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AboutExcel Madrid / Barcelona:
From the Goya and Velázquez-lined walls of the Prado Museum,
to the afternoon sun of a bullfight in Madrid’s Ventas ring,
to the curves and multicolored tiles of a
 Gaudí
rooftop in Barcelona, Excel Madrid/Barcelona presents
students with a special opportunity to explore the rich
artistic, cultural, and historic legacies of Spain. Based in
two of the Iberian Peninsula’s most dynamic cities, this
program affords a unique insider’s view of Spain, while
continuing the Excel traditionof preparing students for
college with in-depth, field-based seminars. Whether
students are intermediate or advanced Spanish speakers, or
are just interested in foreign study in English as a way to
get ready for college, they delve beneath the surface of
legendary, fascinating Spain.
Madrid & Barcelona: In Madrid, our home is the
Colegio Mayor Chaminade in the Ciudad Universitaria, a short
metro ride from the bustling Puerta del Sol, and the Prado,
Reina Sofía, and Thyssen museums. Located in the
geographical center of Spain, high on the meseta and set
against the backdrop of the craggy Guadarrama mountain
range, Madrid has long been a social and creative hub, and
the nerve center that ties together Spain’s diverse regional
communities. The invigorating mix of cultural offerings
ranges from the stately 18th century Royal Palace, to what
some would call its modern equivalent: Real Madrid’s
Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium. At night the city is alive
with tapas restaurants, the sound of guitars from flamenco
tabernas, and the bright lights of theatre and movie house
marquees.
From Madrid, the program
travels by private bus to the Pyrenees, where the group
stays for two days in the pristinely preserved medieval
village of Castellar de N’Hug. Castellar provides a
refreshing break from city life and an abundance of
opportunities to interact with local people, whether it be
on the cobblestone streets, in the corner cafés, or on the
town soccer field. Experienced guides lead students in a
variety of activities ranging from watertrekking to
traditional cooking and beginner- level spelunking.
Moving on to Barcelona,
the group is treated to a true cosmopolitan gem of the
Mediterranean. With a distinct regional character, Barcelona
is known for its unique blend of pragmatism mixed with
style, flair, and civic-mindedness. Starting in the busy
port, students can walk up through the cobblestone streets
of the Barrio Gótico, over to the mile-long pedestrian
walkway of the Ramblas, and then sit and enjoy a traditional
pan amb tumaquets breakfast in the shadow of Gaudí’s famous
Pedrera building on the Paseo de Gracia. The Picasso Museum,
the recently opened Museum of Modern Art, Gaudí’s Sagrada
Familia cathedral, and the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic all
serve as invigorating city classrooms.
A Typical
Day
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After rising and eating
breakfast with classmates and instructors, students break
into their course groups for the morning. The Art through
the Ages course may meet briefly in a seminar room to look
at slides of the works they are about to see before setting
out for the Museo Reina Sofía, the Advanced Spanish class
may work on questions for a survey they will conduct later
in the Plaza Mayor, and the Creative Writing class may head
to a sunny café in Barcelona’s Born district to work on
their latest pieces. Courses focus on in-depth exploration
of Madrid, Barcelona, and the cities and villages within
easy reach. Courses break for lunch, when students have the
opportunity to explore some of the local restaurants and
cafés in small groups, then resume in the afternoon for
continued exploration or discussion.
Students and staff work
together to plan afternoon activities such as basketball at
the Colegio Mayor with their new Spanish friends, a trip to
the Fundación Miró in Barcelona, an inauguration into the
wonderful world of chocolate y churros at a local
chocolatería, or a frisbee game on the beach in Barcelona.
The entire group gathers for a daily community meeting
before dinner. Evening activities include trips to see
flamenco shows or classical guitar concerts, film nights,
and coffeehouses.
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Excursions
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Weekend excursions provide
students with the opportunity to visit some of Spain’s more
remote but vital historic and cultural landmarks. While the
trips change from year to year, recent excursions included
marveling at the architectural wonders of Toledo and
Segovia, hiking in the Pyrenees, riding in a mountain train
through the Val de Nuria, and visiting Salvador Dalí’s home
in Cadaqués. (back to top)
Courses
of Study
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Taught by energetic,
highly qualified instructors, courses at Excel
Madrid/Barcelona are designed to take optimal advantage of
the rich milieu of historic and modern Spain, while at the
same time adhering to Excel’s standards of academic
excellence, innovation, and fun. All students choose one
major course and one minor course, both of which they follow
throughout the program – from Madrid to Barcelona. Major
courses meet three full days per week, minors meet two full
days. Courses are dynamic and intensive, limited in size,
and have a significant field component.
