1 SANTANDER, SPAIN EDUCATION INTERNSHIPS AND SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM INFORMATION Table of Contents: Overview: page 2 Dates: page 2 Requirements: page 2 Map of Spain page 2 About Santander: page 3 About the school: page 4 How much does it cost: page 5-7 a. Tuition b. Travel c. Accommodation d. Passports and visas e. Travel insurance f. Ground transportation Other important information: page 7 a. Study abroad advisors b. Spanish language c. Assignments Scholarships: page 8 The application process page 9-10 Calculate your budget page 11 Example budgets page 12 Useful Spanish phrases page 13-14 PROGRAM LEADER: Sarah Melanson, Professor of ESL/EAP and Education, Valencia College east campus. • e-mail: [email protected] • office 1-221 (east campus) • phone 407-582-2457 2 ¡¡¡¡¡Bienvenido a España!!!!! OVERVIEW: Valencia students will live in Spain for 3 or 6 weeks in Summer A, 2015, and work in a public elementary school as a conversation assistant in the English classrooms. You will design activities for the children to practice English, and work alongside the Spanish teachers of English to implement the activities in the classrooms. DATES: • 3-week option: May 11 – May 29 OR June 2-19 (internship or service learning) • 6-week option: May 11 – June 19 (internship only) REQUIREMENTS: • You love working with children. • You are open to new experiences, new cultures, and different ways of thinking. • You are a native speaker of English. • You have at least 12 credit hours at Valencia (prior to the date of anticipated travel) with a minimum GPA of 2.5 MAP OF SPAIN: 3 ABOUT SANTANDER: Santander is a city in the region of Cantabria in the north of Spain. Santander is a port city with ocean to the north and east, and mountains to the south and west. The bay of Santander faces southeast. It has a university, an airport, a concert hall, and miles of beautiful beaches, coastline, and mountain walks within easy reach. Like most European cities, it is easy to get around walking or with public transportation. A Google image search for Santander or Cantabria will show you lots and lots of pictures of the city and surrounding areas. The temperature in May and June ranges from the high 50s to the mid 70s. You will need clothes for all seasons, good walking shoes, and a raincoat and/or umbrella. The Bay of Santander, May 2013. NOTES: 4 ABOUT THE SCHOOL: The school where you will be working is located in the barrio pesquero, near the fishing port. It is easily accessible via public transportation from anywhere in the city, although you are encouraged to look for accommodation in the barrio pesquero in which case you will be able to walk to and from the school. The children are aged 2-11, and you will have the opportunity to work with all the children in their English lessons. You may also be invited to chaperone field trips and participate in special activities. Most days after school you will attend café lunches with the teachers and your internship/service learning supervisor. During these lunches, you will reflect on the day’s activities and prepare for the next day. Children at the school hold a mercado solidario (charity market) For more information about Santander, Cantabria, life in Spain, and the school, including lots of pictures, you can check out my sabbatical blog: http://sarahonsabbatical.blogspot.com 5 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? There is no set price for this program; however, students are responsible for the cost of Valencia tuition, travel to Santander, living expenses while there, and travel insurance. For travel and accommodation, I have given you some suggestions below, and I will help you with the process. Ultimately, though, you will be responsible for making, and paying for, your own arrangements. Tuition: First, you will need to calculate your Valencia tuition, which will depend on how many credits you register for. The number of credits is determined by whether you stay 3 or 6 weeks, and whether you register for the internship or the service learning. Note: The 6 week option is not available for service learning. Education majors: Register for EDG 2941, Education Internship (two credits 3 weeks, or four credits for 6 weeks). All other students: Register for SLS 2940, Service Learning (four credits 3 weeks) Travel: Next, you will need to calculate travel costs. You will be arranging your own travel to Santander. There are lots of different ways to get there, and you should start researching as soon as possible to see which option works best for you in terms of time and cost. If you want to travel somewhere else in Europe before or after Santander, you will need to take this into consideration when making your travel arrangements. Here are two suggested routes: (1) Plane from Orlando to Madrid (changing in Miami, Atlanta, or New York), then plane, bus, or train from Madrid to Santander. Note: The train from Madrid to Santander takes approximately 4-1/2 hours, and you will need to travel from the airport in Madrid to the train station by bus. The bus and train station in Santander are in the city center. Travel from Madrid to Santander by plane takes approximately 1 hour. The airport in Santander is a bus ride from the city. (2) Plane from Orlando to London (direct via Virgin Atlantic or British Airways), then plane or ferry (via Brittany Ferries) to Santander. Note: If you choose plane from London to Santander, you will need 6 to change airports in London. If you choose ferry, you will need to travel by train from London to Portsmouth or Plymouth. The ferry port in Santander is located right next to the barrio pesquero, near the school. Prices will vary depending on the time of year, the route you choose, and how far in advance you book. Plan to spend between 1100 and 1700 dollars on travel if you follow one of the suggested routes above and book in good time. Accommodation: You will need to calculate costs for accommodation in Santander. You will make your own arrangements, and again you will have several options including homestay, hostal or pension (cheap hotel sometimes with shared kitchen), and self-catered rental accommodation (usually a 2-3 bedroom apartment, fully equipped with everything you need). Option 1: Homestay. This is where you stay with a host family in Santander. Most families in Spain live in a piso, or apartment, in an apartment building. The cost of homestay varies depending on how many weeks you stay, and whether you choose full board (all meals) or half board (breakfast and dinner only). As an example, homestay through Horizons du Monde will cost you approximately 700 dollars per week, and this includes medical, surgical, and repatriation insurance, as well as civil liability. You can also research other companies that organize home stays. Option 2: Hostal or Pension. The following rates were quoted for this year (2014) from Pension Hospedaje, which is in the barrio pesquero near the school. Single room 29 euros per night, double room 39 euros per night, triple room 59 euros per night. These rates are not guaranteed for 2015. Note: Pension accommodation can be very basic, and not like a hotel in the United States. If booking a hostal or pension, make sure you are clear about the type of accommodation being offered. Option 3: Self-catered accommodation. You can use websites such as airbnb, idealista.com, and yaencontre.com to search for apartments for rent in Santander. Many of these apartments are set up as vacation rentals, so they are fully equipped with everything you 7 need to live there. They usually offer discounts for stays of several weeks. I also have local connections in Santander who may be able to help find you an apartment in the barrio pesquero. Rates are approximately 600 euros a month for a two-bedroom apartment. The advantage of self-catered accommodation is that you can shop in the local markets (an experience you won’t want to miss!) and cook your own meals. Passports and visas: You will need a passport. Visas are not required for US citizens studying in Spain for less than 90 days, so US citizens will not need a visa to participate in this program. However, if you are not a US citizen, you must research the requirements for studying in Spain and apply for a visa if needed. Note: A US passport must be valid for at least six months after the date you return to the US. Travel insurance: You will be required to purchase travel insurance through Valencia’s SAGE office. Ground transportation: Although it is easy to get around on foot in Santander, if you plan to take local buses, you can purchase contactless chip cards to use on the buses and trains. Cost is approximately 20 euros for 30 trips. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Study abroad advisors: Valencia has Study Abroad advisors who can help with questions you may have about how this program fits into your educational plan. You can find the study abroad advisor for your campus on the SAGE website. The Spanish language: Ideally, you will have a basic knowledge of Spanish, as this will help you get more out of your experience living in Spain. However, knowledge of Spanish is not required for this program. At the end of this booklet you will find some useful Spanish phrases. Assignments: In addition to working at the school, there will be required written assignments. Details of the assignments will depend on whether you register for internship or service learning.