Your future, our focus
POWELL, Wyoming — A couple of spots have opened up in a Northwest College field studies class to Spain in May, and members of the community are invited to claim them.
Class participants will immerse themselves in the language and culture of Spain for 20 days from May 12-31.
Mary Ellen Ibarra-Robinson, an associate professor of Spanish, will lead the three-credit class, which is open to the public, regardless of Spanish language skills or travel experience. Ibarra-Robinson recommends high school and college students have some level of Spanish language study or previous travel experience abroad.
She invites anyone who’s interested in going to Spain to get in touch with her as soon as possible at 307-754-6430 or MaryEllen.Ibarra@nwc.edu.
Unlike other NWC foreign field studies courses, this one is very language focused with complete cultural immersion—participants are more than tourists; they live the life of a Spaniard, with a significant part of their time spent in a family home in Salmanca.
Each day after breakfast at home, participants head to a language institute where they’ll spend their mornings studying Spanish at a level appropriate to each individual’s skills.
Afternoons are spent visiting cultural and historical sites, natural wonders, museums and the cities of Avila and Segovia. Weekend excursions include options to travel to Madrid and Toledo, the coast, Portugal or the Moorish cities of Granada, Cordoba and Seville.
Free time is also reserved during weekdays to explore and enjoy the area.
“There is absolutely no better way to enhance your cultural awareness and foreign language skills than to immerse yourself in them,” Ibarra-Robinson said. “Living and studying in another country involves learning at varying levels all day long. It is a wonderfully fun and effective way to learn Spanish and to experience another culture.”
Each day at the language institute begins with four hours of instruction focused on conversation, vocabulary, grammar and reading. Optional afternoon classes cover such topics as socio-political issues, grammar and salsa-flamenco classes.
A comprehensive class itinerary is available from Ibarra-Robinson.