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TIE Spain 2024-2025
TIE Spain 2024-2025
Day 1 - Thursday Feb. 20, 2025 - Wyatt Hankes
Our first day of this trip was absolutely electric. After our send off from SB, the time absolutely flew by on the luxury bus filled with games and conversation. We then breezed through security and explored the airport for about 5 hours. Our flight was lovely with quality service and many options for entertainment. Then, just like that we were in Spain, and although we had been up for a full day already it was now 5am. We left the airport on another luxury bus, and had a long, beautiful bus ride during the sunrise. Upon our arrival to the destination, everyone was rudely awaken from the comfy bus, and we broke into groups of four to explore the beautiful town of Avila, and its awesome wall. A little bit of food, some shopping, and a lot of pictures later we returned to the bus to head for Salamanca! We reunited with our beautiful host families around 2pm Spain’s time and finished this amazing double day at our new homes.
Day 2 - Friday Feb. 21, 2025 by Max Frostman
After an exciting (and exhausting) first day in Spain, the Americans desperately needed some rest. Some of us crashed early, while others fully embraced the Spanish lifestyle, staying up late after dinner, chatting, and adjusting to the new rhythm of life here. But no matter how much (or how little) sleep we got, morning came fast, and we were up before the sun to head to school.
The day started with a warm and lively welcome ceremony that made us feel right at home in Salamanca. Then, we hopped on a bus to visit one of the city’s most breathtaking landmarks—the cathedral. As we stepped inside, a sudden chill wrapped around us, a stark contrast to the mild air outside. The towering stone walls seemed to trap the cold, and with each step, the sound of our footsteps echoed through the vast, dimly lit space. The ceilings stretched impossibly high, disappearing into the shadows, while few stained-glass windows filtered the gray, cloudy light from outside, casting soft patterns on the ancient stone floor. The air smelled faintly of old wood, stone, and history itself. Every detail—the ornate carvings, the flickering lights, the silent grandeur—made the cathedral feel both haunting and breathtaking.
After taking it all in (and trying to warm up a little), we grabbed a quick snack and made our way to the heart of the city: La Plaza Mayor. The sky remained overcast, and a strong wind swept through the square, rustling jackets and sending shopping bags flying about. Still, the energy of the plaza was contagious. We huddled into a cozy bakery, where the rich aroma of coffee and fresh pastries instantly warmed us up. Sipping on hot café con leche and nibbling on buttery treats, we took in the sights of the bustling plaza—locals chatting animatedly, tourists snapping photos, and the massive buildings standing strong against the gray sky.
Now, with a little time to ourselves, we’re preparing for a big night back in the Plaza Mayor. If the past 24 hours have taught us anything, it’s that Salamanca knows how to keep the night alive. With the wind still howling and the chill settling in, it’s bound to be a cold but unforgettable evening—filled with music, laughter, and a whole lot of Spanish-style fun!
TIE Spain
Day 3 - Feb 22, 2025 by Pax and Avery
Today was Saturday, the day our lives changed forever. There are no words to describe the confluence of the efficacious emotions that ran through the veins of each and every juvenile attending the excursion on this fair day.
Our riveting journey began as we braved the Salamanca morning and drove to the bewitching city of Zamora. Our sojourn in Zamora led us to a historical museum brimming with antiquities, where we were afforded the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the treasures of bygone eras. While the exhibits, meticulously curated, sought to illuminate the profundity of the region's past, the presentation meandered at a languorous pace, testing even the most ardent devotee of historical scholarship. Nevertheless, the architectural grandeur of the space and the sheer weight of history within its walls, lent an air of solemn reverence to the experience. Especially in the case of Alberto, who had the bittersweet limerence of finding his long lost relative in one of the museum exhibits.
After the museum we were led through the spectacular city of Zamora in the shining sun and temperature of 10 degrees celsius (you figure it out on your own fam). Following this riveting experience we were granted four glorious hours to roam the quaint metropolis with our newfound family. After these four hours of precious freedom, we would be willing to lay down our future-oriented lives in this small cosmopolis with these mortal souls we have found brotherhood with.
Spanish and Americans alike encountered the inner cognitive dissonance and turmoil of deciding whether or not to buy that one thing from Zara, but in the end they succumbed to their basic human principles and the battlefield of the inventory of the Spanish economy will never forget the day it was saved by a few brave and courageous souls.
