Nationalities
How many Spanish people are there in the campsites?
It depends on the campsite you go to. Generally, campsites such as Marbella Alemán or Alborán, Salamanca or Valencia will have a greater percentage of Spanish people than others (this percentage is often somewhere between 60 and 70%). On the other hand, if you go to a campsite such as Barcelona, Madrid or Marbella, it is just the opposite, and the percentage of Spanish speakers you will find there will be somewhere between 20 and 40% of the total number. Campsites such as Seville or Granada, however, don´t allow any Spanish speakers at all.
I don´t want to speak any English. Will I be able to practice my Spanish there?
Of course you will! Firstly, you will have four Spanish classes each day, which will last for a total of three hours per day, or four if your classes are in Albergue. These classes will give you the confidence you need to put what you have learned into practice. Secondly, there are many nationalities represented in the campsites, and not everyone is able to speak English well. This therefore makes it easier at times to try to communicate in the language which everyone is learning. Furthermore, if you choose a campsite with Spanish students, you will find it difficult to use any other language but Spanish.
The timetable of the Day Camps
What time do the day camps start and end at?
The Day Camps start at 9 am and end at 8 pm.
If I have booked a course with don Quijote and I have to take my child to a Day Camp, will I have enough time to take them there and to pick them up again later?
Yes. You can always take your son or daughter to the day camp a little before the classes are due to begin. This will give you enough time to go back nd arrive at your don Quijote class on time. Furthermore, if you choose Madrid or Marbella, there are buses available which will pick up your son or daughter from various parts of the city and will drop them off at the campsite, therefore providing a return service (ask us about the routes available). If neither of these options are feasible for you, you can also request to have your classes in the afternoon, which would allow you to drop off and pick up your son or daughter with peace of mind.
Activities
What type of activities are there in the afternoons? Will there be any excursions?
The activities available always depend on the campsite which you choose. However, in general, we tend to promote activities which are related to games, music, theatre, handicrafts, competitions or dancing. Furthermore, there is a wide range of sporting activities on offer, with the most popular ones being basketball, football and volleyball. Our excursions are always to places nearby to the campsite itself, to cities or places of great interest to tourists, or when the campsite is close to the beach, the excursion will be to the beach.
If I choose an additional sporting activity, what time will it take place at? If I do this, how much time will I lose out of the afternoon activities?
The time the sporting activity takes place at will depend upon the one that you choose. This is because in some activities such as golf, the session lasts for two and a half hours but you only have two sessions per week. The only time that you will lose from the afternoon activities if you do this will be the amount of time the sporting activity lasts for, and the time it takes for you to get to where the activity takes place.
Supervision
Will our children be able to go out on their own? What kind of supervision will be provided for them?
This will again depend upon the campsite which you choose and the age of your children. In the campsites in Granada and Seville, for example, there is very little supervision, which means that students travel from their place of residence to classes unaccompanied are therefore free to travel outside of the city. In Valencia, there is a moderate level of supervision as classes take place in the same building where the students have their place of residence, however students are free to leave the premises when they wish to. The other campsites in Salamanca, Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella are closed campsites, which therefore means that only those who have permission from their parents can leave the premises for a few hours at a time, normally during weekends.
The different types of program available.
Would I be able to choose the option of just having a course with meals provided, but with no activities or accommodation?
Yes, it is possible just to take Spanish classes if you are able to stay with your parents or other family members. In this case, your timetable would be from 9.30 am to 1 pm. That said, with this type of program your meals wouldn´t be provided. If you did, however, want to have lunch with us, you would have to choose the day camp program, which runs until 8 pm.
Would I be able to leave the campsite one day early or arrive one day late?
The camps take place every fortnight. The begin on the Sunday of the first week and end on the Saturday of the second week. If the date of your flight means that you need to leave us a day early, this wouldn´t be a problem. However, the cost of your stay in the campsite wouldn´t change as a result of this. If, on the other hand, you need to arrive a day before the beginning of the camp, we will do everything we can to give you accommodation in the campsite on that day. If we are unable to do this, we will find a family for you to stay with on the first night. In this case, the cost of one extra night would be applicable. If you would like your course in the campsite to begin outwith the dates available, we would recommend that you do so in August instead of July. That said, we always have to make sure there are places available for you during the time you choose.
Organisation
How are the children divided into their classrooms and bedrooms?
We take the age and level of the children into account when dividing them into their classes and bedrooms. When it comes to their bedrooms, we also take the gender of the children into account. The most important consideration is the level test, which ensures that communication is as smooth as possible. The second most important consideration to be made is the age of the children, which normally means that there is never more than one year of a difference between them.
I don´t want to stay in a shared bedroom. Would I be able to stay in an individual room?
We try to encourage the children to live together with other students as far as possible. This therefore means that we consider it to be important for the children to share their rooms during their stay. Most of the camps have bedrooms which can be shared among two and four children. However, if it is absolutely necessary for your child to be in an individual room, we would therefore recommend staying at the camp in Madrid.
If my child is coming together with his brother(s) or sister(s), would it be possible for them to share a bedroom?
We are always willing to accept preferences. However, whether or not we can provide you with your preferences depends on the way in which we need to organize the bedrooms. That said, we will always do our utmost to ensure that you can have your preferences.
What happens if my child becomes sick?
We have a first aid unit available on-site to provide assistance in the most basic of medical emergencies. However, we also have a driver and a means of transport available 24 hours a day in the event that it is necessary to take your child to hospital.
How does the system work for allowing the children to call home or receive pone calls?
After dinner, the children have some free time to call home.
Extras
Is the pick-up service only one way?
The pick-up service that we offer is unique to you, and you can choose it either as one-way, or return service. We offer this service 24 hours a day, every day of the week. For some destinations, we also offer a bus service which includes return. With this service, some of the bus timetables have fixed schedules.
Will you book my flight for me?
No. Your flight is the only part which is not included in the service we offer.
Is laundry service included?
Yes. We wash all of the children´s clothes once a week. This therefore means that it is important that your child`s clothing has his or her name on it.
The Campsites
Which campsites have Wi-fi and which have air conditioning?
- Wi-Fi is only available in Madrid. All of the other campsites have computer rooms available with cable connections.
- All of the campsites have air conditioning available except in Salamanca and Marbella Alborán and Alemán.
How many children are there in each campsite?
This of course depends on the month and the year. To give you an idea, however, in the campsites in Alemán, Alborán and Barcelona in July there may be around 230 children. In this same month in Albergue and Madrid there may be around 200 children, in Salamanca there may be around 260 children, and in Valencia there may be around 200 children. The campsites in Seville and Granada are much smaller, and at this same time of year there may be around 25 to 30 students.
Which of the campsites would you say is the most popular, or the best?
There really isn´t any campsite which is more popular than the others, as this all depends on the age, the needs, and the preferences of each of the children. The best option is to therefore visit ALL of the campsites!