What is THE HAMLET, our Holiday Homestay?
The Hamlet is the dream of the director of ACKEE INTERACTIVE, Kathy Owen, who created the program over fifteen years ago along with the language school in Bilbao. She considers languages an essential part of culture, and learning an intrinsic part of education. In her desire to allow students to have a different cultural experience, she encourages them to foster their interest in art and literature, music and cinema, sports, and the traditions of other countries through the study of languages.
At The Hamlet, the programmed activities are completely different from the usual language camps. In particular participants are placed in a family environment that mirrors a normal stay with a beloved relative.
The HAMLET HOMESTAY is spent in a large traditional stone farmhouse, fully restored and equipped. It is in an amazingly picturesque place surrounded by forests and rolling hills, full of conies, roe deer and fallow. Situated in a Galician valley, its small town is crossed by rivers and streams and is conveniently positioned just minutes from the spectacular coasts of the north of this community, next to Ortigueira.
The northern beaches of Lugo are half an hour away and those of Ferrol and Cedeira even closer, which is no less spectacular, and quite famous as a place for surfing (the World Surfing Championships have been held there in Pantín).
In addition to the high estuaries in the area, the town also has several nearby reservoirs where rowing and canoeing can be practiced.
The house, with a capacity for fifteen children and four monitors comfortably, has paths that are perfect and safe for cycling and running; an ideal place for sports and a life in contact with nature.
The house is very well communicated - a short distance from the highways that connect the entire north of Galicia with its capital, Santiago de Compostela, and with those leading to community Madrid and the cities by the Cantabrian Sea.
The airports of La Coruña and Santiago de Compostela are less than an hour away. Madrid can be reached in around four hours, and Bilbao five and a half by car.
The impressive traditional house on this estate has been completely restored by Kathy Owen, respecting its original appearance, but with all the comforts of modern life. All its rooms have individual bathrooms, and it also has comfortable living rooms equipped with televisions, and other audio visual equipment, for classes, reading and recreation.
Surrounded by working farms, mills and plantations of various kinds, the house reflects old country charm.
Guests are taken on tours, where they can experience milking cows herding goats, and taught to care for chickens.
Another unique aspect of staying at THE HAMLET is that your meals take on a different flavour after being involved in collecting your own eggs, passing through the wheat stores before learning how to make traditional bread - kneading the dough to then take it fresh from the neighbors' stone ovens.
The immersion in the language study is full with additional exposure to the local Galician (spoken by the people in the region).
SPANISH classes are made all the more interactive as a result of the idyllic setting and the family environment.
Structure of the stay, duration and arrangement in the facilities
An intensive course for people of all ages, in which they learn SPANISH through contact with nature, music, art, sports and cultural activities.
All your activities take place around a personalized course created to have fun!
The duration of the stay can range from 1 to 4 weeks, between May 13 and August 31.
Students' arrivals are always on Sundays before two, and departures on Saturdays before four. Our guests can get here on their own accord or arrange to be picked up by us from La Coruña or Santiago airports, or the Lugo train station, or the bus stations in Villalba or Ribadeo.
If parents (dropping off their children) require overnight accommodation they are welcome to stay on property, (depending on space availability), or in nearby housing in the adjoining towns.
Four meals are provided each day (breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner).
Activities (in addition to those listed above) range from participation in international cooking classes (learning to prepare dishes from different Spanish-speaking countries), to making craft items like soap and candles, knitting scarves, and collecting wild berries for preserves and foraging for mushrooms.
The experience with the mix of cultures (Spanish, Galician and that of your hosts') will be complete - making you really feel like part of an international experience.
Classes will seem like a complementary activity as learning is through osmosis - contact with the neighbouring people and exciting experiences.
A total immersion in the language.
Learning SPANISH is more than book study. It is interactive.
It is the practice of the language through everyday life.
THE HAMLET HOMESTAY is learning through living!
The formal classes are every day and scheduled around the day's activities (as weather conditions normally have to be factored into the planning depending on the season).
Horseback riding and cycling are activities organised upon special requests.
Swimming classes will be given in the main pool in the council and is compulsory for young children who intend to do a surfing course.
Additional activities of interest
San Andrés de Teixido
Cultural Heritage site Sargadelos (the makers of traditional Galician ceramics)
The Roman Wall of Lugo
The city of the culmination to the Camino de Santiago (and its importance as an axis that has connected European culture throughout the centuries).
A complete SPANISH immersion.
Places are reserved by making a non-refundable payment of 30% March 13 with final payment due before June 13 (or 13 days prior to the date of the start of your programme - whichever stipulation comes first).
(As a result of COVID-19 mo resultado de COVID-19, many of the activities offered above have to be adjusted and adapted to adhere to the rules and norms stipulated by the government. Please ensure that you are up to date with these before booking).
1 semana 740,00
2 semanas 1.355,00
3 semanas 1.890,00
4 semanas 2.590,00
