Christmas Camp: An Experience That Takes English Beyond the Classroom

It all started in 2023 with an idea: to create a space where our students could step outside the classroom, meet each other, practice English, and experience a genuine cultural exchange. That is how the first English For Us Christmas Camp was born. Three years later, we are continuing to build this story and getting ready to celebrate a new edition this Christmas.

It All Started in 2023

On December 9 and 10, 2023, Madrid hosted the first edition of the English For Us Christmas Camp.

It was the first time we had organized an international gathering of this kind: an experience designed to give our students the opportunity to meet in person, practice English, and discover North American culture in a completely different way.

And there was a very special surprise.

For that first edition, we were joined by our teachers from PennWest Clarion, United States, who traveled all the way to Madrid to share the experience with our students.

After getting to know each other and working together through their classes, they could finally meet outside the screen and outside the classroom.

Two Days to Learn, Share, and Enjoy

More than 20 students, between the ages of 18 and 30, took part in that first edition.

For two days, Madrid became a huge space for learning.

There were activities.

Games.

Workshops.

Meet-ups.

Conversations.

And different cultural experiences around the city.

We walked around Madrid to discover its Christmas lights and took part in activities in English at the National Museum of Decorative Arts.

But behind every activity, there was something more.

English was there as a tool to participate, understand, communicate, and share the experience with others.

When English Leaves the Classroom

One of the ideas behind English For Us is that learning a language means much more than knowing vocabulary or grammatical structures.

A language helps us communicate.

Meet people.

Discover places.

Ask questions.

Share ideas.

Navigate new situations.

Christmas Camp gave us the opportunity to bring all of this into a real-life context.

During those two days, our students were able to use some of what they had learned in class while taking part in activities, interacting with other people, and discovering different places around Madrid.

Learning was no longer happening only inside a classroom.

It was happening while we were living the experience.

Much More Than Practicing English

That first edition also had another important goal: creating a space for connection.

For many participants, it was their first opportunity to meet in person the classmates they had shared lessons and learning experiences with.

And for the first time, they could interact directly with their teachers from PennWest Clarion, who had traveled from the United States to share this experience with them.

During the Camp, we were also joined by the support staff from Fundación Prodis, who accompanied our students throughout the different activities alongside the English For Us teaching team and the North American teachers.

Because creating a truly inclusive experience is not only about designing accessible activities. It also means having the people, support, and collaboration needed to ensure that every participant can take part in and enjoy the experience.

That gathering made something possible that went far beyond practicing vocabulary.

It brought cultures closer together.

Created relationships.

Shared experiences.

Built autonomy.

And helped create a community that does not end when a class is over.

For some of our students, that Christmas Camp was also their first cultural exchange experience and a first step toward becoming part of a more global community.

An Experience We Built Together

The first edition of Christmas Camp was made possible thanks to the many people and institutions who decided to support us.

We were fortunate to collaborate with teachers from PennWest University Clarion, Fundación Prodis, the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, COCEMFE, the Franklin-UAH Institute, the National Museum of Decorative Arts of Madrid, Yugo Emilia Pardo Bazán Residence, and several participating Spanish schools.

Professionals, institutions, teachers, students, and families all helped turn that first idea into a real experience.

And what began as a special Christmas gathering also started to show us what could happen when we took English For Us beyond the classroom.

We did not build Christmas Camp alone.

We built it together with all the people and organizations who believe, as we do, that learning a language can also open up new opportunities to communicate, connect with others, gain autonomy, and become part of an increasingly global community.

And to all of them, thank you for making it possible.

From the First Edition to an English For Us Tradition

2023 was the beginning.

The first photograph.

The first meetings.

The first activities.

The first Christmas Camp.

Since then, each edition has allowed us to continue building on that original idea: creating experiences where learning English, using it, and sharing it can all be part of the same moment.

And this year, we are doing it again.

Christmas Camp 2026 · 4th Edition

This Christmas, English For Us will celebrate the fourth edition of Christmas Camp.

A new opportunity to meet, share, practice English, and continue creating experiences together.

Because some things are learned in the classroom.

And others need to leave the classroom before they can truly begin to make sense.

See You at Christmas Camp 2026! 🎄

We will be sharing all the details of this new edition very soon.

Follow our updates and discover what we are preparing for Christmas Camp 2026.

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