ASA: Academic Study Associates 2008 Programs

Our last full week was extremely busy! On Monday we played tennis in addition to our regular evening activities. During our last cooking class we had a bake-off to see who could make the best dessert. Congratulations to Alexandra and Luna whose dessert was especially delicious! On Tuesday night everyone came over to the Casa ASA to watch a program on channel Canal Sur called 75 Minutos. It was on this news program that our very own William, Katie and Lydia were interviewed! The interview took place last week when we all went to watch a movie on the beach – it was very exciting to see it finally aire! .
On Wednesday we crossed international borders and headed to Gibraltar, a British colony on the very tip of the Iberian Peninsula that has played a key strategic role in various military engagements over the past several centuries. Today Gibraltar functions as an international banking center and a duty-free haven for shoppers. More importantly for us, however, was the famous colony of Barbary Apes, which we visited after a steep cable car ride up to the very top of the Rock of Gibraltar. While not dangerous, the monkeys are definitely fun and mischievous, and we had a great time getting just close enough to take some photos and occasionally having a monkey decide to jump on our shoulders!
On Thursday in class your children enjoyed participating in a “jincama” or scavenger hunt; it was a great way to learn while having fun at the same time. On Friday in class we gave our final oral presentations, and afterwards we celebrated with a fiesta of churros con chocolate! Our creativity flowed during the second half of class as we prepared the Libro de Verano, a student-created booklet commemorating our time in Cádiz. A sort of yearbook, the Libro de Verano contains pages on activities, excursions, local culture, and other important aspects of our summer. It's always exciting to see the unveiling of the final printed copies, which are distributed at the final dinner tomorrow evening.
Friday evening was quite exciting as we participated in a “capea.” During the capea, your children had a chance to practice bullfighting techniques with a real cape and an actual bull (ok, it was a baby bull, but a bull nonetheless)! I’m sure you’ve already heard from most of them that they had a great time!
Today we are resting up, spending time with our families and studying for our final exam which will be tomorrow.

What an exciting week it’s been! We started with classes and activities as usual. With every surfing class, more and more of your children are staying up on their boards! They are also becoming quite the flamenco dancers and Spanish cooks so be sure to have them cook some of these recipes when they come home! On Wednesday night your children also got a chance to witness Cádiz celebrate La Fiesta del Virgen del Carmen, a local holiday honoring the patron of the pescadores or fishermen. There were barbecues on the beach, processions and even fireworks. The whole town was out and about!
The highlight of the week however, was definitely our overnight trip to Seville, a city whose importance dates to colonial times, when ships leaving for America departed via the Guadalquivir River and returned carrying riches from the New World. On Thursday we started we a tour of the Plaza de España, a square built in 1929 for the World’s Fair in Seville and featured (in digitally modified form) in Star Wars: Episode One. Our guide, then took us on a walking tour of the Barrio de Santa Cruz, a district of narrow and winding pedestrian streets and quiet, hidden plazas dating back hundreds of years to Middle Ages, when Arabs, Jews, and Christians coexisted harmoniously in Spain.
Afterwards we had lunch and then checked into our hotel which is themed with intricate Moorish architecture (click here to see pictures of the hotel).
In the evening we had dinner at the Hosteria del Laurel, an inn famous for its importance in the nineteenth-century theater version of Don Juan Tenorio (as the place in which Don Juan makes his famous bet). Afterwards we headed towards the Torre del Oro (the Tower of Gold that held the treasures Columbus brought back from the New World). From there we boarded on a boat and cruised the Guadalquivir River. It was a beautiful night to see all of the monuments lit up along the riverbank.
This morning we started with breakfast and then went on a guided tour of the Alcázar, the oldest palace in Europe still used as an occasional royal residence. Though it was built by Christian kings, the Alcázar preserved the Arab architecture popular in Spain throughout the Middle Ages, and it is a beautiful succession of fountains, arches, and intricate wall carvings bordered by lush gardens. Then we visited the famous Seville cathedral, the largest gothic cathedral in the world, famous for its incorporation of a preexisting minaret from a mosque into the more traditional Gothic architecture. The attached tower, called the Giralda, has ramps instead of stairs leading up to its bell tower so that it could be traversed on horseback. After visiting these two amazing monuments we had some free time to explore the narrow cobblestone streets and soak up the culture, eat lunch, and go shopping (which is especially fun due to the great “rebajas” or sales). Afterwards we headed back home to our beloved Cádiz.
Tomorrow will give your children a chance to rest up, spend time with their Spanish friends and families and then meet up with the staff for karaoke night! In class right now they are working on their oral presentations which will count as part of their final grade. Their teachers assigned each child a specific topic relating to Spanish society and culture. In addition to this they are also putting together a summer book, which is a sort of yearbook for the month filled with pictures, writings and fun memories. Next Wednesday we are going on a trip to Gibraltar. As you can see it is going to be a very busy week! We’ll keep you posted. Hasta pronto!

