Arcos Learning Abroad - Study Abroad in Santiago de Compostela

My trip to Spain was very exciting. While I mainly went because of the opportunity to walk the Camino, I did still need credits in Spanish. Academics wise, the program was not too challenging. I personally wanted help strengthening my basics and foundation of Spanish so I was placed in a class below my actual level so I could work on the basics. Most of my learning actually occurred out and around the cities I was visiting. I made it a point to not speak any English which reinforced my confidence and ability to learn. Aside from academics the program was everything I could’ve asked for. I was able to experience multiple cities. While there are planned activities from the coordinating company, I wish I would’ve known ahead of time of times I would be on my own to explore. I would’ve looked into more options for excursions or activities. One thing I would critique, which may be personal to me but can also pertain to others is the group I travelled with. I knew some of my group members prior to the trip but not very well. At the beginning of the trip we all got along, but drama arose and things became antithetical to what I expected my trip to be like. To avoid all the drama, I stayed away from the group as much as I could, which allowed me to meet local people and get an experience I would not have gotten with my group. If you’re not comfortable traveling and doing things alone then I recommend making good friends with similar expectations for the trip. Since I was comfortable traveling and doing things alone, I was able to make friends in Spain and try new things. I still talk with those friends today. Overall it was a great experience and Arcos made the entire experience wonderful!

Arcos has a very distinctive and helpful program that includes both language instruction in Santiago de Compostela (with a family stay) and a two week trek-pilgrimage on the Camino. We were a group with faculty and 18 university students and had a wonderful time on this Arcos-hosted adventure. The organization of Arcos is incredible and began before we arrived in Spain. The range of cultural experiences for students, substantive site visits, transportation, meals, and hostels arranged while in Spain was also impressive. Arcos has professional, knowledgeable, and helpful guides who assist faculty and students navigating difficulties also (as *life* happens on such journeying). This was a wonderful educational and experiential learning opportunity made possible by Arcos.

Our study abroad program with Arcos was great! We packed a lot of experiences into a 4-week stay. We visited Madrid, took an intensive Spanish class in Santiago de Compostela (3 credit hours), and walked for 10 days on the Camino de Santiago. The students were challenged and engaged the whole time. Interesting and fun excursions and cultural events gave us all an opportunity to experience Spanish and Galician cultures - a trip to Toledo, the Prado, a seafood lunch at the Mercado in Santiago de Compostela, welcoming host families, a boat trip to O Grove to tour the bateas, a visit to the Leon and Burgos cathedrals, magical dawns along the Camino, evening group meals recounting the day's walk, arriving into Santiago for the 12:00 Mass after our 200k/120 mile pilgrimage...those are just some of the highlights of this trip! The balance of personal time and group activities over the 4 week period was well-organized for a group of 18 students, giving everyone the opportunity to explore the cities within a flexible structure. We lived a wide variety of experiences on this trip and had a blast!

I thoroughly enjoyed the one-month trip organized by Arcos Learning Abroad that included Madrid, Santiago de Compostela, Cambados, Burgos, Leon, and several smaller towns along the Camino frances pilgrimage route. Everything was well-organized and executed, and the organizers were outgoing and fun! Since I am a professor accompanying the students, I especially appreciated the warm welcome from the University of Santiago de Compostela and the host families they provided for our 18 students. I got to see the progress they made in Spanish and delight in the ways in which they opened up to cultural experiences in Spain. Fantastic trip!