SHBS students had a fantastic experience participating in a cultural exchange program in Valencia, Spain, and in particular, the small village of Siete Aguas, during the recent Thanksgiving holiday.

In partnership with the local community organization La Meridional, students discovered the unique history and traditions of Mediterranean Spain while engaging in activities to bolster their leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. They also adhered to the essential “no screens” policy throughout, meaning that for the full eleven days, they gave up their cell phones and other devices in order to be fully present in the program.

Students learned through questions and in the exploration of cultural difference: what layers of history have shaped Valencia? How can we understand Spain through Chinese eyes, and vice versa?

With jet-lag abating, the heart of the program began: a six day stay in Siete Aguas, the hometown of Le Meridional’s founder, Carlos García Hernández, and his cousin and co-leader, Teresa Soriana Mascarós, who are also a longtime friends of the school through their participation in previous SHBS-World Leadership School programs.

With just under a thousand year-round residents, Siete Aguas is as much a big family as it is a small village, and the entire community greeted SHBS with amazing, enthusiastic generosity. Upon walking up the narrow lanes that lead to the town center, a celebration of music and dancing quick enfolded the group. Host families organized a fantastic welcome banquet, allowing students and local children to meet and become more familiar with each other before they headed off to their homestays.

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The following days brought SHBS students into the heart of the community, and nurtured deep and meaningful connections across generations. From casual interactions to coordinated programs, from soccer matches to late night Uno card games, questions and conversations allowed SHBS students to better understand Spain, while they had the good fortune to share more about China.

And what to share?

For an entire morning, SHBS students guided the local elementary school children in a number of group activities, including teaching them how to write basic Chinese characters like those for hello, goodbye, thank you, China, and Spain. (你好，再见，谢谢，中国，西班牙). Another lesson introduced the use of chopsticks, with Siete Aguas students quickly eating nuts and dried beans with a great sense of satisfaction, and a third shared the art and techniques of traditional paper cutting (剪窗花).

The local children gladly welcomed their new friends to join in recess games, while appreciating that the special visit also included the traditional Spanish treat of sweet fried bread and thick, drinkable chocolate as a mid-morning snack.

SHBS students also explored locals’ daily life and work, and in particular traditional tasks that have enriched the community for centuries. Whether learning about olive trees and the production of olive oil, helping to press goat cheese, or seeing pigeons raised and painted brightly for sky-high racing, they enjoyed a hands-on appreciation for Siete Aguas’ culture.

Jam-packed days also included a 15+ kilometer hike through the Sierra mountains, a visit to a nearby Medieval city, and a great feast of Spanish BBQ—plus a final day back in Valencia rowing on the Mediterranean, partaking in the creation of human towers, and experiencing an immersive intellectual history museum.

Yet students’ time with homestay families and daily interactions in the community feature most in their memories, and in their appreciation for the warmth with which they were welcomed.

SHBS is tremendously grateful to the people of Siete Aguas for welcoming us so kindly, and truly making us feel like we were at home in their community. Foreign Principal Christopher Moses and faculty member Karen Yu are particularly thankful for the innumerable opportunities provided for our students, and the seamless, enriching program crafted by La Meridional.

SHBS can’t wait to welcome our new Spanish friends to Shanghai, and to try our very best in reciprocating their incredible hospitality.