Our second-to-last program of the summer!
Beinvenidos to our second-to-last-program of the summer and our second brand new program of 2018!
The World Cup celebrations died down in Paris and our team flew south to Spain to start the very first installment of Lights, Camera, Learn Seville. As soon as we arrived, we began to soak up the sun in the southern capital of Andalucia. Our first few mornings found us exploring the old city, capturing its color and life in photographs and Instagram stories (each of our interns took over our IG story at some point throughout the program). Most afternoons we relaxed poolside in our neighborhood’s clubhouse, or visited the many historical sites around southern Spain, from Cadiz to the Real Alcazar. We sampled local Spanish culture, dining on tapas and paella and experiencing the spectacle of flamenco dance late into the night. Once we’d gotten settled into our new home, we prepped for our session with the kids.
Our Seville program was our smallest of the summer. Our team worked with 13 students and produced 2 short films. Because of this, we got the chance to give our students an incredibly personal learning experience: our student-to-teacher ratio was almost 1:1! Throughout the week, we formed strong bonds with our new Spanish students, and connected with the culture even more deeply.
Our Red Carpet event last Friday was probably our most relaxed. At the height of the Spanish summer, guests, parents, and friends joined us in our community clubhouse to watch our students' films, most everyone dressed in shorts and sipping on ice cold drinks. When the show ended, we all gathered on the patio to watch the lunar eclipse rise in the sky. Of course, we couldn't miss the opportunity for a photo shoot.
With the completion of two films in Spain, and two more from our second program in France, we have now finished 22 films this summer! Check them out here.
Every time we expand our work into a new country is a test. It is a test not only to find out if Lights, Camera, Learn can exist in fresh soil, but to determine if our method of teaching can work in a new country. The effectiveness of our teams in both France and Spain assured us that we are capable of building new LCL programs from the ground up, and the positive reception of our work proves to us that we’re doing the right thing. Both our Paris and Seville programs not only brought us into two new cultures, but allowed us to lay the groundwork for LCL’s future in Europe. Thanks to the incredible work of our interns and partners this month, new doors have opened up for us in a new part of the world.
Already we can’t wait for next year’s program in Seville. Before we leave, we’ll be sure to fill up on enough patatas bravas, queso burrata, croquetas, and berenjenas con miel to tide us over until Summer 2019!
En route to Zanzibar!