Newsletter 1: Spring 2017 with CIEE Palma de Mallorca, Spain

One month in Palma de Mallorca goes by very quickly! Our students are by now settled in their Spanish home, have tried many of our most traditional Mallorcan dishes, and have learned to move around the intricate streets of Palma like a local. They have started working at their internship, and are going regularly to CIEE and UIB classes. They are an active group who has been organizing its own excursions around the island on the side of the CIEE excursions, so they are getting to know not only Palma but also places such as the impressive Drach Caves or the beautiful historical Port de Soller.

Group picture on campus, at the UIB building where the CIEE office is located

This spring semester, our students are enrolled in the following CIEE classes: Intermediate Spanish, Spanish for Business and Tourism, Advanced Spanish Writing and Stylistics, Mediterranean Cuisine in Spain: Cooking and Wine Tasting, Spanish Politics and Society, International Marketing, Contemporary Spanish Cinema and Literature, and the CIEE Internship Seminar.

And the following UIB direct enrollment courses: Design of Business Organizations, Strategic management, Corporate Investment and Financing Decisions, International Trade Law, International Protection of Human Rights, Psychology of Organizations, Microeconomic Analysis of Tourism, Introduction to Business, Environmental Economics in Tourism Spaces, Air Transport Economics, Management of Human Resources, and Psychology of Personality.

All the students who request them have started their internships at companies such as: Cadena Mar Grupo Batle offices, Hotel Caballero offices, Hotel Java offices, The Hotel Factory offices, Hotel Brondo Architect restaurant, Hotel Can Alomar kitchen, FUEIB University Events office, and SuperYatch Events in Palma.

These are some of our CIEE Palma excursions during this first month of the program:

Biking along the Bay: from Es Molinar to Portitxol, Can Pastilla and Arenal: We got to bike along the beaches of Palma de Mallorca, along boat-filled bays and rocky inlets. At the midway point we stopped for a break and enjoyed the sea breeze and the breathtaking view. In the end we got to Can Pastilla and although it was still winter, we enjoyed the beautiful weather and the landscape, while getting to know each other.

Tour of Medieval Castle: Castillo de Bellver & Arab Baths of Palma: CIEE Palma students visited Castillo Bellver with the Language classes. This castle is well known for its museum of history of Palma, for being the only Gothic round castle in Spain, wonderfully preserved, and for its incredible views of the Bay of Palma. On another day we visited the Arab Baths of Palma, as well as the cloister convent of Santa Clara, where we tried delicious pastries baked by the nuns.

Tapas Snapshot: Tapas have become a way of life in Spain. We introduced our students to this tradition by accompanying them with Spanish students of their age (Guardian Angels) to a Tapas event which happens every Tuesday in the streets of the old neighborhood of Palma: la Ruta Martiana.

Formentor, Pollensa, Alcudia: This past weekend we spent a day discovering the village of Pollensa, a traditional town in Mallorca. We climbed 365 stairs, each representing every day of the year and at the end of the staircase, you could see the entire town and the valley. Afterwards, we visited the mirador of Formentor with its impressive

views, and the natural beach of Formentor. Last but not least, Alcudia, surrounded by a city wall from the Renaissance period, and its Sunday lively flea market.

All CIEE Palma classes include field study visits to get hands on the culture of the city. On top of the long program excursions, we have as well visited the old village of Valldemossa to learn about its Muslim origins and the piracy in the old times; we have visited the main market of Palma with the Cuisine class to complete a research activity about local farmers from all the small towns in Mallorca; we watched the film “Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados” to discuss afterwards the educational system in Spain; we participated in the Carnival of Palma; and of course we joined the celebration of the Day of the Balearic with its Medieval Market which happens once a year on March 1, and where stands sell sausage and cheese from all around Spain, and local merchandises such as caramel almonds, jewelries, candies, candle holders, natural soaps.

In our next newsletter we will share with you more great stories and pictures. Have a great semester!

Visit CIEE Palma de Mallorca:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cieepalma 

Blog: http://study-abroad-blog-palma.ciee.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cieepalma

SEMESTER PROGRAMS:

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/spain/palma-de-mallorca/liberal-arts

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/spain/palma-de-mallorca/business-tourism

SUMMER PROGRAMS:

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/spain/palma-de-mallorca/summer-language-culture

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/spain/palma-de-mallorca/summer-internship-program

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/ireland/dublin/dublin-to-palma-summer-tourism-in-europe

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/netherlands/groningen/groningen-to-palma-summer-environmental-issues

http://www.ciee.org/study-abroad/spain/palma-de-mallorca/palma-to-kralendijk-summer-marine-science