In this interview, Lanhee, mother of a LITA 2025 student, shares how the program eased her initial concerns, what made LITA stand out from other options, and the ways her child grew in confidence.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? (name, where are you from, when did your child participate in LITA, in which program your child participated)
Lanhee Yung, we are from Brentwood in Los Angeles. My son participated during his sophomore to junior year summer LITA, 3 week North.
What stuck out to you about LITA compared with other summer programs for teens?
I was drawn to the true immersion and experiential nature of LITA. We loved that the families were not in the main tourist cities of Spain, and that the program showcased the cultural and geographic diversity of Spain, from A Coruna to Castilla La Mancha.
Every parent gets a bit nervous when sending their child abroad. Were there any concerns or worries you had before and/or during the program? How were they addressed? How did your child’s experience compare with those initial concerns?
My worries were trivial, such as if he would be happy with the food and if he would be well mannered and not troublesome to the family, helping out everywhere he could. I was also thinking about if he could practice volleyball to maintain his skills. His experience was overwhelmingly positive, I underestimated the level of bonding he would have with his Spanish family and especially their son.
The worries did not really need to be addressed as he enjoyed the food and was able to play sports during the program.
What were you most excited for your child to experience?
I was most excited for him to be bitten by the Spanish bug, to gain comfort speaking the language. I was hoping he would also enjoy getting to know the other kids in the program so they could practice speaking together.
From pre-LITA to now/after they came back from Spain, how have you seen your child grow, whether in Spanish skills, confidence, etc.?
His Spanish proficiency has improved drastically, and he now is willing to engage with others in Spanish without hesitation.
Was there anything that surprised you about LITA or your child’s experience?
My husband and I have discerned a level of maturity and appreciation, he also came back so much more talkative in general vs. one word answers before. I think improving his language skills provided additional confidence in himself as a person. He truly recognized the opportunity and stepped up to the challenge. I was also surprised that he was so all-in on the experience.
Did your child share any specific moment or memory from the trip that really stood out to them? Is there any moment or experience from their trip that stands out to you?
A few stand out moments include his project, the radio station interview and final speech in Spanish in front of all of the families. His summer project was related to Spanish hospitality and hotels, he learned about how different types of hotels are staffed and run. Earlier in the summer, he had worked at a luxury hotel in LA and then compared his experience with the interview LITA orchestrated with a local hotel owner of two hotels. The radio station interview was an unexpected surprise, responding to questions in Spanish was a really special experience. I would also add all of the cool food related trips from cheese and olive oil tasting to bee keeping at the end. In his final speech, he was almost unrecognizable, so sure of himself in another language. Speaking for five or so minutes was really impressive. It made his Spanish brother Nico cry and I think it’s emblematic of their strong bond. Lastly, his trip to Madrid with his host family was priceless. Sebastien is a city person and he is now enamoured with Madrid.
Could you speak a bit about your child’s host family experience? What kind of impression did the homestay period have on your child or on you as a parent? Were there any specific moments that felt meaningful or special?
The family was incredibly welcoming and excited to have Seba and I think he was so lucky to have a lot in common with them. They prepared his room so nicely and he was especially happy to have air conditioning! Seba was integrated into their family like one of their own and he went back to Madrid with them. They showed him the city through a native local’s eyes and took him to the Prado. He loved his time playing basketball with Nico and playing games and conversing with the family at night.
What would you say to other high schoolers considering LITA, or to parents who are thinking about sending their children on LITA?
If your child shows an interest in truly improving their language skills, send them right away! My daughter is planning to go next year. Seba is working towards placing into AP Spanish this year and I believe he feels quite ready for it!
By Mina Kianovsky, Operations Manager
