LITA Language Immersion in Spain

The amount of thought and care that Jordan and Michela put into the planning and execution of LITA summer programs is unparalleled in any other student program. From the stunning, rustic casa rural where we began our trip to the incredible home-stay families we lived with, the program perfectly balanced language immersion, cultural immersion, and fun. It was also amazing to see how quickly my Spanish improved as the trip went along. I remember being terrified to ask for ask for a cup of water without ice in Spanish while on the plane to Spain, but now I feel comfortable with my speaking ability enough to hold a conversation with anyone.

The connections I made with the people I met during the trip were unbelievable as well. One moment that I will remember for the rest of my life was the night of my birthday when I played a solo in a concert with my home stay brother's band. Its the moments like these that are so unique to a smaller program like LITA that has the ability to craft an experience unique to the interests of every group and student. I can honestly say that I couldn't have asked for a better experience in Spain.

LITA was by far one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I left Spain with a high level of confidence not only with my ability to speak Spanish but also with myself. I made a number of connections with people from different states and countries, and I still keep in touch with almost everyone I met. The friendships I made throughout this experience have made an incredible impact on my life, and I learned so much about myself through this experience. Not only was LITA a fun experience, but I also learned so much about Spanish culture through unique experiences like Flamenco demonstrations, cooking classes, and music demonstrations. One of my favorite parts of LITA was the homestay. Host families are picked specifically for each student, so I loved growing close and spending time with them. I would recommend LITA to any student who has a passion for learning, adventure, meeting new people, and the Spanish language.

I absolutely loved my time in Spain with LITA. This was the second immersion experience I had done, and I was a little hesitant because I had a bad experience in the first. However, LITA completely changed my opinion of immersion programs. I was in the North 2 group, which lasted from June 25-August 1st. The first week my group and I spent our time in a bed and breakfast in Galicia. This week was incredible, as it created a sense of community and support within our group. During this time we went hiking and visited nearby towns. All of the activities were fun and enganging, while still making us practice our Spanish. For the next three weeks, we spent our time in a city called Benavente. There I lived with a family and did an internship with a veterinarian. My family was so kind and accepting, and we are currently setting up a trip for them to come to Nashville. My internship was also incredible. I was able to spend my time with animals and was even allowed to help with several surgeries. For me, my time in Benavente was the most beneficial for not only improving my Spanish but also getting outside my comfort zone. Finally, our last week was spent with three days backpacking the Pyrenees and four days in Barcelona. Backpacking the Pyrenees was a once in a lifetime experience; however, it was extremely difficult. Our time in Barcelona was amazing, and we had amazing activities planned, while still having some free time. Overall, this trip was amazing and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It is well planned and the internships and families are matched with a lot of care. I would highly recommend this program to anyone.

The trip was quite well organized and thought out. Every step of the trip led to the next level of our understanding of the language in a well paced and thoughtful manner. The family that I stayed with in Medina Del Campo, Spain was truly amazing. They took very good care of me and made sure that I was comfortable and well prepared for every activity throughout. Lastly, I felt as though the internship added an extra layer of enrichment to the trip by boosting my fluency tremendously. I am already missing all of the great people that I met throughout the trip, and I hope to return soon to Spain!

This past summer, I went on a 5 1/2 week program to Spain through LITA. When I was researching through all of the programs, I tried to find one with best homestay experience. Fast forward 4 months, and I was on a plane with 11 other people that I knew were going to become great friends. But by far, my favorite part of the trip was the homestay. I got to stay in a small town, and meet so many new people, improve my spanish, but best of all I got to eat tapas EVERY DAY, and believe me, they do not get old. I had a wonderful time, improved my spanish, and made some lifelong friends.

I spent about half of my summer with LITA, but I wish I could have spent more. I had countless new and unique experiences over the 5 weeks that changed me as a person and dramatically improved my understanding of the world and my proficiency in Spanish. I loved every part of it, and am so thankful for the incredible experience I had. The experience was so well organized and personalized and the extra work put in by the directors to get to know the students made a huge difference. I had a few friends that each went on different Spanish immersion programs but none of them said they had anywhere near as good of a time as I did with LITA. I loved my group, my counselors, and especially my host family. The whole experience was truly life-changing and something I will never forget. If you are looking to have a fun summer abroad while also learning so much Spanish, LITA is definitely the program to choose.

Traveling to Spain with LITA could not have been a better experience. The careful planning and detail of the program makes it truly incomparable.

