On the 21st October 11 intrepid students accompanied by two members of staff set off to the beautiful Andalusian city of Córdoba for a week-long work experience trip.
Following an early departure (too early for some!) from Gatwick the boys desperately sought out breakfast from the vast array of over price vendors inside Gatwick’s southern terminal. Refreshments purchase they boarded the flight eager at what would be a fully immersed week in the Spanish language and culture.
On arrival in Spain the boys boarded the bus from Málaga to Córdoba, with the plush seats and air conditioning which providing welcome relief from the heat. The bus snaked its way through the Andalusian foothill taking it some quite breath-taking scenery.
Having reached Córdoba and met our guide for the week, Juan, the boys were whisked off to a local restaurant to sample some of the specialities. What followed was a gastronomic treat which various dishes such as Flamenquín (consisting of slices of ham wrapped in pork loin) and the slightly more adventurous Rabo de Toro or oxtail soup.
The boys were then fortunate tot visit the stunning Mezquita of Córdoba, one of the most beautiful sights in the whole of Spain, with its distinctive Roman columns intertwined with Islamic architecture.
Following some free time in the city, in which certain members of the contingent had managed to track down the local second division football stadium in the vain hope of finding a club shop, the boys were taken to meet their host families. In scenes reminiscent of evacuees in the Second World War boys were gradually paired off to their new host family for the weak.
And so, the immersion began. The boys were forced into speaking straight away with topics ranging from the weather to Brexit and from Catalan independence to the impact of bull fighting in Spain.
The following day the work placements began. These included nurseries (7 of them), sports shops, language schools, business consultancies and even a guide at the local tower. These placements proved immensely helpful as the boys were forced to adapt to the thick Andalusian accent and the rapid pace of speech.
On Tuesday four boys were lucky to be invited to a game of futsal or ‘fútbol sala’. The match was a classic encounter in the Copa del Rey between the local Córdoba side (from the second division) and Viña Albali Valdepeñas from the first division. Córdoba took a commanding 2-0 lead but Valdepeñas fought back to level. Córdoba then scored in the dying embers with just 4 seconds left on the clock to spark a massive pile on and scenes of jubilation with chants echoing around the stadium. After the game one aspiring sports journalist pupil had the fortune to interview the coach of the Córdoba team in Spanish- an incredible opportunity to practice their skills.
Mid way through the week the pupils visited the Andalusian capital of Seville. The pupils explored the wonderful gardens of the palace as well as Seville cathedral, the largest gothic cathedral in the world. Loaded up with enough pictures to fill any Instagram feed the boys headed back to Cordoba on the train and the warmth of their host families.
The last few days were spent in the work placements with the free evenings to enjoy the delights o the city. Eventually the time came to say goodbye to their Spanish ‘mums ‘who gave great emotional farewells as if the boys were their real family when they gave them parting gifts. After a full days travel the group landed back intro Heathrow after an unforgettable week of immersion which immensely improved both their speaking skills and listening skills.
