Easy Languages

Program

Destination

The capital city of Spain, Madrid has an approximate population of 4 million inhabitants. It is located in the centre of the country and because of its convenient location, getting to any other part of the country is about 5 hours by car.

Madrid is a city that contrasts ancient character with modern architecture. It is a significant financial and political city where important events take place every day. In Madrid, one can find some of the most beautiful museums in the world (El Prado, the Queen’s Museum, Sofia, etc.) and the city also offers a variety of events year-round such as exhibitions, football matches, concerts, opera, "zarzuela", theatre, cinema, etc. and a lively nightlife.

School

The school is located on the campus of a prestigious private school, on the outskirts of Madrid. School facilities are close to one of Europe’s largest universities and only 15 minutes (by public transportation) from the Plaza de España, a major scenic point in old Madrid.

The school offers a 24-hour reception area, a cafeteria, an auditorium, an Internet facility, photo lab, video/TV room, dining room and an infirmary. Outside you will find a well-kept garden area that opens onto a soccer field, a semi-Olympic pool, a gymnasium, a basketball court, a handball court and a tennis court.

Courses

The programme has been designed for complete linguistic and cultural immersion for students aged between 5 and 18.

Students take 4 Spanish lessons per day and participate in a programme of supervised activities and excursions specially devised to practice their language skills.

• Lessons
  Lessons are available to all levels, from beginners to advanced. Students are given a diagnostic test when they arrive and are placed in the appropriate class level.
  
  To ensure quality teaching, classes remain small (12 students maximum) and all teachers are native speakers of Spanish, and fully qualified.
  
  Lessons cover the important points of learning a language: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, writing and speaking comprehension. At the end of the programme, participants receive a certificate signed by their teachers, with details of what they have achieved.
• Activities
  The activity and excursion programme is a good opporunity for the students to speak and practice their Spanish with their friends in a fun atmosphere. This programme includes sports, summer activities and an excursion programme with trips within Madrid and to nearby historic and amusement places.
  
  • Possible full-day excursions: trips to Toledo, Avila, Segovia or Salamanca
  • Possible half-day excursions: visits to El Escorial, Aquapark, historic areas of Madrid, or other areas of interest
  Other activities include campfires, parties, discos, dance and drama workshops.
  
  Optional Sports Programmes:
  
  • Tennis: 10 hours of tennis instruction per fortnight
  • Horse riding: 9 hours of horse riding instruction per fortnight
  • Swimming: 8 hours of swimming instruction per fortnight
    
    These activities are not always possible in combination with some of the activities offered at the camp, on account of timetabling potentially coinciding.
• Sport Programme (tennis, horse riding, swimming: available to native Spaniards)
  Students also have the opportunity to take part in a Sport and Activities programme (without language tuition). In Madrid, we offer tennis, horse riding, and swimming.
  
  Students have training and/or matches in the morning, and then follow the activity and excursion programme in the afternoon.
• Permission to leave grounds
  Camp personnel and directors are aware that many of the senior student participants have a certain level of freedom at home and count on being able to meet with their friends and spend some afternoons off-campus. For this reason the programme directors permit 3 unescorted off-campus trips per student during each two-week session. The hours permitted are from the afternoon snack time until 11:30 PM. Only those students aged 15 and and whose parents have given advance, written permission, will be given permission to leave school grounds.
  
  The specific days that the unescorted, off-campus trips are permitted are established by each school’s director.
  
  Those students who are not of age and those who do not have the required written permissions are not permitted to leave the centres without supervision under any circumstances. The breadth and depth of the scheduled classes and activities are planned to maintain their interest and to fill their time as it is.

Accommodation

• Residential housing
  Students stay on the same site as the school, in international residences, which allows for a multicultural immersion, ensuring that practicing your language skills continues outside of the classroom.
  
  In the residence, students sleep in single or double en suite rooms. Full board is included.
• Staying with a host family
  Students can stay with a host family with full board if they are older than 14. This does not allow for weekend activities with the programme as the student will then spend this time with the family.
  

• Laundry
  Our programme also includes a laundry service once every fortnight. To facilitate this the student should bring their own bag for their washing, and should ideally have their clothes labelled with their name.

Prices & Dates

Dates 2012

Trips are from Sunday to Saturday, courses start on Monday. Student’s arrival is scheduled on the following dates: 01/07, 15/07, 29/07.

Prices include:

• All enrolment fees
• Courses (20 lessons per week, morning or afternoon)
• Accommodation in residence or host family
  
• Full-board (3 meals per day)
• Cultural excursions, sports and activities

Prices do not include

• Travel to Spain
• Airport pick-up
• Optional sports programmes

Practical Info

At the school

• Healthcare and Medical assitance

Each location has an infirmary and a nurse/emergency medical technician on-site to ensure the health and well-being of the students. If your child has any special medical needs, allergies, special dietary needs or other requirements you only have to notify us in writing, preferably at the time of registration, and we can notify the on-site health care staff. Your child’s prescription medicine should be sent with him/her. Any medicine or off-site care needed for injuries acquired while at camp are not covered by the programme costs.

• Pocket money

On arrival students may deposit their money in the camp bank at the school and withdraw as needed. The counselor responsible for the student will note deposits and withdrawals and keep an eye on student’s spending habits to help them budget their money. If you anticipate that your child will need additional money, it will be your responsibility to assure delivery of these funds as the school cannot receive or deliver money to students at our camp sites.

• Telephone

Your child will be able to contact you through telephone booths available at our camps. However, if your child brings a mobile, we will allow its use only during designated times. In addition, each camp has an answering machine where you will be able to leave messages for your child, and an emergency number in case you must contact the camp director. These numbers will be provided to you one month before your child’s arrival.

• Uniform

A uniform is available (optional) with the camp’s logo. We recommend purchase of the uniform package as a means to avoid concerns over what to pack, clothing that might be damaged or lost, etc.

The package consists of 6 T-shirts, 1 sweatshirt, 2 pairs of shorts, and a baseball cap. We recommend that you order this package at least 10 days before the student’s scheduled start date as it cannot be ordered/purchased on-site. The package is delivered to the student during the first days of camp and the counselor helps the student mark all items with his/her name

Transport

• Arrival airport: Madrid (MAD)
  A payable transfer is available from the airport to accommodation.

If you prefer, we can book your flights for you. This must be made clear at the moment of enrolment.

If you intend to book your own flight, try to arrive the Sunday before the start of your course and leave the Saturday following its end.

Visa Information

EU residents do not normally need a Visa to enter Spain.

Citizens of other countries, such as the USA, Brazil, Japan, Korea, etc, can stay in Spain without a Visa for up to 3 months.

If you intend to stay for longer than 3 months, you will need to apply for a Student Visa (type D) before arriving.

Students coming from such countries must acquaint themselves with the visa application procedures involved at their local Spanish Embassy or Consulate.