LITA strikes a terrific balance between cultural and language immersion, while maintaining a firm focus on developing an understanding of what it is like to live in Spain. Starting with the ‘casa rural’ where we stayed for a week, I was able to get to know the region better, as well as truly get to know my peers in the program (who were all super interesting and kind people). My LITA group even thought it better to speak with one another in Spanish, making it into a fun game that drastically improved our language abilities. In the homestay, I was able adapt to the Spanish pace of life and practice the language even further. Through my internship at a local bakery, I was able to chat with daily customers, as well as learn traditional recipes. I am not too keen on hiking, but even our three day trek in the Pyrenees was made enjoyable by the LITA group.

Initially I was skeptical about the program, because feared that I would not actually improve noticeably in my speaking ability. However, my Spanish without a doubt improved significantly. Even though many of my peers were at different language levels, we were all able to learn from one another.

This bring me to another notable aspect of LITA, which is the support provided by the program infrastructure. Jordan, the program director, and Michela, the assistant director, were available both before and during the trip to provide ample assistance to all participants. The group leaders, different for each trip, stayed with us and ensured that everything went smoothly. When I encountered difficulties with my homestay (nothing the program could have controlled), my group leader, Olivia, stayed on the phone with me for an hour figuring it out. Even Jordan called from a different town to make sure things were going smoothly.

All in all, a fantastic experience that I completely recommend.

LITA was a wonderful way to learn more about Spanish culture, make new friends and have fun. After getting a chance to explore Spain with LITA, my Spanish has improved immensely. I am much more confident and feel like I can talk in Spanish for weeks straight, because that's what I ended up doing in with LITA. The way that LITA is scheduled allows for time to experience many different lifestyles in Spain, ranging from rural locations such as in Galicia to some of the biggest cities in Spain such as Barcelona. LITA is an incredible program and I would highly recommend it to anyone with a passion for Spanish and a desire to live the Spanish lifestyle!

I don't even know where to begin to explain my experience on the LITA trip this summer. It was hands-down the best trip and experience of my life. It's now September while I'm writing this review and I still think about the trip everyday. Nothing compares to the people I met, the foods I tried, the improvement of my language skills, and the beautiful places I got to see. I truly believe there is no other program quite like Lita. Lita focuses on staying in rural areas so students can really focus on improving their language skills. The thought of being somewhere where very little English is spoken was terrifying to me at first, but while I was there all my fears vanished because I knew my Spanish was improving each day and the people were so kind and understanding and helped me any time I needed it. We traveled all throughout Spain and I will never forget the beautiful cities and rural pueblos we visited. I stayed with a host family in a medium sized city in Andalucía called Osuna, and nothing can compare to that experience. I talk to my host sister almost everyday and I'm so happy to have a second family in Spain. They were the most kind, genuine people and wanted me to learn and succeed at Spanish as much as I wanted to. We had a daily routine of going to my host mother's churrería, where I had the best churros of my life, for breakfast and then my host sister would walk me to my internship at the local elementary school, where I was a teacher's assistant and got to interact with the cutest children from the ages of 2-4. After my internship, my sister and I would go home for lunch, have a long siesta, and then go to the pool with friends. Even though we had this routine, some days we would do other things. One day, we spent the night in Chipiona, a beautiful beach town, and other days we would go to my host sister's friends' campos to swim and hang out. I could go on and on about my host family and I'm so lucky that I was able to meet them, and I wouldn't have been able to if it wasn't for Lita. I also have made some of my best friends from around the United States through this trip. I now have friends from Tennessee, Rhode Island, New York, California, Florida, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. I talk to these people everyday still and know they will be some of my best friends for the rest of my life. Despite living from all over the country, we were all united through the Lita experience and I honestly can't recommend this trip enough. I had the best summer of my life thanks to Lita, and would go back to Spain with Lita a million times if I could!

I can't speak enough about the past summer I spent with LITA. My Spanish improved exponentially in the five weeks I spent there, and I think that's from the structure of this particular program. I loved every single second of my time with LITA, and I think that the part that helped me to grow the most was the people I got to spend them with. We were really breathing, sleeping, and living Spanish the entire time we were there, and everyone was there to support each other: my awesome group, my host family, Jordan, Michela, and my counselors Ilan and Olivia. I especially enjoyed my time in my volunteer internship in a bakery that I got through the program in Benavente for the three weeks we spent there with our host families. It was there that my Spanish was constantly expanding, as I was interacting with people I wouldn't otherwise be interacting with, and learning and seeing so much of the small town culture in which we were immersed. I also formed a really special bond with my host family, who were more warm, welcoming, and helpful than I had imagined they would be. I found this program online after a few weeks of looking through several summer programs, and I'm so glad I did, because I think that everything that goes into it is so unique and makes for an incredible learning experience.

