WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Travel to Spain and Orientation

We fly together to Madrid, Spain where we begin our program by settling into our Western Mediterranean group, getting to know one another and our instructors. Finding ourselves in a place so distinctly new, we soak up the beauty and history of this incredible city. Together we map out our itinerary and set both individual and group goals for the duration of the program. We introduce our curriculum and brainstorm ideas for our individual Capstone Passion Projects, all while coming together as a traveling community.

Sevilla Immersion and Spanish Language School

Departing Madrid, we take a high speed train south to Sevilla and prepare ourselves for an engaging week of Spanish language lessons and our first homestay experience. We take classes with local, native speakers as our teachers and have the opportunity to practice our new (or improved) language skills with our host families and around the city. Our welcoming language instructors also act as tour guides as we explore Sevilla’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Alcázar palace complex, the Cathedral, and the General Archive of the Indies.

Sustainable Farming Community in Andalusia

Saying goodbye to our Sevilla families, we venture deeper into Andalusia to an off the grid eco-village and farm. For the next week, we join a community of short and long term volunteers focused on sustainable living, sociocratic leadership, and permaculture-style farming. We join in on the community’s current projects in the endemic plant nursery and organic gardens and support the care and maintenance of this eco-friendly way of life. We help cook meals with all local ingredients, take workshops on how to make chemical free cleaning and beauty products, and share our own skills and knowledge with the community members.

Malaga Exploration and Surf Camp

Traveling along the Costa del Sol, we make our way to Malaga – the birthplace of painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas. We spend time with a local guide exploring the vibrant city center, visiting the Pablo Picasso Museum, seeing the architectural remains of the city’s original Phoenician walls from 770 B.C., and admiring the art and artifacts of the Church of the Holy Martyrs and the San Felipe Neri Church. After our informative tour, we enjoy tasty tapas and local music in the center square.

Moving from the city to the beach, we begin our surf camp with a local surf school. We spend our days with expert instructors learning the basics of surfing and new, ocean-related vocabulary to bolster our Spanish abilities. After a few lessons, we are catching waves and confidently showing off our surf skills.

Coastal Adventures in Tarifa

For our final days in Spain we head south to Tarifa – the southern most tip of continental Europe. Located on the Costa da la Luz, this low-key beach town benefits from near constant winds from either the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar making it perfect for wind sports like wind and kite surfing. Protected from those same winds are the rock climbing routes on the limestone walls of San Bartolo just outside town. With adventure activities readily available, we have the opportunity to choose as group what challenge we want to take on!

Travel to Morocco and the Blue City of Chefchaouen

With a heartfelt adios y gracias, we board a ferry to the Moroccan port town of Tangier and continue on to the blue-walled city of Chefchaouen. Nestled in the Rio Mountains, Chefchaouen’s blue walls originate from the Saphardi Jewish community’s belief that the color blue is that of the sky and of divinity, reminding them daily of the presence of God. We wander the narrow, winding alleyways of the Medina, enjoy our first tastes of Moroccan food, find unique souvenirs, and take fun photos amongst the blue walls. We also begin our orientation for this new country and talk about the cultural and language differences we will experience.

Arabic Language Lessons in Rabat

We depart the Blue Pearl and make our way back to Tangier for a quick stopover before hopping on a high speed train down to Rabat. We get a unique look at Morocco’s bustling capital as we move into our homestays and begin language lessons. Partnering with a renowned, accredited language school, we spend time each day learning Darija (Moroccan Arabic), which is a combination of standard Arabic, Amazigh (the native language of Morocco’s indigenous people), French, and Spanish. While we spend this week focused on developing new language skills, we also have time to visit the many historical sites, practice our bartering skills while buying local foods in the Medina for a cooking class, and enjoy evenings with our host families.

Marrakech Exploration and Carbon Offsetting Project

We say goodbye to our host families and board a train for Marrakech. We settle into our new residence and begin our first project with an organization supporting carbon offsetting through the planting of endemic fruit trees. We visit a number of their nurseries, learn about the history of the land, and help care for the seedlings and saplings that will be given or sold to local communities. Not only do replanted trees help pull carbon from the air, but they also provide a supplemental income option for the caretakers. We have the opportunity to meet with community members to ask them about their farms, goals, and daily lives.

When not working, we explore Marrakech, the Medina, and the many important historical and cultural sites. Using our newly learned Darija, we wander through the markets bartering for snacks and souvenirs. One weekend we venture out into the Sahara for a two-night desert excursion complete with a camel ride, dune surfing, and calm nights under starry skies.

High Atlas Community Infrastructure Project

Leaving the city behind, we drive up into the High Atlas Mountains to partner with a small community assisting with infrastructure improvements and learning how they are bringing economic stability to their members. Our days are spent working with association members to help pave community sidewalks to reduce erosion and provide safe, stable walking paths. We also support the community’s burgeoning jam making operation by prepping locally grown fruits , sterilizing jars, and learning to cook down and fill the jars for preservation. In the evenings, we have discussions with association and community members to talk about the projects they are accomplishing and what they want to continue to prioritize to improve their daily lives.

Essaouira Surfing

After several weeks of language lessons and work projects, we take a break on the coast and continue to improve our surfing skills. Building off what we learned at surf camp in Spain, we take on larger waves and increase our confidence on the surfboard. We embrace the laidback coastal pace of life and indulge in freshly caught seafood and local fruits. As we wrap our time in Morocco, we prepare ourselves for the final country of our semester.

Travel to Portugal and Student Planned Module

At last, our much-anticipated Student Planned Module has arrived! We fly together from Marrakech to Porto, Portugal and jump right into this exciting student planned section of the semester. These days are completely planned by the students, with basic parameters in place and a budget with which to work. With so many beautiful coastal or mountain towns to choose from the options are vast, and we cannot wait to hear what the group will do!

Porto Food Waste Project

Fresh off our Student Planned Module, we begin our final project of the semester partnering with a local organization working to reduce food waste in Porto and support community members and families in need. This 100% volunteer run program collects unused food from local markets, cafes, and restaurants, hygienically repackages it, and prepares it for distribution to those in need. We work alongside local volunteers and with our host community in a unique and meaningful way.

Lisbon Exploration and Program Conclusion

After completing our community project in Porto, we take one final train south to Lisbon and begin to wrap up our semester experience. We have the opportunity to explore this cobblestoned city and spend time in the sun at southern Portugal’s beautiful beaches. During the evenings, we gather our projects, experiences, and ideas and present our Capstone Passion Projects, debriefing all that we have learned, the friendships that we have made, and the passions we have stirred over the past 70 days.