The past week in Cádiz has been busy with lots of interesting and fun activities. On Wednesday we went on an excursion to the town of Tarifa, at the narrowest point on the Strait of Gibraltar at what feels like a stone's throw from Africa. Tarifa is famous for its kitesurfing, so we got to see the rugged landscape decorated with dozens of colorful "cometas" high in the air at Punta Paloma beach. Then we covered ourselves with the natural clay found among the rocks--with skin-softening results to rival any spa treatment.
Back in Cádiz, our own surf classes are going quite well and every day more of us can stand up on the boards! In flamenco class we are learning to dance the "rumba" and "sevillanas" style of dance and are catching on surprisingly quickly. In Spanish cooking class we learned to make the saffron rice dish paella, always a big favorite. Later in the week we went on an excursion to the Torre Tavira, a tower in Cádiz with a camera obscura that provides amazing live panoramic views of the city. Here we also learned about the history of Cádiz and its mercantile roots.
In class we took a field trip to the farmers market in Cadiz, where we completed a series of assignments relating to the fresh fish, seafood, produce, and cheeses that arrive there straight from the nearby ports and farms.
Next week we will be going on an overnight excursion to Seville, an important regional capital with a remarkable medieval quarter and fascinating monuments to Spain's Arab, Jewish, and Christian heritage. More updates coming soon!

Its hard to believe that a week has already passed in Cadiz! It has been an exciting week. On Wednesday we arrived in Cadiz, where the students met their Spanish families, settled in over some home cooking, and took a tour of the city. Classes began on Friday after a placement test, and there are lots of interesting language activities planned including a visit this week to a fish packing facility in Cadiz.
Afternoon activities are also in full swing. The students really enjoyed their first surf lesson – some were even able to stand up on the boards! They were able to try their hand at some Spanish dishes during cooking class. The flamenco class was challenging but fun as they learned some of the fundamental movements of the “sevillanas” style of dance.
On Saturday afternoon everyone met at the beach to go on a picnic and celebrate the Fourth of July. Sunday morning gave everyone a chance to rest from the busy week and spend time with their Spanish families. Sunday evening everyone met at the Casa ASA to go on a “Ruta de tapas.” Tapas are similar to appetizers that can either be shared by the entire table, or sized for one individual. It´s customary in Spain to have tapas for dinner or to visit various restaurants to “tapear” dishes such as tortilla española, fried fish, cured meats, and aged cheeses. The Ruta de Tapas ended with an ice cream) in a main square and a surpise birthday celebration for Erin.
This upcoming week will also be filled with many exciting activities and a trip to Tarifa. We will keep you posted!

Welcome to ASA News & Updates! As you finish off the school year, ASA will keep you posted with important information through this feature to prepare you for your time in Spain. Once you arrive at program, staff onsite in Cádiz will post updates to the site regularly, reporting back to those at home on all of our travel and cultural adventures, including photos.

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