Excel Madrid/Barcelona
Courses of Study
Major Courses
Spanish Art History: El Greco and Beyond
(back to course list) From the Renaissance
and Baroque masterpieces of Velázquez and El Greco to Goya’s
acclaimed 18th century tapestry cartoons and on to the revolutionary
20th century work of Picasso, Miró, and Dalí, Spain has produced
some of the world’s finest art. In this field-based art history
course, students explore the museums, churches, castles, monasteries,
and other artistic sites of Madrid, Barcelona, and surrounding
areas. On field visits and through discussion, students consider
how Spain’s artistic masterpieces were understood by their original
audiences, in an effort to arrive at a better understanding
of the broad spectrum of Spanish art. A basic knowledge of Spanish
will enhance this course greatly, but is not required. The course
is taught in English, although students will have the opportunity
to learn core art vocabulary in Spanish.
Creative Writing
(back to course list) In this intensive
writing workshop, join the long tradition of American writers
who’ve found their inspiration abroad. Students hone their skills
by studying the fundamentals of creative writing, with a special
emphasis on exploration in a foreign setting. The focus of this
workshop is students’ own poetry, fiction, memoir/non-fiction,
and journal writings, which are discussed in an open and constructive
manner in class. Class time is spent exploring the urban and
rural settings in and around Madrid and Barcelona, taking time
to ponder a landscape, seek out interesting characters, or sit
in a café to write and discuss literature. Short reading assignments
help students address specific literary issues, and include
a selection of contemporary and classical authors. Students
conduct a reading of their work at the end of the program.
Drawing and Painting: Open-Air Studio
(back to course list) Designed both
for experienced artists and beginners, this course takes students
out to the field to sketch with watercolor, pencil, or charcoal.
Instruction in drawing techniques is complemented by frequent
forays into the architectural cityscapes and world-renowned
art collections of Madrid, Barcelona, and nearby historic sites.
Students have the opportunity to sketch cathedrals, royal palaces,
castles, markets, and cafés. Visits to some of the world’s greatest
museums, including the Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen, Sorrolla,
Picasso, and Dalí museums inspire students’ own artwork. Feedback
is given through critiques during which students are encouraged
to evaluate their own and each other’s work. The class shows
their work in an exhibition at the end of the program. Students
must provide their own art supplies.
Intermediate Spanish: Life and Culture*
(back to course list) Designed for
students with one to three years of high school Spanish, this
exciting field-based course allows students to use Spain as
their classroom in the quest to improve their comprehension
and spoken command of the language. The limited class size allows
the instructors to identify weak or underdeveloped areas in
students’ knowledge while customized field exercises help students
to improve in those areas. Participants also explore Spain’s
exciting and dynamic contemporary cultural scene, conducting
field-based inquiries into the country’s societal makeup, youth
culture, film and media, music, dance, and cuisine. Students
are required to speak Spanish while in class, and research an
independent study topic of their choice relating to Spanish
life and culture, to be presented during the last week of the
program.
Advanced
Spanish: Life and Culture*
(back to course list) Designed for
students with at least three years of high school Spanish or
the equivalent, this language immersion seminar focuses on group
and individual fieldwork, complemented by extensive, seminar-style
discussions on Spanish culture, literature, history, and the
contemporary scene. Through readings, films, interviews, and
field visits, students get to the heart of this fascinating
and diverse country. Since all discussion and most readings
are in Spanish, students are expected to have advanced comprehension
and speaking ability. Note that placement in Intermediate or
Advanced Spanish will be determined based on assessments during
the first days of the program.
Note that
placement in Intermediate or Advanced Spanish will be determined
based on assessments during the first days of the program.
Travel Photography: Spain in Focus (Major)
(back to course list) In this in-depth
course, students learn to observe and capture their surroundings
in ways that allow them as artists to see the world anew. Topics
of discussion include the fundamental elements of photography
(such as light, composition, and perspective), methods of approaching
strangers, and candid versus “di¬rected” photography. Master
classes by guest artists, visits to exhibitions, and structured
projects and assignments mesh with students’ own interests in
the creation of a portfolio for display at the end of the program.