I got back from my trip in August. It is currently mid September, and my parents have just returned from their week-long trip to Spain. As they describe their trip to me, I almost laugh. They got to see Spain through the eyes of a tourist, I got to see Spain through the eyes of the local. My personal connection I now feel to Spain is all thanks to the strategic planning of LITA. The majority of the trip was focused on the three week home stay in small towns. The lack of commercialization in these small towns is purposefully chosen to make sure that we do not have locals trying to practice their English on us. Each group has its own small town where everyone knows everything about everyone, the kids all go to the pool by day and out for ice cream by night, and the Spanish culture is thick and raw. Sure, my Spanish sister might have helped me once or twice with a word I couldn't remember in Spanish because she was good at English, but other than that she respected my wish to only speak Spanish. My American friends and I also only spoke Spanish with each other. We all thought of it as a fun challenge, and knew we would be excited to show off our skills in the upcoming school year. I left the trip in tears, not wanting to speak English, or leave my new Spanish and American family and friends. I bonded with everyone on the trip, no matter if it was through a friendly conversation with a tour guide, playing childish games in the town pavilion until 2 am, singing with my group, or even chatting with our bus driver, the beloved Manolo! There was not one part of the trip I would recommend to be taken off. From the first week to the very last, I cherished every single moment and wish that I can go back and relive them. I still can't get over what an amazing time I had this summer with LITA, and even more so can't wait to see where I take my newfound love for speaking Spanish in the future.

My wonderful time with Lita can only be described as “alucinante.” Alucinante is a spanish adjective (of course!) that roughly yet beautifully translates to being so captivating and amazing that it is hard to put it into words.
Spending my summers with Lita was easily the best decision I have ever made. As many of the other reviews allude to, Lita is a program that stands above the rest for its level of authenticity and attention to detail. Directors Jordan and Michela truly get to know each and every student on a personal level: their passions, their hopes, and their fears. They are always available and attentive to the needs of the individuals and the group. The attention to detail is very apparent from matching families in charming small towns to making sure students find an internship or class that encourages them in their passions and language abilities. This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern with a local ceramicist. Our mornings included lots of painting and numerous conversations over coffee that opened my eyes to Spain past and present. My spanish improved exponentially over the course of just a few weeks during the homestay and classes. While I came away with a better knowledge of spanish, I also came away with a better understanding of myself and the world around me, as well as a heightened awareness and appreciation for the things that connect us all.
Before embarking on this experience, I truly had no idea how monumental it would be for me going into the future. I truly needed this experience for it pushed me out of my comfort zone, gave me friendships and skills that will last a lifetime, and showed me where my passions lie. While it can be challenging, it is wholly worth the time and effort. This experience will open your eyes and encourage you to keep opening. If you are looking for authenticity: in your relationships, experiences, and yourself, then I highly encourage you to consider this amazing experience!

I had an incredible experience traveling to Spain and living with a family there through the LITA Program. The program is uniquely small and only does trips to Spain which means that you receive a lot of individual attention. This is very nice when faced with the difficult yet incredibly rewarding task of being totally immersed in the Spanish culture. It can be overwhelming to all of a sudden be living with a new family that only speaks Spanish and lives in a part of the world you have never been to before. However, LITA prepares students very well for the language barrier, culture shock, and other challenges that they will face living abroad. Once students are living with their host families they are in for a very special and pretty life changing experience. LITA puts students in small and rural Spanish towns so students will get to know not only their host families but also the surrounding community and all the kids who live in the town. Furthermore, the fact that these are rural towns means that the majority of people in the town don't speak English. This forces students to become totally immersed in the Spanish culture and use Spanish almost 100% of the time. Being forced to use Spanish greatly improved my understanding of the language and made my experience much more authentic. Living in a small community also allowed me to form strong relationships with many people from Spain some of whom I am still in contact with today almost 2 years later. By the end of the trip I had a much greater understanding of Spanish. I also looked at the world in a much different way as a result of my experiences. LITA is a very rigorous experience but it is more than worth it in the end. The program definitely changed how I see the world and gave me some of the best memories of my life. This is an incredible program and I would highly recommend it to anyone with a passion for Spanish and a passion for adventure.

LITA is by unarguably one of the most enriching, educating, and enjoyable experiences I have ever had. It is a perfect opportunity to see how beautiful Spain is while also improving your Spanish, I only had two years of serious Spanish classes before I travelled to Spain through LITA, and by the end of the fifth week I felt confident in my ability to both understand and have meaningful conversations with native speakers. The most important thing I got through LITA was a second family. The homestay is really the highlight of the trip - my host sister and I have stayed in touch throughout these past two and a half years and will continue to throughout all of the years to come.

What makes LITA so special is the detail with which the program is put together. Every day brings an opportunity unavailable to without the connections the program holds, whether it be a field trip to a private farm for bulls, a cheese store, an ancient castle. The three-week stay with a host family was such a special time-- living out an entirely different way of life, and meeting fantastic people.