For some learners, Spanish is a hobby. For Claudia, it is part of a plan, a working tool for the diplomatic and international career she is preparing to build at university.
We are Alberto and Marisol, host teachers with the Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) here in Burgos. We open our home to learners and shape each day around real conversation, real culture and real life, never a fixed script.
This is the story of Claudia’s two weeks with us, told from a host teacher’s perspective, from her late-night arrival at the bus station to a warm goodbye on her way to Madrid.
Meet Claudia
Claudia is a British student who currently lives in Singapore and is on a gap year. She is preparing to study International Relations at university, a field where languages sit at the very centre of her future goals.
She had already studied Spanish at IGCSE level and completed IB Spanish B, placing at a B1 level on our test. After a short break from formal study, she came to us motivated to refresh and strengthen everything she knew.
Beyond languages, Claudia is creative and curious. She loves painting, drawing and photography, and enjoys dancing, reading, writing, hiking and spending time in nature.
A Clear Goal: Fluency and Fast, Natural Speech
From the first day, Claudia knew exactly what she wanted. Her main focus was conversational fluency and listening skills, especially understanding fast, natural speech the way locals really talk.
She also wanted to revise key grammar with more confidence: the subjunctive, gerunds, and the tricky balance of past tenses. Her long-term aim is to reach a C1 level within a year, before her degree gets demanding.
Because she is a quiet, thoughtful learner, we built lessons around gentle conversation, reading aloud and real situations, drawing her into speaking naturally rather than putting her on the spot.
A Warm Welcome After a Long Journey
Claudia arrived at the Burgos bus station, where we were waiting for her.
The experience showed her from the start that in our home she would always be looked after like family.
Lessons at Home: Grammar That Finally Clicks
Our classes took place at home using the Gramática Básica del estudiante de español as our backbone, paired with plenty of exercises and conversation.
Claudia’s comprehension was strong, but like many learners her biggest challenge was the Spanish past tenses, the contrast between Pretérito Perfecto, Indefinido and Imperfecto, plus irregular verbs and the subjunctive.
Over two weeks we worked steadily through ser and estar, the pluscuamperfecto, relative pronouns, prepositions, verbal periphrasis and accents, always tying each point back to how she would actually use it in speech.
Discovering the Heart of Burgos
The historic centre together. We wandered through Plaza Mayor, the Plaza de San Juan, the old city gates and walls, the castle, the Casa del Cordón and the statue of El Cid Campeador.
The Camino de Santiago runs right through the city, so we followed its path and talked about the pilgrims who pass through every day. We ended with a coffee on the Paseo del Espolón, enjoying its lovely views.
Claudia loved the cathedral most of all, returning later to see its art up close.
Atapuerca: A Journey to Human Origins
One of the highlights was our trip to the Atapuerca archaeological sites, a UNESCO World Heritage location that Claudia had never heard of before arriving.
We prepared with a presentation at home, then visited the CAYAC interpretation centre and the CAREX experimental archaeology centre, where we also stopped for lunch among the ancient findings.
We paired it with the Museo de la Evolución Humana in the city, where Claudia was especially drawn to the section on human evolution, reading the panels in Spanish and asking about every new word.
Walking the Camino de Santiago
The Camino became a recurring thread of her stay. We walked a small stretch near San Juan de Ortega and paused for coffee beside the pilgrims resting there.
Later we covered around four kilometres of the route as it crosses Burgos itself, stepping into meaningful places like the Monasterio de San Juan, the old pilgrims’ hospital and the modern pilgrims’ hostel.
We returned along the peaceful Paseo de la Isla, and these walks became some of our most natural Spanish conversations, language learned step by step.
Tasting Local Life: Pinchos and a Family Celebration
No stay in Burgos is complete without its evening ritual. On two different nights we went from bar to bar in the centre, sampling pinchos and soaking up the lively local atmosphere.
The warmest moment came at a family lunch in a village to celebrate two birthdays. We introduced Claudia to our relatives, and she became part of a genuine slice of our family’s social life.
That same day we enjoyed a performance by the Nacho Duato dance company, which she loved.
Art, Markets and Monasteries
Claudia’s love of art shaped our second week. We visited the “Picasso. Raíces Bíblicas” exhibition inside the cathedral, her first time seeing his paintings in person rather than in the media.
We connected it to Velázquez, looking at a book of his work where she recognised Las Meninas, and discussed his influence on later artists. We also visited the Cartuja de Miraflores and the Monasterio de las Huelgas.
Midweek we strolled the Wednesday market near the house, turning fresh fruit and vegetables into a real-world vocabulary lesson.
A Day in the Wild Beauty of Las Merindades
For our final big excursion we drove north into Las Merindades, a region of spectacular natural beauty in Burgos province.
We started at Orbaneja del Castillo, where a waterfall tumbles right through the village centre, then saw the Cañón del Ebro and Puentedey, named one of Spain’s most beautiful villages in 2022.
After lunch we discovered the Mea waterfall, took a guided visit to the Ojo Guareña caves and the Ermita de San Bernabé, and finished in pretty Valdelateja. Claudia took countless photos and loved every minute.
Real Progress in Two Weeks
By the time she left, Claudia’s communication and comprehension had clearly grown. She barely used English, read panels in Spanish, and followed explanations more easily each day.
Her vocabulary had expanded noticeably, and she grew more comfortable speaking aloud, answering relatives at the busy family gathering and asking confidently whenever a word was new.
She left us steady, recovered and far more fluent, ready to continue her immersion in Menorca and one step closer to the C1 level her future career will need.
A Fond Farewell
On her final Saturday, after one last evening of pinchos around the neighbourhood, we drove Claudia to the bus station for her midday coach to Madrid.
She arrived as a quiet, curious learner and left as someone who had lived Spanish, not just studied it, carrying Burgos, its history and its people with her.
We have no doubt that the language she built here will serve her well in the international career ahead, and we were proud to be part of the start of that journey.
Past Visitors’ Stories
Claudia’s story is just one of many we are lucky to share. Our host teachers welcome learners of every age, profession and goal into their homes across Spain.
If you would like to read more real stories from students who have lived and studied Spanish with us, our diary blogs follow each journey from arrival to departure.
You could become the protagonist of our next story.
You can explore more real immersion experiences in our:
Get in Touch
To learn more about our Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) and plan your own week or two in Spain, reach out to our founder, director and host teacher in Menorca, Mónica Romero.
Phone / WhatsApp: +44 7903 867 894
Email: monicaromero@spanishexpress.co.uk
At Spanish Express, you will learn Spanish in a different way.