Many of the soldiers of today may be small, but they were as strong as the mighty bulls the beautiful Spanish people fight. Around 6pm we began the ascent up the Everistic mountain hills just for the courageous opportunity to Farm Aura. Señor Saphier became an agriculturist today, unlike any other in the world.
Atop the monumental mountain, a majestic black cougar appeared before the mighty army of students, a sign of good fortune for the rest of their impending race. As it turns out, that was a misguided interpretation, as when the race began, many warriors fell in the battle to the top of the Castillo de Peñausente.
We would like to congratulate Victoria, Hugo, Wyatt, Samuel, Aurelia, and Aspen for being the troupes to finish first in both girls and boys heat. Avery had the opportunity to have a rapid but fruitful interview with the one and only champion Wyatt William Hankes.
Avery - “How does it feel to be the champion of tonight's hill race?”
Mr. Hankes - “Uh…type ****, it feels good. I'd like to thank my mom. I've been running for three years and that still wasn’t easy. I still demolished them all “demolido” sí.”
Avery - “Is there anything you would like to say to the second and third place winners?”
Mr. Hankes - “Big difference. I mean, I started ahead, passed one, two, three, many more people. It was a good race for maybe a little bit of competition…but like I said, type ****”
This eventful day full of joyous whimsy ended with a wonderful dinner at La Becera sharing memories and emotions with the ones we’ve gone through the hardest and most wonderful highlights of today with.
Everyone's phones are now dead.
TIE Spain
Day 4 - Sunday Feb. 23, 2025 by Joe Hollander
Marking off the end of the first week was a calm, relaxed day for many. Most were able to sleep in, and no group tasks meant more valuable time spent with host families. Some embraced tradition by going to church and eating a typical, long Sunday lunch, others played pickup soccer with other Spaniards, and some even traveled to Madrid to watch a crushing Real Madrid (soccer team) defeat of Girona. In the afternoon, those who weren’t in Madrid went to a fourth division fútbol (soccer) game with the home team of Salamanca. Tragically, one of Salamanca’s defenders contracted a red card via a questionable call within a minute of the game starting, and the defender was ejected. Salamanca was unable to overcome the odds and their ten players lost convincingly to the opposing team's eleven. Following this event, many got delicious ice cream and hung out in and around the city plaza.
Day 5 - Monday Feb. 24, 2025 by Catherine Linnell
Today we woke up early, got dressed in our uniforms and headed to Colegio Montessori with our Spaniards to meet up with the rest of the group. Once everyone figured out how to tie their tie we left the school and walked to a cute cafe where we were served churros and chocolate for breakfast. Once we had quickly finished all the churros we headed to a new part of town with lots of art on all the walls. We were given a sheet for a picture scavenger hunt with different tasks and graffiti and headed off to try and get all the pictures before the other teams. Once we completed the scavenger hunt we all headed to the Plaza Mayor where the city hall is located and gathered outside the door. They soon let us into the gorgeous city hall with fancy stairs, big chandeliers and gorgeous furniture. We sat in the conference room and learned a bit about the city hall and what was going on in there. Then we walked up the grand staircase and went into the ceremony room which was as beautiful as the entrance. We then took some time on the balcony of the city hall overlooking the Plaza and took some nice pictures. Once our tour of the city hall was over we were given free time to eat, shop and explore the plaza on our own time before heading back to the school and meeting up with our Spaniards before heading home with them.
Tuesday Feb. 25, 2025 By Katie McNeill and Grace Harris
Today we had an early wake up to meet at school by 8:00, luckily we got to wear our own clothes. We then got on the bus and made our way to La Sierra de Francia, where it was a little chilly and very cloudy so unfortunately we were not able to see the beautiful view. After visiting the mountain top, we then visited two towns, La Alberca, and Mogarraz. We had time to explore on our own, shop, get food and enjoy the scenery. Then we got back on the bus to head back to the school where we got picked up by our spaniards. Some students went home and had a relaxing evening, while others enjoyed some fun bowling and dinner at the Plaza!
