Some people say learning Spanish happens best inside a classroom. I say come spend a week with me in Cádiz, and you’ll never look at a grammar book the same way again.

In May, I had the pleasure of hosting Paul Sheridan, a taxi driver from Dublin, for one of our Spanish Homestay Immersion Programs (SHIP). Paul’s not an average student; he’s in his mid-60s, full of curiosity, a lover of all things history, and someone who knows how to keep a conversation rolling (well, he is a taxi driver, after all).

I’m Óscar, a native host teacher with Spanish Express based here in Puerto Real, Cádiz. My mission? To make sure my students don’t just study Spanish — they live it, breathe it, and (sometimes) argue with it over tapas. Spanish Express is not just a Spanish school in Cádiz, but the whole of Spain at different destinations.

Paul came to me with an A2 level, a pocketful of Spanish phrases, and a big goal: to finally use Spanish naturally, not just in his head but out loud — at the café, on the beach, or asking awkward questions to tour guides in ancient castles. He spent a full week here exploring historic sites, golden beaches, and local secrets — while chatting away in Spanish the whole time (with a few laughs at his own mistakes).

This is what a Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) week looked like when you mixed a history buff, the Atlantic breeze, and my slightly unconventional lessons. Ready? ¡Vamos!

What makes our Spanish school in Cádiz different

At our Spanish school in Cádiz, we believe a language course should happen wherever you are: at the kitchen table, inside historic castles, or on a sandy beach. With SHIP, students like Paul don’t just take Spanish classes. They share meals with their native Spanish teacher, not just any host family, make new friends, and pick up local jokes they’ll never find in a textbook.

The value of studying Spanish in the oldest city in Western Europe

Cádiz is living proof that a school in Cádiz is more than four walls. When Paul arrived, he didn’t just study Spanish — he explored Roman ruins, strolled medieval lanes, and stood on the same ground sailors once left to discover the Americas. Every street corner in this city is a Spanish lesson waiting to happen.

From classes to local culture: Paul’s first taste of the Costa de la Luz

Paul’s week wasn’t just about lessons. It was about laughter over coffee, questions about local history, and the warm welcome you feel when you learn Spanish surrounded by real people and true local culture. By the end of day one, Paul already knew he’d made the right choice by picking Cádiz and the Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP).

I Introduced Paul to El Puerto de Santa María

We Started His Spanish Course at a Castle

On day one of Paul’s Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP), we skipped the usual classroom routine. Instead, we stepped straight into history at Castillo de San Marcos — a perfect start for a man who wanted to study Spanish and stand where kings once stood. Every stone and story turned into a Spanish phrase or a new word in Paul’s notebook.

Practising Spanish Language Skills With Local Guides

Inside the fortress, Paul didn’t just stare at the walls — he fired questions (in Spanish) at our guide until I thought we’d get thrown out. That’s the magic of a Spanish course here: you test your Spanish skills on real people, not just your teacher. By the end of that morning, Paul had new verbs and a grin bigger than the castle tower.

He Learned More Than Grammar at the Basilica

Next, we ducked into the Basílica Menor Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, a masterpiece tucked in the city centre. Paul pointed at statues and windows, asking “Cómo se dice?” again and again. He was living what any good Spanish school in Cádiz should promise — real-life practice in real places.

A Break From Lessons at Playa La Puntilla

After soaking up history, we swapped stones for sand at Playa La Puntilla. Even there, Paul’s Spanish lessons didn’t stop. Ordering a cold drink, asking for directions to the boardwalk — every chat with a local was part of his hidden Spanish classes. The beach breeze made sure it never felt like homework.

Coffee, Locals, and Language

Before heading back to Puerto Real, we stopped at a seaside café. Paul surprised me by asking for directions, paying the bill, and complimenting the waiter — all in Spanish. It wasn’t just class time — it was real life, real Spanish, real memories. Exactly why he picked this language course instead of any ordinary school.

We Explored Cádiz City Together

We Walked Through the Heart of the Oldest City

Midweek, Paul’s Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) brought him straight into the beating heart of Cádiz — the oldest city in Western Europe. We strolled the city centre, past busy plazas and hidden corners full of stories. For Paul, it was another chance to learn Spanish by listening, pointing, and asking locals ¿Qué es esto?

The Cathedral Became a Living Spanish Lesson

At the Catedral de Cádiz, Paul didn’t remain silent. He asked questions about the towers, the tombs, the echoes inside the nave — all in Spanish. It was like our own mini Spanish course under a golden dome. A local guide taught him new words for columns, bells, and Roman ruins tucked beneath the cathedral floor — a little gift for a history lover.

We Practised Spanish by the Sea in Barrio de la Viña

No proper visit to Cádiz skips the Barrio de la Viña and Caleta Beach. We wandered the narrow streets, ordered plates of tortillitas de camarones, and listened to the Gaditano jokes rolling off people’s tongues. Paul tested his Spanish language skills with every waiter, neighbour, and old fisherman leaning on a wall.

