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RE Spanish students travel to Salamanca to study Spanish

Eleven rising ninth-grade students embarked on the second annual immersion study abroad experience in Salamanca, Spain, in June 2025. Known for its impressive architecture, walkable streets and Spanish charm, Salamanca attracts more than 25,000 students each year and offers the ideal setting for linguistic and cultural immersion.
Lucas Antia '29, Aziza Apara '29, Daniel Coscarelli '29, Harrison Filler '29, Raif London '29, Matias Puleo-Newman '29, Cristian Torres '29, Gabby Torres '29, Sophie Wang '29, Chloe Weintraub '29 and Connor Yagnik '29 were accompanied by World Languages Department Chair James Monk and middle school Spanish teacher Renée Rodriguez. They began their journey in Madrid, with a visit to the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. After their walking tour was complete, they headed off to Salamanca – known for iconic double cathedral and the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest European universities – where they were greeted by their host families and began to settle into their new homes for the next two weeks.

On weekdays, the students attended grammar and communication Spanish classes at Colegio Delibes and then returned to their homestays for lunch. Each afternoon, they met up for a variety of cultural and recreational activities, including a tapas tour, a cooking class, pedal boating on the Tormes River, and playing "pádel," a popular local sport which combines tennis and squash in an enclosed indoor court. They also visited the city’s most famous sites, learning about its rich history. 

The weekends brought additional excursions in the region of Castilla y León. Students visited the medieval walled city of Ávila; the home of Roman aqueducts, Segovia; and the monastery atop Peña de Francia, offering spectacular views and a chance to see a herd of mountain goats in their natural habitat. A visit to “Finca Valverde” provided a day of relaxation complemented by horseback riding and a delicious lunch of paella and locally made cured meats. 

After their two-week experience, the students each received a certificate of completion from Colegio Delibes. “After falling in love with Spain during my own high school study abroad experience, this program is my way of sharing that passion and giving students a similar opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “Our students improved their language skills while gaining new perspectives and observing a different way of life. Studying abroad at a young age changed my life, and I hope this experience has a similar impact on them.”

The World Languages Department plans to continue offering this immersion trip each June as a bridge between the middle and upper school. A virtual information session will be held in early fall, but for any immediate questions, please contact Renée Rodriguez at rdrodriguez@ransomeverglades.org.
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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.


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