Wednesday Feb. 26, 2025 by Aspen Stoll-Pietila and Aurelia Lockwood
We woke up early and put on our uniforms to get ready for a day at Colegio Montessori. We started by shadowing our partners in their first two classes. It was intriguing to experience the Spanish class style, as it was different than in Vermont. Class starts with a prayer, students have to stand up whenever a teacher enters the room, and the classes are only 50 minutes long. We then split into two groups to present to either upperclassmen or underclassmen. We gave our presentations about Vermont, fully in Spanish, and with interactive activities. These included wall sit competitions, maple syrup tastings, and boxing demonstrations. Everyone did an amazing job. After the first round of presentations, everybody went outside to recreo (recess) with their Spaniards, where people played games, talked, and had snacks. After recreo, the groups went to either give a second presentation, or go out to play with the infantil (preschool age children) group. The groups then swapped. After all of the presentations, we walked to the plaza to do a cooking class. We learned how to make tortilla de patatas (potato and egg omelette), salmorejo (tomato and bread crumb puree), and almond cookies. Afterwards, we got to enjoy a delicious feast of our hard work. Students were then picked up to go home and enjoy a chill night with their host families.
Thursday, Feb. 27th, 2025 by Evie Lorentz and Aidyn Peters-Smith
Once we arose from our restful slumber and donned our splendid uniforms, the group convened at Colegio Montessori. Next, we were escorted to our separate presentation rooms. Things went very smoothly, including wall sit competitions, boxing demonstrations, and maple syrup tasting. After the presentations, we joined a sixth grade class and participated in an amusing and riveting scavenger hunt. Next we progressed to another class of sixth graders to partake in a very thrilling game which tested both our Spanish and English knowledge! After that exhilarating morning with the primary school students, we paired up with our Spaniards to go to class. It was very intriguing to experience being a part of their course of study. After school, a ping pong tournament was held and attended by some of the American students where Joe won first place and Will took home second. After our sublime day, everyone went home excited for another spectacular day in Salamanca!
Thursday, Feb. 27th, 2025 by Evie Lorentz and Aidyn Peters-Smith
Once we arose from our restful slumber and donned our splendid uniforms, the group convened at Colegio Montessori. Next, we were escorted to our separate presentation rooms. Things went very smoothly, including wall sit competitions, boxing demonstrations, and maple syrup tasting. After the presentations, we joined a sixth grade class and participated in an amusing and riveting scavenger hunt. Next we progressed to another class of sixth graders to partake in a very thrilling game which tested both our Spanish and English knowledge! After that exhilarating morning with the primary school students, we paired up with our Spaniards to go to class. It was very intriguing to experience being a part of their course of study. After school, a ping pong tournament was held and attended by some of the American students where Joe won first place and Will took home second. After our sublime day, everyone went home excited for another spectacular day in Salamanca!
Friday, February 28, 2025 by Gwen Soper
The day started off with an early wake up to go to an exciting school day. Instead of wearing our uniforms, we braced ourselves for the day in athletic wear. We then attended first block with our Spaniards. After that, we went on a short walk to a pickleball facility and started practicing for the competitive tournament that was going to take place. We started with short passes over the net with each other and then played a short game. We took a quick snack break, eating what our families packed us. Then the games started. It started as a friendly competition, but it quickly escalated to a fierce rivalry between teams, and everyone wanted to become the champion. After many games (battles), Gwen and Victoria became the champions of the girls, and Adam and Sam became the champions of the boys. We started the head back to the school, all rivalry gone. We then attended an award ceremony/lunch, where awards were presented to the pickleball champions, the table tennis champions, the participants of the table tennis tournament, and the pickleball runner ups. During this celebration we enjoyed many dishes, including the Spanish tortilla, bread and cheese, many drinks, calamari and more. All of the students received an award for participating in TIE and we all left the school for the last time very happy. After school was done the rest of the day was spent with family and friends, and many people went to the plaza to enjoy their last Friday night in Salamanca. It was a day filled with fun and friends, and we wouldn’t have left it any other way!
