh food market. My friends and I would get amazing fruit every day. The relationships I formed with my roommates were very strong and they will be lifetime friends. I hope anyone who has the chance to go to Barcelona with Teenagers Abroad jumps at the opportunity.
Alice C. (Age: 17) Barcelona, Spain 2007

 

"The location was fabulous. Our residence was beautiful and close enough to a lot of places. I was very lucky that my roomates were so great!

This experience was one of the best things that ever happened to me! This program gave me a lot of independence. I used to not like that much responsibility, but this helped me bring out the best and taught me how to use independence. I made incredible friends and learned a lot of Spanish. Before going to Barcelona I did not really enjoy Spanish class but now I want to learn and becasue I saw the Spanish culture I was inspired.

The school was great! I learned more in a day then some weeks in school. The staff at school was great. I loved my teacher. Some of the activities were things I had done the previous week because sometimes they repeated activities, but what was so great was that because they gave so much independence I could go do some other activity that I would rather do or just go to the beach.

I bought a guidebook of Barcelona before I went to Spain. It was the smartest purchuse I ever made! Sometimes I wanted to go do something different than the program's activity so I would look at my book. I totally recommend "Barcelona Encounter" by Damien Simonis from Lonley Planet. It was great.

Another thing: ENJOY EVERY MINUTE! At first I was homesick, but I then started to look around me and see the beautiful city and regreted that I ever wanted to leave. Also, spend money carefully. I did not run out of money, but my friends did becuase some did not realize how much more expensive things were in Spain."
Jerome (age;15) Barcelona, Spain 2007

 

"I had the best time. The team leaders were wonderful.

Barcelona is the best. Kids were great from all over the world. The lessons were very good. There was ample freedom to explore. the dorm residence was closeby and accommodations were great. I would have liked to have a fan in the room as it was very hot. Also, there could be more food.

It was a wonderful experience for my 16 year old son. I liked the degree of freedom for him to feel independent. The classes were good. My son loved the kids and would have liked to stay for 3 weeks."
Carson K. (age 16) Summer program: Barcelona, Spain 2007

 

"I had an amazing time. I met some really great people and got to see a different side of the world while being immersed in the language. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who wants to do something memorable, exciting and even educational! Living in the residence was very fun.

Having a maid and a chef everyday made it feel like you were almost in a hotel - but not! I really liked my teacher, but I think the organization of placing students into different levels could use improvement. For the first week i was in a class with kids who were pretty low level of Spanish, and with some who were way better. The slower kids tended to slow the class down.

Teenagers Abroad staff were so helpful and upbeat. Margot Halendby the Director, really knew her stuff and really relaxed us all (including my parents) before I left for Spain. Gracias, Margot!

Future Advice: Be prepared to answer the questions "where are you from?" "how long are you here for?" and "what's your name?" a million times! Good practice for your Spanish, though..."
Rachel W. (age 17) Summer program: Barcelona, Spain 2007

 

"Dear Margot!
My trip in Madrid was just excellent! I've gained a lot of vocabulary and spanish expressions by doing the program in the highest level of the camp. My parents and my spanish teachers are really proud of me and happy to know that I've again acomplished one of my dreams.

After the program, I went to visit some members of my family who live in Zaragoza and others who live in Barcelona. It was really super, I've learnt so many things in spanish in just a month and some weeks. What I liked the most was the spanish classes. We did many interactive games, many dialogues, discussions about current things that happen now and many others. Oh! I've also enjoyed the days in which some of us went to the museums!

This was my best summer ever and my parents are looking to send me there next summer but I've thought about coming with a group because as they suggest me to create a spanish club at school, I'll try to see whether it will possible for us to participate in a summer camp in Barcelona."
Yours A. (Attended Madrid summer program 2007)

 

It was one of the best experiences I've ever had. My host mom was so nice and really tried to help me learn the language, not to mention a great cook! It was also a great way to meet kids from all over the world and make lifelong friends.

Everything was really well organized. I was sent the exact address of my host mom's apartment and when I arrived I had perfect directions to the school. My host mom was so nice. She was an amazing cook and always made sure me and my roommate were comfortable.

The school location is really nice, it's a short walk from Las Ramblas. It's a really nice building with remodeled classrooms. The teachers and students were all great.

Future_Advice; Not to worry about anything because the program has everything covered. I loved the program and I will use it whenever I plan to study another language in a different country.

Lauren G. (age: 18) Program: Barcelona 2007, Spain

"The school was beautiful
There were an infinite number of classrooms, and I never had more than 8 people in my class. The teachers were all amazing, and I had really good relationships with all of them. The school was equipped with computers with internet access, which was very convenient. There was also a nice cafeteria with a terrace outside and a cook, who served excellent spanish cuisine!

The apartment was great, there was a terrace and nice living room with a television, one bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen. The roommates were all amazing and made sure I felt completely at home when I arrived. I was sure to do the same with the new students. This experience taught me so much. Not only was I a fully independent person, I learned so much about Spanish culture from just experiencing life in Barcelona as a real Spaniard. I met tons of people, went to the discotecas, and had great relations with everyone.

The environment was very laid back, and I felt immediately accepted in the Barcelona lifestyle. I can only say positive things about all aspects of the program, it was truly incredible! If you are looking for a chance to be really independent and basically plan out your days how you feel like, this program definitely offers that.

