SPANISH LANGUAGE & ELITE ROWING
SUMMER 2025
SUMMER SESSION: June 15 - June 28          ELIGIBILITY: Open to all boy and girl students (age 16-17 years old)          LANG. LEVEL: From beginning to advanced                                                             $2,925 See Full Breakdown >>                       Applications open September 1                  APPLY NOW              Contact SAIIE

 
@saiieathletics

PROGRAM STRUCTURE      

This unique program in Seville allows students (male and female), age 16-17 years old, who are rowing at an elite level, back at their home countries, to have an international study abroad, cultural & rowing experience in Spain. 

SPANISH LANGUAGE COURSES

Hours per week: 10hrs 
Classes: Monday - Friday
Students per class: 4 to 12 
Levels*: Classes are offered at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. 
Courses: Spanish language classes will be held in the mornings from Mo - Fri (2 hrs per day).

*A placement exam is administered when students arrive to determine the student's Spanish level (Oral and written). 

"I thought the course was excellent! It was somewhat difficult at first because I expected Loli to teach us using some English, but I found that teaching the language while using the language is very helpful for long-term memory."
Owen Hurson, Summer 2024 

Back to the top>>

ROWING ELITE PROGRAM

Students participating in this program will row at the Club Nautico rowing club during the early mornings from Monday - Friday while taking their Spanish language courses at SAIIE after lunch. The group of students will be coached by coaches with National Coaching certifications.

For this program they will be a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 16 rowers.

Maximum of 4 boats of 4 or quads

Rowing program Includes:

• 2 weeks of rowing training sessions
• 5 water sessions per week. 2hrs per day
• Gym membership throughout the duration of the program.
• Access to bike & rowing machines (ergometer)
  
  

Rowing requirements:

• Open to 16-17 years old
• Students must be rowing on their high school team or club team back home.  
• In the 2k Concept Rowing Ergometer test female student-athletes cannot exceed 8:00 and male student-athletes 7:00.

Please note: If you exceed these times, please contact the Program Manager, Sean Chipres, at seanrc@saiie.com 
 

Rowing typical practice

• Starts with dinamic stretching and warm up.
• Coach will explain practice and athletes will go out to the water.
• Start up with some warm up exercises on the water.
• Continue with steady state, drills, and fartlek intervals. 

 "I found that being able to row on new water with new people was very beneficial to my training and my experiences as a rower."
Lilah Grossmann, Summer 2024

Back to the top>>

 
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

• Welcome Tapas dinner
• Walk around city
• Ceramic workshop
• Spanish cooking workshop
• Flamenco show
• Go for churros con chocolate
• Tapas night out (dinner)
• Visit Metropol Parasol (Las Setas)
• Escape Room activity
• Visit Plaza España
• Day trip to the beach 
• Farewell dinner

 
Please note:   

Activities throughout the two weeks are scheduled in the early evening after Spanish language classes. Shedule of some activities might change.

Back to the top>>

SAMPLE WEEKLY ITINERARY

 Back to the top>>

ACCOMMODATION

All students participating in our program are placed in carefully screened Spanish homes. Living in a Spanish home is one of the most important aspects of the student's intercultural experience because it helps to improve language skills and increase cultural awareness, two key goals of the program.

The main goals of increased fluency in the language and greater familiarity with the culture are an integral element of the experience that SAIIE strives to provide. 

SPANISH FAMILIES
Spanish families are made up of a married couple with or without children, a divorced or widowed woman with children, or a family with some members living at home and others living outside the home. All students will receive their host family information 1 week PRIOR TO ARRIVAL to Seville.

ROOMMATES
In this program, all students are housed with other students studying abroad at SAIIE. Each student will have 1 to 3 roommates.

LOCATION
We place all students within reasonable distances from the SAIIE center and the rowing Club where they will be rowing. 

MEALS
All meals are included in the program costs (Breakfast, lunch and dinner).  For those days that a trip has been scheduled with the program, the family will prepare a packed meal. Naturally, adjustments with regard to customs, food, and heat must be anticipated by the students. SAIIE does take dietary and other personal restrictions into consideration when assigning students to their host family.

WI-FI
Internet will be available in all homes.

LAUNDRY
Each student is allowed 1 load of laundry per week, which is washed by the host family. 

