LITA 2025 Review

I was in the LITA North Three Week program this summer, and I had an absolutely amazing time--I would highly recommend the program. It's certainly difficult, but incredibly worth it. We went to three different parts of Spain over the course of the program, and in each area there were lots of activities to immerse us in the local culture and history of the locations we were in. What made most of the activities so special was the chance to interact with local people and see what Spanish daily life is like outside of Madrid or Barcelona. Although the first week and last parts of the program were very fun, my favorite part of the program was by far the homestay. My host family was so lovely and welcoming, and were basically my perfect match in terms of interests (one of my host parents worked giving tours involving a scientific field I spend most of my free time studying, so we had some really cool conversations about it--better than ones I have with my parents at home!) I still got to see other LITA students throughout the homestay during classes, but spending time with my host family was just so fun and the highlight of my entire trip. All of the people I met in during the program (both LITA students, counselors, and Spaniards) were so interesting and fun to be around. I made so many connections during my time there that I hope I'll get to maintain for a long time--I've been texting with a few different people I met in Spain pretty regularly since I've gotten back! I feel so motivated to continue learning Spanish because I want to be able to continue meeting people like those I met at LITA.

And, on the note of Spanish, LITA improved mine so much. Because everything in LITA is done in Spanish, the language aspect is so entwined with every part of the day. The majority of the time, I didn't even realize I was learning new things because I was so focused on activities or conversations. All this to say, it was a fantastic program and the only downside I can think of is that it's over!