If you are looking to be completely free and really interested to meet new people, there is a remarkable chance of doing that! There are so many people ranging from all ages, and from all over the world, that you will be having conversation with very diverse people, the atmosphere ranges from people all over Europe, Asia, North & South America. It is very exciting!"
Andrea P. (age 17) Summer program: Barcelona 2006, Spain

 

"Spain was amazing. I'd give anything to be back there right this second. I met the most incredible people from all around the world. The classes weren't stressful at all, the monitors were really personable, and the city and night life alone made Spain worth going to. The only drawback is that you might get attached to the people you meet, not to mention Madrid itself. Going home nearly broke my heart.

The location and atmosphere were really nice. Classes weren't a burden at all. Just make sure you get placed at the right level. The people you meet in Spain will be some of the most incredible people you meet in your entire life. There isn't any sort of language or country barrier at all; I had friends from anywhere and everywhere.

Future Advice: Just...go. I promise you won't regret it."
Kate F. (age 17) Summer program: Madrid, Spain

 

"My experience in Barcelona was incredible. I met so many amazing people, saw so many interesting things and did so many fun activities. The friendships and memories I made in Barcelona will last forever! I loved the teachers and program staff. They were all so friendly and accomodating. I also really liked the location of the school...it was close to everything!
Future Advice: To definitly attend one. It was the best summer I ever had."
Sonia R. (age 17) Summer program: Barcelona 2006, Spain

 

"It was a lot of fun and I made awesome friends from all around the world. By the end, I really got used to everything and enjoyed every moment. I thought the activities were very fun and well thought out. I think that it would have been better if we had more time to ourselves and to go out though.

The classes were of a very good size and were very helpful. The monitors were all incredibly nice and helpful."
Priya B. (age 17)

Mothers comments: "Just wanted you to know that Sam had a wonderful time, and loved the program!"
Deborah K. Program: Salamanca 2006, Spain

 

"This was the most influential experience of my life. It was incredible to be on my own away from what I'm used to to learn something I am truly passionate about. I have made friends, memories, and survival skills that will undoubtedly assist me in the rest of my life.

I will never forget that. I am definitely planning to go back again next year. Thanks! My host family really did become just that, a family. I got along with my room mates and host family siblings really well, it was perfect. We are trying to plan a few weeks to see each other again soon.

Their hospitality couldn't be matched, and by the end, my room mates and I were calling our host family parents Mom and Dad. They were what really made the experience away from home seem easy. I am so grateful for having them. (Hooray for home-made food!)

Future Advice: Have fun. This could be the only time in your life you do anything so wonderful, so enjoy every second. Introduce yourself to everyone, take risks, try new foods, travel as much as you can, don't be afraid. This is such a wonderful experience, i suggest, if you can do it, do it. Don't think twice. It's amazing.

Mothers comments: Julia had a fantastic time with this program. She thoroughly enjoyed her family and some friends she met. I'm so glad she had a chance to live in a Spanish home. While she did not talk about the classes much, I have since learned that this program is one of the best for learning Spanish. By the time she came home she could understand quite a lot."
Julia M. (age 15) Program: Tarragona, Spain

I had a great experience studying abroad being able to meet new friends and learn about new cultures, that I will never forget. Have an open mind of other people and their cultures so you can get to know them better and make new friends."
Melvin H. (age 16) Program: Marbella, Spain

 

"It was definitely a worthwhile experience and my host family was gracious and lived in a nice house right next to the beach. Three weeks is the perfect length of time to attend such a program and make sure you request a roommate from a different country who speaks a different language than you do, for sure.

I made lots of international friends also at the school and I'm keeping in touch with them by email weeks after the program ended."
David S. (age 16)

 

"It was a lot of fun and I made awesome friends from all around the world. By the end, I really got used to everything and enjoyed every moment. I thought the activities were very fun and well thought out. I think that it would have been better if we had more time to ourselves and to go out though. The classes were of a very good size and were very helpful. The monitors were all incredibly nice and helpful.

Future Advice: Just...go. I promise you won't regret it."
Priya B. (age 17)

 

"I was a bit apprehensive about going, the day after I got there, I felt so blessed that my mom talked me into going, It was the most amazing experience ever, and I met great friends from around the world that I will have forever. The program was good, the school was nice and the staff were all nice and friendly.Don't hesitate going, it was the most amazing experience, I met lots of great people and met great new friends. I didn't want to come home.
Morgan J. (age 16) Program: Barcelona 2006, Spain

 

I LOVED my host family. The location was great because I was right down the street from the metro. The house was somewhat small, but I guess that added to its character-it was neer a problem. I love my room mate and my host mom to death. My only complaint was that I didn't have the guts to tell my host mom that I didn't like the sandwiches that I had to eat every day for lunch.

I had a great time this summer with Languages Abroad. I made some really close friends, who I still talk to now that I'm back home. I loved that we had so much freedom, that really made the trip a whole lot better for me, and I thank he program for trusting us like they did.

I liked it-although I had a lot of trouble finding where the school was on my first day. I liked that there were no tests or homework, because I still got to enjoy Spain while I was still getting stuff out of school. The schedules were nice, but I didn't like how they would change the times. Also, we could see where we were going, but we never really knew where that was, so it would've been nice if a couple times they would have said "ok, we're going to be walking uphill a lot today, so wear comfy shoes," so that we didn't get caught still wearing our bathing suits and flip flops for hikes.

Future Advice: Bring lots of money and watch it VERY carefully. I don't think the $100 a week really applies, because i spent at least $100 on the metro alone. And then, although the host family provides meals, you go out most nights, and that takes $ for food and drinks. I unfortunately then had money stolen, so I didn't have enough to go shopping, which was a bummer."
Alanna M. (age: 16) Program: Barcelona 2006, Spain