The mornings and evenings have been wonderfully cool here in Barcelona. It's a glorious break from the afternoon heat. Fortunately, we've also been cooled by a gentle zephyr off the Mediterranean, which is just a few blocks from the residencia.
Astrid, Amy, Elena and I arrived two days ago to make final preparations for what's going to be an incredible next few weeks. We are staying at Residencia Onix and I must say - I'm impressed. All the students will have private rooms and share a kitchen with one other team member. We're getting the kitchens and bathrooms stocked with everything the students will need upon arrival. There's an internet room with six computers, a small gym, some great sitting areas and laundry facilities. I am confident the students will feel very comfortable during their time here.
All the students will be on the fourth floor with me and another staff member. I plan to make lots of noise and keep all the kids awake until late hours of the night. Isn't that what we Program Directors are for? :)
Astrid, our Culinary RA, has prepared a wonderful cooking guide that will lead our students on an exciting journey into the wide world of Spanish cuisine. I'm looking forward to learning some new Spanish fare to add to my cooking repertoire. Make sure you ask your kids to cook for you when they get home. They should be armed with some mad cooking skills by then thanks to Astrid.
Amy has been preparing some amazing excursions for her Spanish classes. This ain't your normal Spanish class folks - talk about total cultural immersion and experiential learning. I wish I was going to be part of the class, but alas, someone needs to stay back and blog about it all.
Elena, well, all I have to say is don't get her talking about Flamenco. She is passionate about the art form and is looking forward to teaching the students to pound the ground to some classic Spanish palos. She is also a highly experienced Spanish teacher who has taught at UNC - Chapel Hill and now lives in Sevilla.
Sara is ready to lead the team across the Atlantic. Her smiling face will be greeting the students at the airport when they arrive. She'll be meeting the team at JFK and making sure everyone makes it to Barcelona safe and sound.
And me (Joel), I'm making sure that all the loose ends are tied. I've worked around the world for years and have learned that the number one rule is this: Be flexible, for rarely does anything go as planned. But I'm doing my best to make sure that things go as smoothly as possible.
I'm looking forward to meeting all the students and keeping all the curious parents at home up to date on the happenings of the program. I'll be posting here as much as possible, but of course I can't sit behind the computer all day - we have to get out there and enjoy la vida española! Hasta luego!
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