Brentwood School - Brentwoodian 2020

27 Galicia Sadly, our last year at Brentwood School has been cut short, so, as Sixth Formers, writing this article makes it even more nostalgic for us to reminisce about our favourite school trip to Galicia, Spain. As inquisitive, IB Spanish students, we had always longed for a trip where we could utilise our new language skills, as well as learn more about the authentic culture and identity of Spain. Luckily for us, this home-stay enabled just that, as, in pairs, were allocated to native host families. For me, the most memorable moment was meeting our host families for the very first time. After the flight, as well as a few hours of waiting for our luggage and an even longer coach journey, we, a now very shattered cohort of Sixth Formers, arrived at the meeting point in Santiago de Compostela. Of course, it was natural for us to be sceptical and intrigued (due to the fact that the only information we had about our new families was their names and whether or not they had pets). The fact that we arrived close to midnight, in the pitch black, made the situation a lot more interesting when we first caught sight of a group of Spanish adults standing at our meeting point. Nervously, we all grabbed our luggage and stood silently, in anticipation of finding out which Spaniard we would be living with. My roommate and I were welcomed straight away by our host who seemed funny, kind and understanding of our initial anxieties. After a short car journey we arrived at his flat to be welcomed by his mother, María, who seemed even more excited to meet us. Their flat was warming and homely, full of oil paintings, Spanish ornaments and the aroma of a fresh tortilla waiting for us at the dinner table. Each and every day got better in terms of food. We were woken up with an array of Spanish biscuits and fruits which was spread across the dining table. In the afternoons, we would return for lunch, which in Spain, is the most important meal of the day. One day we were welcomed with a delicious seafood paella, which looked just as good as it tasted. As well as this, we got to try homemade meatballs and freshly- caught calamari. We were completely spoilt throughout the stay, not only in terms of food, but also the way in which the family cared for us and constantly helped us to improve our spoken Spanish. We always enjoyed returning to our host families after a day out exploring the town or after our lessons at the language school. By Lucy Twyford It was great fun exploring a Spanish town that was completely alien to us, solely using a map and our intuition (which wasn't the best) to navigate the swirling streets and lively shops of Santiago de Compostela. I will never forget our two-hour detour in which Lucas Ring, Glebs Ribzamens and I took a path which found us taking a rather scenic (if not unprecedented) trip round the whole of the city centre to find ourselves only five minutes from our host family’s house. These little adventures really made the experience one to remember. The sense of friendship and comradery present was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the trip. Whether it was in the classroom or in a local tapas bar, we did everything together and just enjoyed each other's company from start to end. Whether that be nearly losing Nia Richards in a hedge maze or Max Tomlinson and I being the groups designated waiters in a small sandwich shop, by the end of the trip we had become a small family. Another important aspect was trying the local food, and it was honestly amazing. I'm pretty sure everyone on the trip had never seen let alone eaten so much food in such a small amount of time, but everything was too delicious to turn down. From sharing huge plates of jamón serrano and croquetas with Mrs Wall, to eating the best churros in town with Mr Smith our stomachs were stuffed with the best Spanish cuisine had to offer. Then the moment I was looking forward to most - a Spanish cooking class. Freetime and Food Our Host Families SPAIN