Please note: 
Spanish laws oblige every company or person working with minors to have an official criminal record certificate proving that they are not included in the register of Sex Offenders throughout the European territory, so both SAIIE and our families have this certificate endorsed by the Spanish Ministry of Justice.

For more information on housing, please contact the SAIIE Director, Samantha Chipres at samanthac@saiie.com 

"Living in a Spanish home gave me the opportunity to try a lot of traditional Spanish dishes and get to know a Spanish family. It was an amazing experience and I truly felt like I was a part of the family that welcomed me"
Lilah Grossman, Summer 2024

Back to the top>>

WHERE WILL YOU STUDY? FACTS ABOUT SEVILLE

LOCATION: Seville is located in the southern region of Spain, one hour away from the Atlantic Ocean, two hours away from Portugal, and three hours away from Africa. 

MORE THAN 10,000 YEARS OF HISTORY: Our culture has been influenced by the Tartessians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Muslims and lastly by the Christians.

CLIMATE: We enjoy a Mediterranean climate: a very hot and dry summer. During June our average temperature throughout the month is in the mid 90 F and low of mid 70 F 

TRADITIONS: Flamenco dancing, Feria de Sevilla, Holy Week (Semana Santa), Tapas, Siestas, etc. 

MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE:  Olive oil is the base and essential ingredient to our cuisine, vegetables are a must with our meals, our deserts are mostly fresh fruit, fresh oranges every day of the year, we love our wine and finally, we can't live without our "Jamón Serrano".

SEVILLE HAS UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE SITES: the Cathedral of Seville (it is the third largest cathedral in the world and the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world), the Alcázar Royal Palace (still in use by the King and Queen of Spain), and the Archive of Indies (where the original documents of the ships going to America when it was first discovered). 

SEVILLE HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO FAMOUS WRITERS AND ARTISTS: Such as Orson Wells, Ernest Hemingway, Murillo and Cervantes.

SEVILLE HAS ALSO BEEN A POPULAR DESTINATION TO FILM FOR MANY AMERICAN FILMS AND TV SHOWS:  

• Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
• Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)
• Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
• Captain Alatriste (2006)
• Knight and Day (2010)
• The Dictador (2012)
• Game of Thrones (2015)

People say a picture is worth a thousand words, but some things must be seen for themselves. Come to Sevilla and discover the beauty of this magical city with SAIIE. Os estamos esperando.

 

Back to the top>>

PROGRAM DATES, COSTS AND DEADLINES 

Back to the top>>

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Sean Chipres
Program Manager
E-mail: seanrc@saiie.com 

Sean Chipres graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Platteville with honors in an International Studies degree.

He is fluent in Spanish, English and French.

He began to work for the Spanish-American Institute of International Education in 2001. 

Sean is the High School coordinator for all of our programs.

His biggest passions include travelling and meeting new people from around the world.

“I love my job and international education. The most gratifying part of my job is to see how students evolved throughout their study abroad experience and how they turned into new people after their experience is over, and to know that we played a big part in it”.

Samantha Chipres
Director 
E-mail: samanthac@saiie.com 

Samantha is the youngest of four, following her brother's steps in education: went to the French School where she graduated from High School to later jumping into the American system through SAIIE to finally graduating with a Bachelors degree in International Studies from UW-Platteville. 

In 2007 she began working in SAIIE as Assistant Student Affairs. In 2010, she became the Student Affairs Director; amongst her duties, she organised excursions and cultural activities, served as the 24/7 emergency contact for all students, placed students with corresponding households and roommates, carefully selected host families through a comprehensive interview process and arranged contracts.

In 2016, Samantha moved to London to continue her education and pursued her Master's Degree in International Business at the Regent's University of London. 

With her new role as Director back in SAIIE, her responsibilities are to continue helping in the Student Affairs department, as well as to work with the Planning and Development department in the decision-making process for upcoming projects, developing new strategies and ideas to improve our services for the students and to create potential partnerships with U.S. universities.

"My number one passion is to travel to different parts of the world and getting to know their culture. To be able to be a small part of an unforgettable experience such as studying abroad is an honour. Seeing the students sad to leave Seville and us at the end of the semester means that we have done our job to show them that this city and this program are special".

