Our Year 10 Hispanists welcome their exchange partners from Spain

Mrs P Santovety, MFL Teacher, writes

This week has been a busy week for our Year 10 Hispanists as we welcomed our partners from "Hermanos Machado" secondary school in Dos Hermanas, Sevilla, Spain.

Their week started with a trip to explore some of the picturesque Cotswold villages that we are so lucky

to call our home, followed by a joint trip to Windsor Castle on the Friday where they gained a plethora of knowledge on the Royal Family. On the weekend our exchange students spent time with their host families; many took their partner students to London to view some of the UK’s greatest landmarks and other interesting locations.

On Monday they visited both Oxford and Blenheim Palace; exploring the historical streets and remarkable green spaces of Oxford and learning the history of Blenheim Palace whilst beholding it’s incredible architecture and stunning grounds. Wednesday and Thursday saw the students attend lessons with their English partners and relish a tour of the school grounds with Mr Albrighton and the Boarding House with Mrs Kaaber.

Overall, it was a great opportunity for all students to put their linguistic expertise into practice and gain a better understanding of each other's culture. The comments from the Spanish students have been extremely positive and I would like to pick one which summarises what most of them thought of this opportunity:

“For me this exchange has been a very enriching experience as I have learned new things, I have met new people, I have learnt about other cultures and new ways of life and it has been incredible. I would recommend this experience to everybody since it is something that stays with you for life and you are always going to remember it. I feel fortunate for having been given this opportunity and I hope to repeat it. We have visited very different places and the family has been so welcoming that I have felt at home. I loved the food too! One of the best experiences of my life! “

We are already busy organising our next trip to Seville in October 2024 with our new group of Spanish enthusiasts!!

İHasta la próxima!