Conil – The White Gem of Andalusia

Dunja, one of our cultural exchange participants, was drawn to the idea of spending four months living with a local Spanish family. She stayed in the town of Conil de la Frontera, in the province of Cádiz, which she describes as neither too small nor too big, surrounded by stunning natural beauty.

The town is like a fairytale, with breathtaking sandy beaches that are among the most beautiful in Spain. Conil is one of the so-called “white towns” of Andalusia, and its charm lies in the narrow, winding streets, palm trees, and the traditional Andalusian decorations on its homes and squares. All the houses are white to help with the heat, and the climate here is much warmer than in the north of Spain—autumn feels more like an extended summer. Thanks to the powerful waves of the Atlantic coast, Conil is a popular surfing spot all year round.

Her main role in the family was to help the children learn English through everyday life together. She also supported the parents and kids with housework. Her favorite moments were their shared trips to nearby towns and provinces.

It all depends on how well you get along with the family and how closely you follow the house rules. It was hard for me to adjust at the beginning, but things are better now. During their vacation, the parents included me in all their plans and took me everywhere—they really went out of their way to make me feel included. But sometimes it was hard to figure out when I was actually off duty.

One place that completely stole her heart was Granada, which she visited not once, but three times. Dunja’s main goal for joining the program was to learn Spanish, so she takes weekly grammar and conversation lessons with the parents, and also attends a local language school.

After two months, I can already see huge progress in my Spanish, and the kids and parents are getting much better at English too. I spend my free time at the beach, going to yoga classes, working out at the gym, studying Spanish, reading, and hanging out with friends.

For the remainder of her stay, Dunja plans to travel as much as she can and see more of the surrounding area. To anyone thinking of joining a program like this, she says:

I’d recommend this experience to anyone who wants to learn a foreign language and dive into a new culture, because the program format gives you plenty of free time to really focus on learning, exploring, and collecting meaningful memories. Living with a local family is a huge bonus, and it’s what makes this program so much more than a regular tourist visit to Spain. All in all, it’s an experience that truly enriches you.