News & Updates - Nerja
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Our Fourth Week!
Our last full week was quite busy! On Wednesday we went to
On Thursday we had a pot-luck dinner in the Casa ASA. It was delicious! Each student prepared their favorite Spanish dish from the summer (so be sure to ask your children to make it for you when they get home)!
In class we finished our very own newspaper complete with articles, editorials, and interviews. On Friday your children listened to, and even learned from each other’s oral presentation in class. Afterwards our creativity flowed as we finished our Libro de Verano (a student-created booklet commemorating our time in Nerja). 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 our final dinner.
Yesterday we went to a balneario – a spa and had a wonderful time pampering ourselves in the different pools and saunas. Today your children will be spending some with their families and friends and getting ready for their final exam which is tomorrow.
¡Viaje a Granada!
The following day we visited the Alhambra, a sprawling walled city which in medieval times functioned as a self-supporting royal palace. The Alhambra is a wonderfully preserved example of Arab architecture in Spain, with ornate wall carvings, Arab baths, and interior plazas with fountains that would have helped to cool the buildings. Washington Irving was amazed to discover the Alhambra in the nineteenth century overtaken by wanderers and bohemians, and he himself lived there for several months, producing the classic book Stories of the Alhambra, full of tales of sultans, knights, and princesses. We had the same guide from the previous day who everyone loved listening to. Your children really enjoyed the guided tour through this spectacular palace. Afterwards we went to the center of Granada and had some more free time to eat lunch and go shopping (which is especially fun in the summer due to the “rebajas” or “sales”).
Today we had classes as usual and tomorrow your children can participate in an optional volleyball tournament. Next week in class your children are going to interview important figures of the community (the police, tour guides, business owners, etc.) and then publish a newspaper, which will include these interviews in addition to editorials and articles! Right now they are working on their oral presentation 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. As you can see it is going to be a very busy week! We’ll keep you posted. Hasta pronto!
Viaje a Málaga
Things in Nerja are going great and we have been so busy it's hard to know where to start! Activities are lots of fun, and in ceramics class we are making masks....it's amazing how well the pieces turn out. In gym class we had the unique experience of a flamenco cardio workout! In scuba diving class, the students are learning a lot and moving from theory to practice, applying what we've learned in class in the water. We also had a great time playing soccer and almost all of the students participated. On Thursday, we had a group outing to sample some local tapas, typical local dishes shared among a table. The whole group had a fun time eating and socializing.On Wednesday we went on an excursion to the vibrant city of Malaga, which was founded by the Phoenecians, passed through the hands of the Moors and the Catholic Kings and later became an important industrial center as well as a tourist capital. After a panoramic tour on the bus, we took a guided walking tour among Malaga's pedestrian-only historic center. Next we went to the the Picasso Museum, honoring the artistic genius of Malaga's most famous resident, and we saw where the students asked lots of questions about the variety of paintings.
Classes have been really interesting; today they interviewed some Nerja locals about their childhood and games they used to play. In the second part of class they actually learned how to play these games and played them. It was a blast and very educational as well!
On Saturday we went on a multi-adventure excursion in Rio Verde outside Nerja. The students had a great time rappelling amongst waterfalls, hiking among rock walls, and swimming in the river. Needless to say it was a fun and challenging day!
This week we have an overnight excursion planned to Granada, the last Moorish stronghold in Spain which was not won by the Catholic Kings until 1492. There we will see the famous Moorish castle and fortress of the Alhambra, one of Spain's most breathtaking and treasured monuments. Check back soon for updates on the trip!
Our First Week in Nerja!
On Saturday we took a trip to a nearby town called Frigilana. With only about 3,000 inhabitants and a subtropical climate, this town is prized for how it has preserved its Moorish heritage and Arab arquitecture which includes narrow streets filled with whitewashed houses beautifully adorned with colorful flowers. Later on we visited the “Cuevas de Nerja,” the Caves of Nerja, which date back 5 million years ago. Offically recognized as an historic and artistic monument, these caves are one of the most important prehistoric archaeological sites on the western Mediterranean.
This upcoming week will also be filled with many exciting activities and a trip to Málaga. We will keep you posted!
Our First Week in Nerja!
On Saturday we took a trip to a nearby town called Frigilana. With only about 3,000 inhabitants and a subtropical climate, this town is prized for how it has preserved its Moorish heritage and Arab arquitecture which includes narrow streets filled with whitewashed houses beautifully adorned with colorful flowers. Later on we visited the “Cuevas de Nerja,” the Caves of Nerja, which date back 5 million years ago. Offically recognized as an historic and artistic monument, these caves are one of the most important prehistoric archaeological sites on the western Mediterranean.
This upcoming week will also be filled with many exciting activities and a trip to Málaga. We will keep you posted!
Get ready for Nerja!
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