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From the crisp air of Finnish autumn to the warm sunshine of southern Spain\u2014what a journey! Between\u00a0October 29th and November 4th<\/b><\/strong>, the Instituto Hisp\u00e1nico de Murcia had the great pleasure of hosting a very special group of students and teachers from\u00a0Svenska samskolan i Tammerfors (SST)<\/b><\/strong><\/a>, a Swedish-speaking secondary school located in Tampere, Finland.<\/p>\n This was the\u00a0second time<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0SST came to visit us, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome them back. It was a week full of learning, cultural exchange, laughter, sunshine, and unforgettable memories.<\/p>\n Svenska samskolan i Tammerfors\u2014often just called SST\u2014is a Swedish-language school that offers high-quality general education to students from grades 1 to 9, and also high school levels I to III. It\u2019s part of Finland\u2019s unique bilingual education system, where students can choose to study in either Finnish or Swedish, both official languages of the country.<\/p>\n This time,\u00a012 enthusiastic students<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0(a wonderful mix of boys and girls), accompanied by\u00a02 group leaders<\/b><\/strong>, travelled from the peaceful forests and lakes of Tampere all the way to the vibrant streets of Murcia. And trust us\u2014they made the most of every single day<\/b><\/strong>!<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be honest: when most people think of Spain, the first things that come to mind are\u00a0sun, good food, flamenco, and friendly people<\/b><\/strong>. But there’s so much more to discover\u2014especially in Murcia! So we prepared a rich and exciting programme that combined Spanish culture, local traditions, language immersion and even interfaith experiences.<\/p>\n This school trip had a strong\u00a0religious and interfaith focus<\/b><\/strong>, with activities designed to explore both Christian and Muslim traditions in Murcia. The students had the opportunity to connect with local faith communities and reflect on different ways of living spirituality.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what we did:<\/p>\n These encounters were eye-opening and inspiring. They helped the students appreciate the\u00a0diversity of beliefs and traditions<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0that shape Spain today.<\/p>\n Of course, no trip to Spain would be complete without diving into its language and culture! That’s why we added a whole bunch of other fun and enriching activities:<\/p>\n One of the most special moments of the week was when our group was\u00a0officially welcomed by the City of Murcia<\/b><\/strong>. We were received in the elegant meeting room of the\u00a0Town Hall<\/b><\/strong>, right in the historic heart of the city.<\/p>\n There, we met\u00a0Mr Jes\u00fas Pacheco<\/b><\/strong>, Murcia\u2019s\u00a0Culture Representative<\/b><\/strong>, who warmly greeted the group and spoke about the importance of cultural exchange between young Europeans. It was an honour to be there\u2014and a fantastic way to make our visitors feel truly at home.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s be honest\u2014Murcia\u2019s cuisine<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0deserves its own paragraph (or two). From\u00a0traditional tapas<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0paella<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0to the deliciously sweet\u00a0pastel de carne<\/b><\/strong>, our visitors got a real taste of southern Spanish flavour.<\/p>\n Some tried\u00a0caldero<\/b><\/strong>, a rice dish made with fish and saffron typical from the Mar Menor, while others couldn\u2019t get enough of\u00a0tostas with sobrasada and goat cheese<\/b><\/strong>. Even the simple Spanish breakfast\u2014pan con tomate y aceite<\/b><\/strong>\u2014was a hit.<\/p>\n And yes, we did mention churros, didn\u2019t we? \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n Trips like this are about more than just sunshine and sightseeing. They\u2019re about building\u00a0bridges between cultures<\/b><\/strong>, making friends across borders, and understanding different ways of living, learning and believing.<\/p>\n Murcia and Tampere may seem worlds apart\u2014one surrounded by Mediterranean orchards, the other by snowy forests\u2014but this visit reminded us how much we all share in common. Curiosity, kindness, laughter, and the joy of learning\u2014these are universal.<\/p>\n Want to see more? We\u2019ve got a full gallery of photos from the trip on our\u00a0Facebook fan page<\/b><\/u><\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and some funny behind-the-scenes videos on our\u00a0YouTube channel<\/b><\/u><\/strong><\/a>. From salsa steps to group selfies and sunset walks through Murcia\u2019s old town, the memories are all there\u2014just one click away.<\/p>\n To all the students and teachers from SST:\u00a0thank you<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0for being part of this wonderful week. Your energy, curiosity and respect made this experience unforgettable for everyone here at Instituto Hisp\u00e1nico.<\/p>\n We can\u2019t wait to see you again next year\u2014and who knows? Maybe even more SST students will join the adventure!<\/p>\n From the entire IHM team, we send you a big sunny\u00a0\u201cgracias\u201d<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0and a warm\u00a0\u201chasta pronto\u201d<\/b><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Murcia will always be your home away from home. <\/b><\/strong>\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8\u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddee<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\nWho Are Our Friends from SST?<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
What Did We Do During the Week?<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ud83d\udd4a<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0A Spiritual and Intercultural Journey<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\ud83c\udfdb<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Culture, Language and\u2026 Salsa!<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\ud83c\udf1e<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Warm Welcome in the City Hall<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udf2e<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Let\u2019s Talk About the Food\u2026<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udf0d<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0A Cultural Bridge Between Finland and Spain<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ud83d\udcf8<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Don\u2019t Miss the Photos and Videos!<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ud83c\udf1f<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0Looking Forward to the Next Visit<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n