Professor Alberto Veiga directed College of Charleston’s Spring 2012 Spain Study Abroad program in Trujillo, a small town in the Imperial Route between Lisbon and Madrid. The 13 participating students resided with host families for the duration of their stay.
The semester program constitutes a unique opportunity to experience total immersion in the Spanish culture with the combination of personal exposure with host families and local people, and academic work with professors from local universities. Organized cultural visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Mérida, Córdoba, Granada, Sevilla and Toledo, and to the capital of Spain, Madrid, presented an opportunity to see history, architecture, art and experience life in Spain that complemented the academic learning from class.
Students attended classes on Spanish language, culture, history and literature in a reformed old convent “La Coria.” This schedule allowed for independent travel on extended three-day weekends. Many students took advantage of the geographical location of Trujillo to visit on their own Lisboa, Salamanca and Santiago de Compostela, while others ventured out to the Basque Country, Barcelona, Amsterdam and London.
Dr. Alberto Veiga, program director, and the professors from the Universidad de Cáceres observed impressive academic progress by the student participants, and noted the students’ success in establishing enduring friendships not only with each other, but also with the Trujillo natives.
Students interested in participating in the program for future semesters, please do not hesitate to contact the Hispanic Studies Department (spanish@cofc.edu) or the CIE (Center for International Education)for more information.
College of Charleston students in Trujillo, Spain, Spring 2012.