"First and foremost
I would like to thank you for the most amazing summer of my life. I just
returned the other evening from an incredible 4 weeks in Spain. My homestay
in Segovia turned out to be an unforgettable experience. Not only did
my Spanish speaking skills improve but the immersion really got me used
to the language itself, something that can only be achieved through a
program like Rassias."
- Melanie Glass, Segovia 2002
We believe that the very best way to learn a language
and a culture is to combine powerful classroom teaching with a family
stay—one piece done alone leaves a gap in the learning. The home
stay of all programs lasts from 18 to 21 days — enough to honestly
experience another culture, but not too long. The home stay is most often
remembered as the high point of a student’s trip. The immersion
into the host family’s life brings the student into direct contact
with his or her host country’s language and culture.
The selection of the families is undertaken with special
care—good friends of ours who are residents of Tours, Arles, Gijón,
Segovia, Pontevedra, and Gyalthang select the families. Then, using information
gathered in our conversations with you and your family, biographical information
provided by you, and your academic and personal references, we select
a family that we feel best suits you. It is in the selection and overseeing
of the home stay process where our small size and personal contacts come
to bear most strongly. These efforts are amply rewarded during the summer
and often through friendships that last long after the summer is over.
"My Spanish/French /Chinese family" becomes a familiar and fond
reference point as students recount their summer experiences to their
own families back home.