Stuart Chipres
Resident Director
E-mail: director@saiie.com

Stuart Chipres was born and raised in Seville (Spain) with a huge international background (Dual-citizenship: American-British). He studied at the French School in Seville for 10 years, and then went on to study at Padres Blancos High School, a well-known private Catholic school in Seville. Once graduated from High School, he jumped into the American system going to the Spanish American Institute of International Education, to finish graduating as a student of the University of Wisconsin- Platteville with an International Studies degree.

In 1999 he began working for the Spanish-American Institute in the accounting department and since then, he has moved through all the departments working in the registrar department, student affairs and academic departments. In 2009 he became the Director of the Spanish-American Institute of International Education.

Fluent in three languages (Spanish, English and French), he loves travelling around the world and has been almost everywhere (US, Asia, Europe and Africa). However, his biggest passions are a clear representation of Andalusian culture: Soccer, Semana Santa, Bullfighting and the overall lifestyle.

"It's a pleasure to share my International experience, views on life and passion for Sevilla with American students from all over the US and different backgrounds. Their transformation is breathtaking and makes me prouder than anything else in my life."  

Back to the top>>

STUDENTS TESTIMONIAL 

"The SAIIE two week summer rowing and Spanish program was everything I had hoped for and more! I loved getting to row and study Spanish in Sevilla. We explored the city, ate traditional Spanish food and even engaged in common football watching culture. Throughout the trip we rowed through Club Nautico and were able to use their gym for extra training. In addition our Spanish language classes helped me understand the Spanish language and become more comfortable with hearing and speaking Spanish. One of the most special parts was staying with a Spanish family who took me and my roommates in as their own. The home cooked meals and atmosphere were always welcoming and comforting throughout the program. I can’t wait to come back again."
River City Rowing Club (West Sacramento, CA)
Lilah Grossman,Summer 2024

"I loved SAIIE! You can tell its a family - run program because you feel very welcomed, encouraged, and safe! The staff is amazing and tags along on activities which is a great way to get to know them, learn about the city, and practice spanish. The activities are interesting and cool, and teach you about seville’s culture and norms. The beach was so much fun, and it was exciting to travel outside the city. It is such a cool experience to train with other rowers from around the country in a foreign country and bond together with working out, Spanish classes, and exploring!"
The Hockaday School (Dallas, TX)
Persia Brown, Summer 2024

"Overall, I had an incredible experience in Spain with SAIIE. I had signed up for the high school rowing program to be able to continue my training and experience rowing in a different country, but my main goal with my time was to improve my Spanish. SAIIE was very well balanced between organization and leniency in that the students were able to take part in planned activities aimed to help us immerse in Spanish culture while also using our free time to explore and learn in our own way. Club Nautico Sevilla was an incredibly useful opportunity for the group as athletes: in my experience, I spent around 2 and half hours after practice at the club using their facilities. I was able to interact with members of the club in Spanish which provide a unique experience to train and immerse in Spanish at the same time. Finally, the educational aspect of SAIIE was very well organized and useful for me. The Spanish teachers were very patient, but skilled at explaining concepts about Spanish, in Spanish, so that we could understand and learn. IN school we learned both grammar and technicalities as well as popular phrase, "slang" and overall, a more casual perspective of the Spanish language that we would be able to use to understand others in conversation easier. Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience and education I received from my time with SAIIE in Spain."
River City Rowing Club (West Sacramento, CA)
Benjamin Davids, Summer 2024

"SAIIE provided me with experiences and learnings which will be remembered forever."
River City Rowing Club (West Sacramento, CA)
Elliot Gough, Summer 2024

 
Back to the top>>

PARENTS TESTIMONIAL 

"A few more kids his age would have been nice, but other than that, it was a wonderful experience.

Yes, he was able to practice rowing and thank you for arranging the 1X1 instruction for him.  I can tell he is more confident in his Spanish.

I was very impressed with your program; everything was great: the communication, host family, instruction, the excursions, and Club Nautico.  

I am very happy with his experience and would recommend it to anyone.

Thank you!"

Alan Peters, Summer 2023

Back to the top>>

APPLY NOW 

To start an application to this program you must fill out the student form. If you have any questions about the program or application process please contact the program manager, Sean Chipres, at seanrc@saiie.com. Once you have completed this form Sean will contact you and help you with the rest of the application to our program.

Back to the top>>