IH LACUNZA OF SAN SEBASTIÁN, SPAIN 2010 TEEN PROGRAM

San Sebastián, near the border of France, offers marvelous scenery, beaches, mountains, folklore, remarkable customs, traditions and festivals. Population is approximately 178,000, and the city has an important cultural heritage shown in its monuments, galleries, libraries, and museums. The heart of the city is the beautiful harbor with one of Europe’s most beautiful beaches. The city is a comfortable size for students to safely explore. Students fly directly into the city with connections through Madrid or Barcelona.

THE SCHOOL & CAMPUS Lacunza (part of the International House organization) is a Spanish school that is the most prominent school in the north of Spain and the only one that has obtained the CEELE quality certificate. The school premises are in the center of San Sebastián, and have been designed to make it easy to learn Spanish in a very pleasant atmosphere. There is a terrace, common area with a library and multimedia computers, air conditioning, and many multimedia learning tools available.

THE COURSE Students at all levels of Spanish receive 25 hours per week of Spanish courses plus a full activity program. Students are grouped into small classes of 4 to 12 students according to their Spanish level.

ACCOMMODATION This program provides accommodation with host families.
Family Stay: Spanish families are a good way for you to practice your Spanish as well as have a full cultural experience. Our families are specially chosen because they have experience with teenagers and like receiving them into their families. Students are housed in either double rooms (must be booked with a travelling companion) or private rooms. Full board is included in the family stay, and families do enforce the curfews set by the program. Airport pickup and return is not included in your accommodation cost. Airport pickup is highly recommended for San Sebastian, and other airports vary in cost according to pickup location. Please see Travel and Arrival Info for more information.

ACTIVITIES A full activity program is included. This includes half-day activities with monitor on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and a full day excursion on Saturday. Activities such as sports, exchanges, discussions, crafts, films, and dance lessons are also organized. See below for a typical activity schedule.

TYPICAL SCHEDULE
1ST WEEK

• Monday: A guided tour around the city (get to know library, pharmacy, doctors, cab, post office, local police, lost property, banks, use of the telephone, cultural offerings in the city)
• Tuesday: Free afternoon
• Wednesday: 1 hour of salsa class, then a game of "pala," a typical Basque sport.
• Thursday: Free afternoon
• Friday: Visit to the Navy Museum, then afterwards to the old stronghold at the top of Mountain Urgull
• Saturday: Visit to the Museum of Fashion Balenciaga, then a climb to the top of the "ratón" to get a beautiful view of the seashore, a stroll around the fishing port, and San Antón Beach in the afternoon
• Sunday: Free day with host family or students

2nd WEEK

• Monday: Bike ride around San Sebastian (rented bikes)
• Tuesday: Free afternoon
• Wednesday: Pamplona-San Fermin. No classes, leave at 6:00 am for Pamplona (by bus) to see the "encierro" (running of the bulls). Return San Sebastian in the afternoon
• Thursday: Free afternoon
• Friday: Visit to Science Museum, Planetarium, and the reproductions of Guipuzcoa monuments
• Saturday: Vitoria by Train. We travel by train to the capital of the Basque country, with its beautiful parks and buildings, and its delicious sweets "basquitos and neskitas"
• Sunday: Free day with host family or students

3rd WEEK

• Monday: Hendava, the "Txipiron Party." Txipirones (squid) are the base for one of the most typical courses in Basque cuisine. We will travel by "topo," a local train to Hendaye in France, a beautiful town located on the impressive Bay of Txingudi
• Tuesday: Free afternoon
• Wednesday: Volleyball on Gros beach
• Thursday: Free afternoon
• Friday: Visit to the seaside town of Zarauz Bono
• Saturday: Visit by bus to Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, the Zubi Zuri (an impressive bridge designed by architect Calatrava), the area of Arenal, Iglesia de San Nicolás (Church of St. Nicholas), the Old Town and the Plaza Nueva. Return to the bus station by the subway (one of the most modern in Europe)
• Sunday: Free afternoon with host family or students

4TH WEEK

• Monday: A trip to the charming fishing village of Fuenterrabia, with a visit to La Marina where the houses are all painted in different colors, and a visit to the Old Town, with its beautiful views of the River Bidasoa flowing into the Atlantic Ocean
• Tuesday: Free afternoon
• Wednesday: Visit to the island where we can explore trails, get a different panorama of the city, and swim. If we’re lucky we may spot the dolphin "Paquito" that lives on La Concha Bay
• Thursday: Free afternoon
• Friday: Visit to San Telmo Museum, focusing on the Basque Country story and traditions

TRAVEL & ARRIVAL Students, as a first choice, should arrange to fly into the San Sebastian airport. Airport pickup and return is not included in the program cost, but it is highly recommended. Airport pickups can be arranged in Bilbao, Biarritz, or the Irun/Hendaye Train Station (high speed train from Paris), at fees to be quoted. Arrival should be arranged for the Sunday before the program begins and departure should be arranged for the Saturday after the course ends. A valid passport is needed for entry into Spain.

AGES ACCEPTED 14 TO 17 YEARS

START DATES Teens can start on any Monday between June 7 and August 27. Complete beginners MUST start on July 5 or August 2. Last day of the program is August 27, 2010.

FEES As Language Link charges exactly the same fees as the school in Spain, we feel it is most fair to state fees in euros. Your deposit of 15% will be calculated in U.S. dollars at the day's exchange rate in which we receive your application. Your remaining balance will be stated in euros. To easily find the day's exchange rate from euros to US dollars, please go to www.xe.com

Course Fees, includes all tuition and activities (deposit is 20% of this total):
To these weekly fees you must add a one time registration fee of 60€.
Per week: 310€
Accommodation Fees, includes all meals (deposit is 10% of this total):
To these weekly fees you must add a one time accommodations fee of 50€.
A *double room must be booked with a known companion studying at the same time. The school cannot arrange roommates.
Per week, *double 201€
Per week, single 264€
Your airport pickup (highly recommended) will be added to your balance due and is not calculated in the deposit. Please also add the airport transport fee from San Sebastian airport 54€ each way. Please ask for a quote on other locations or refer to our current price list.

REGISTRATION Please use the online registration form (secured server) to complete your registration. Indicate this school and Teen in the program choice. This is an all inclusive program, with one fee. The deposit required is 20% of total of classes and registration fee and 10% of total of accommodations and accommodations fee.

REFERENCES
Dominique Lane, carioca@adelphia.net
Garrett Wymore, CA, drmarian@hotmail.com
Nnamdi Iregbulem, CA, iiregbulem@socal.rr.com
Adam Grosher, CA, rgrosher@hotmail.com

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