In order to best take advantage of the inspirational surroundings,
emphasis is placed on field work and shooting techniques, rather
than digital image manipulation. Students must provide their
own digital camera with a pixel depth of at least 3 megapixels
and should have experience in using it.
There is a supplemental fee of $250
for this course.
Minor Courses
Spain's Architectural History (back to course
list) This course provides an introduction to the rich spectrum
of Spanish architecture, from the Middle Ages, when besieged
Christians built mysterious cave-like Romanesque churches, through
the Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque periods and on to the outrageous
modernista creations of the early 20th century. Discussions
and structured field visits enhance students’ appreciation of
Spain’s great architecture, from towering Gothic edifices to
Antoni Gaudí’s whimsical Sagrada Familia cathedral.
Contemporary Spanish Film and Culture (back to course
list) From Pedro Almodóvar’s All About my Mother to Alejandro Amenábar’s The Sea Inside to Guillermo Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, contemporary Spanish film has become an important part of culture not only in Spain but worldwide. In this class, we will study some of the most interesting Spanish films of today in the context of our own Spanish experience, even visiting some of the places where they were filmed, in order to gain a better understanding of how these films both reveal and challenge contemporary Spanish culture. As a final project, students will produce a handbook containing engaging entries on a number of Spanish films and directors.
Art of the Sketch
(back to course list) As travelers
through the ages have discovered, sketching is a way to etch
permanently in one’s mind the memory of a place. It is a way
to savor the travel experience, interpret it, and make it one’s
own. This field-based course takes students out into the landscapes
and cityscapes of Spain, pencil in hand, to record their experience
through a series of sketches. This is not a technical art class,
but is designed for students wishing to develop their artistic
skills as well as those who simply want to add depth to their
experience in Spain. Students must
provide their own sketchbooks and colored or graphite pencils.
Hemingway's Spain (back to course list)
It's been over half a century since
Ernest Hemingway first brought Spain to life in his fiction,
and his novels and short stories are still among the finest
examples of contemporary literature in our canon. Explore
the personal side of Spain's history through Hemingway's
crisp, distinct descriptions of running with the bulls,
fighting in the Civil War, and communing with other
expatriates in Spain. We'll read and discuss brief excerpts
from novels such as The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell
Tolls, and Death in the Afternoon, as well as shorter works,
including the classic short story "Hills Like White
Elephants."
Conversational Spanish*
(back to course list) Designed
to maintain and improve existing conversational skills, this
course offers a series of informal discussions, drills, and
field exercises in Spanish. Students must have taken at least
two years of high school Spanish or the equivalent. Note: Because
of time constraints, students wishing for more significant progress
in language acquisition should either take a major course in
Spanish or consider Putney’s Language Learning programs in Spain,
Costa Rica, or Argentina.
Advanced Spanish: Cuisine and Food*
(back to course list) From austere manchego cheese,
to the iconographic hocks of cured ham which hang in nearly
every bodega and taberna, Spain is a country rich in culinary
heritage. Taught in Spanish, this course explores the food culture
of the Iberian peninsula, discussing how materials, preparation,
presentation, and the fusion of traditional and modern styles
both reflect and influence cultural values. Excursions to markets
and restaurants, discussions with chefs, farmers, and with local
people, help students to a deeper understanding of the vital
role of food in Spanish society. Though there may be one or
two cooking classes offered during the program, the focus of
this course is primarily linguistic and cultural.
There is a $150 supplemental fee for
this course.
Travel Photography: Spain in Focus (Minor)
(back to course list) Composition
& Narrative In this course, students learn how to use their
cameras as tools to explore new environments and document their
experiences. Through reviewing other photographers’ work, class
assignments, and critiques, students expand their understanding
of photography and develop the visual and technical skills for
capturing the essence of the people and places that they encounter.
By the end of the course, students have created a dynamic body
of work that goes beyond the typical postcard shot and photographs
of travel companions. In order to best take advantage of the
inspirational surroundings, emphasis is placed on field work
and shooting techniques, rather than digital image manipulation.
Students must provide their own digital
camera with a pixel depth of at least 3 megapixels. There is
a supplemental fee of $150 for this course.
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