Saturday, March 1st, 2025 by Dom Herrera
Today was a choice day so we got to do whatever we wanted. It was a great feeling not having to wake up early for school and being able to get a few more hours of sleep. My host’s sister, Leire, arrived early this morning from her school in Madrid so we had lots of great stuff planned! The first activity planned for the day was karting. It would be my first time so I was very excited and a little nervous. During breakfast it was raining pretty bad and it was quite cold so we didnt know if we would be able to kart. After breakfast, we drove about 15 minutes away, which doesn't seem very far but it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. Off the side of the road was a small dirt road that we turned onto, which led to the track. No one else was there because of the weather so we got the whole track to ourselves! The rain seemed to subside right as we started but it took a few laps to get used to the kart. I may have spun out in a hairpin turn, but everything went great and on the last lap we had an exhilarating battle for first place, and on one of the last corners I was able to pass my host student's dad! It was a ton of fun but very cold. We also saw a lot of people dressed up for Carnival, which is similar to Halloween, on the drive home. At home we played board games, ate lunch, and hung out. Then later, I hung out with some friends around the plaza. All in all it was a pretty great day and I hope we get to have some more great times before its over!
Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 by Wyatt Hankes
Today was a pretty great day consisting of more great times during carnival (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival)! Due to carnival it’s a 4 day weekend which we’re all kicking with our host families, so today is more of a personal chronicle.
I started off the day by waking up at 8:41 and getting ready for the lovely day ahead. My exchange partner and I were dropped off near a churro stand to meet up with Saph and Profe. Our reunion was under cold, grey skies that gave us the warm comfort of home. Bearing the cold saph and I warmed up for a large feat ahead. We lined up at the very back of the pack, and surrounded by the noise of supporters going berserk, started off on a 13.1 mile odyssey. While the dynamic duo started off on the run, profe hustled to the best picture spots, and my exchange partner, Hugo, cozied into a restaurant with chocolate and churros.
Wednesday, March 5th, 2025 by Adam Kett
Unfortunately, we left Salamanca today, Sadly saying goodbye to our Spaniard friends and heading out on the bus for Toledo. We visited a small, old, town along the way to learn about a very large and very old monastery there and what life was like in it back when it was heavily used. After the monastery, we were on our own to find lunch at the various cafes and restaurants in the town.
After lunch we went to a church inside of a mountain that had one of the largest crosses in the world on top of it. The cross just barely poked out of the clouds giving us a great photo shoot. Then we all piled back on the bus and after an hour bus ride we arrived in Toledo in the late afternoon, had a quick look of the area as a group and had the rest of the night to explore the old Spanish capital on our own. Toledo, filled with small gift shops and a wide variety of places to eat made it a good night to explore.
Thursday, March 6th, 2025 by Orion Cooper
There’s nothing quite like waking up at 6:00 am in a medieval themed hotel, taking a freezing cold shower and packing up all your stuff just to find Saph is already up and waiting for you outside the dining room. Today’s breakfast saw an abundance of breads, pastries, meats, fruits, juices, and more. Then, almost as quickly as we had arrived to Toledo, we left. The bus ride to Madrid was long, but it was light work for our now seasoned group of travelers. The capitol city was nothing short of impressive, and we eagerly walked to our hotel where we settled into our rooms and. Shortly afterwards, we ventured out to visit El Prado, one of the largest and most acclaimed art museums, and home to many of the world’s most famous works of art. Notable pieces include “The Garden Of Earthly Delights” - Hieronymus Bosch, “Saturn & The Black Painting” - Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, “The Executions” - Francisco de Goya, “Las Meninas” - Diego Velázquez, “The Nobleman With His Hand On His Chest” - El Greco, and more. This truly was an experience in which we (the viewers) had nothing to do except take it all in. This isn’t just because of the fact that these paintings and sculptures were magnificent and demanded attention, but also because of the fact that photography of any kind was ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED throughout THE ENTIRE MUSEUM. Although this was a disappointment to many, in the end it just made sure that we were able to fully appreciate all of the works with our own eyes and not through a screen. Once each of us had our fill of fine art for the day, we slowly made our way through the rainy streets of Madrid to meet up at our dinner location - on the menu tonight: Paella; chicken, seafood, or veggie - pick your poison. I think I speak for everyone when I say it was a most delectable meal. After dinner, we were all free to venture out on our own (while staying in groups of course) and check out all of the stores around the area before heading back to the hotel and getting ready for the night. Hotel shenanigans were abundant this night and Saph had to dish-out some justice (just kidding it wasn’t THAT serious). Eventually we were all able to get at least a little shut eye to prepare us for our last full day in Spain the next day.
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