A Walk Through Genovés Park Was a Surprise Lesson

When Paul thought we were done, I led him into Genovés Park — Cádiz’s green lung. Sitting under the trees, we turned a quiet moment into a new word game. Ducks became patos, fountains turned into fuentes. A grandma even quizzed Paul on his Spanish when he asked about the pond. Sometimes the best Spanish classes come from strangers.

He Found New Friends Along the Way

By the end of that day, Paul had swapped polite nods for real conversation with locals — and a few good laughs too. That’s what a Spanish school should offer: new friends, real chats, and the confidence to walk through a vibrant city speaking Spanish without fear.

I Took Paul Down the Coast to Conil

We Added the Beach to His Spanish Course

After days of castles and cathedrals, I knew Paul’s Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) needed a dose of pure Costa de la Luz sunshine. So, we drove down to Conil de la Frontera, swapping our usual Spanish classes at Playa de Cádiz and salty air. Of course, the lessons didn’t stop — they just changed shape.

He Learned New Words on the Shoreline

At Playa de la Fontanilla, Paul walked barefoot along the water practising his future tense — Voy a nadar, voy a comer pescado. Each wave carried his Spanish a little further. He asked about local fishing boats, weather words, and how to order lunch like a local. No school in Cádiz could script that better.

Local Seafood Made a Perfect Class Time

We found a beachfront chiringuito where Paul ordered atun encebollado and asked the waiter about the dish’s history. He was using Spanish naturally, not forced, not memorised. That’s the best way to study Spanish — by mixing it with good food and a warm sea breeze.

He Rested Like a Local

After lunch, we leaned back under an umbrella, letting the sun do its job. Paul scribbled new phrases into his notebook before drifting off into a proper Spanish siesta. Some say class time has to be behind a desk — but I think every nap on the beach is a language boost when you dream in Spanish.

He Made New Friends Without a Lesson Plan

Before heading back to Puerto Real, Paul thanked the staff, asked for directions in town, and chatted with a local who laughed at his Irish accent in Spanish. By the end of the day, he hadn’t just learned new words — he’d found new confidence and a few new friends along the Costa de la Luz.

I Shared Everyday Life with Paul in Puerto Real

He Lived Like Family With a Local Host

Paul didn’t just join any partner school. He chose the Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) because he wanted real life to eat breakfast with a host family of his Spanish teacher, not classmates he’d never see again. Sharing my kitchen, my stories, and my table turned my house into Paul’s ideal place to study Spanish.

Daily Social Activities Built His Spanish Skills

Every morning over coffee and a tostada, we planned small social activities, greeting my neighbour, asking about the weather, and buying bread. These weren’t formal lessons; they were real-life tests for his Spanish skills. Paul even joked that my patio was his favourite classroom in all of Spain.

The Paseo Became a Safe Place to Practise

The Paseo Marítimo in Puerto Real is our town’s living room, a safe city spot where locals walk, gossip, and wave. Paul used that walkway to practise short chats that turned into real conversations. No stress, no tests, just honest Spanish with friendly faces. A true Spanish immersion in Cádiz experience.

Fun Time at Las Canteras Meant Real Learning

We added fun time, too. Our afternoon walk through Las Canteraswas part nature trail, part Spanish lesson. Paul pointed at trees, listened to birds, and described what he saw all in Spanish. Not bad for a man who once thought he’d never speak full sentences outside of his old school.

Evening Chats Tied It All Together

Our ghost story moment at the Callejón del Obispo was his final test, a laugh-filled chance to prove he could speak, invent, and joke in Spanish. It wasn’t a language drill, it was trust, stories, and Paul realising that learning Spanish is about people and culture, not just courses.

I Watched Paul Leave with More Than Just Spanish

He Became One of My Spanish Students for Life

When Paul hugged me goodbye at the station, I knew he was leaving as one of my favourite Spanish students ever. He didn’t just attend a few lessons and tick a box; he’d joined my family, walked my streets, and brought my town to life with his questions.

He Learned Spanish in Cádiz, Not Just in Books

He came all the way to learn Spanish in Cádiz, not from a book but from real life. That’s what makes a difference — it’s the heartbeat of our Spanish Homestay Immersion Program (SHIP) and our school. Paul’s stories and laughter filled every corner of Puerto Real.

His Spanish in Cádiz Became His Story

Now, Paul’s Spanish in Cádiz is his own. He’ll carry it back to Dublin, sharing the language with passengers in his taxi, telling them about our city, the culture, the people, and maybe even a ghost or two from the Callejón del Obispo.

He Left with More Than a Course

Paul didn’t just finish a course — he left with new words, new jokes, new friends, and the confidence to speak up. No exam can measure that. This is what I love most about working with my students here in Spain: they come looking for grammar, but they leave with a story.

He’ll Always Have Cádiz — and So Can You

So if you’re wondering whether a week here is worth it, trust me, it is. Cádiz, this city, this school, and this way of living Spanish is not just a course. It’s a door to language, laughter, and a few stories you’ll never forget.

¡Hasta pronto, Paul — and to all future students, my patio is ready for you!