Table of Contents
1. VISION
2. OBJECTIVE
– Language and Culture
– Basque Soccer
3. GROUP ACTIVITIES
4. HOSTING FAMILY STIPENDS
5. THE BASQUE MUSEUM IN BOISE, ID
6. PAST CULTURAL EXCHANGES
7. INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THIS?
1. VISION
Our club is committed to support and spread the word about the rich history of the Basque culture in Idaho and in the world. We accomplish this by:
(1) Enabling our soccer club families as well as other members of our community to host students from the Basque Country. (We partnered in 2011 with a Basque organization called Larrabetzu Cultural Exchanges, located in Larrabetzu near Bilbao, to help us implement the Exchanges).
(2) Educating interested families about the Basque culture via specific cultural activities during the exchanges, for example visits and guided tours to the Basque Museum in Boise.
(3) Giving opportunities to our soccer players, their families, and other interested member of our community to visit the Basque country so they can experience first hand the wonderful Basque culture and people.
Former Real Boise Soccer Player, Juanjo Carmona de Ville (left) went to study and play soccer in Bilbao for one semester in 2012 and was hosted by two different Basque families. This picture is from a game between Athletic de Bilbao and Danok Bat in Lezama, Bilbao (2012). Marcos Jimeno (right) is a Basque player from Danok Bat who participated in the Boise Area exchange in 2011 and 2012.
Former Real Boise Soccer player, Juanjo Carmona-deVille, at Lezama (Athletic de Bilbao’s Training Grounds), Spring 2012
2. OBJECTIVE
During the exchanges, which usually last about 1 month in the Summers, students for the most part do everything with the hosting family and they are totally incorporated in their family routine. (Even if hosting families go on vacation somewhere for some period of time within the exchange time frame, families take the students with them). Weekly activities may be also organized by Larrabetzu Cultural Exchanges and Real Soccer during the exchange but these are optional for families and exchange student to attend — see later below in this page.
- Basque Soccer
6 Basque exchange students, also soccer players from Danok Bat (a top Bilbao soccer club) formed part of one of our Real Soccer Club traveling teams in a US Club Regional Tournament in Seattle in 2011 and 2012. From left to right: Aitor Guisasola, Marcos Jimeno, Iker Bilbao, Xabier Galdeano, Egoitz Markinez, and Iñigo Extremiana
La Liga Athletic de Bilbao plays first Pro Soccer match ever in Boise (Summer 2015)
3. GROUP ACTIVITIES
Two of our exchange students play “Pala” in the Boise Basque Block Indoor Pala Court in downtown (Grove Street between 6th and Capitol St), July 2013
4. HOSTING FAMILY STIPENDS
Hosting families receive 400 euros in compensation for the hosting costs — the regular room and board hosting families commit to. Students pay for any outside the family activities they choose to participate in (cultural activities, camps, excursions, going out etc.)
5. THE BASQUE MUSEUM IN BOISE, Idaho
The Basque Museum and Cultural Center was established in 1985 as a small museum in the historic Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House at 607 Grove Street. Located in scenic Boise, Idaho, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center provides a look into the heritage of the Basque communities of Idaho and surrounding areas. Through hard work and the support of many individuals, businesses, foundations, and Basque communities, the Museum began to interpret the rich and colorful history of the Basques, their origins, and their new life in America.
During every exchange in the Boise area, we set a morning in which all students and their hosting families are invited to a guided tour of the basque museum and the Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House. This is a very insightful tour that, among others, give us a very unique vision of the lives of the first Basque people who came to Idaho.
A group of Exchange students during a guided tour of the Basque Museum in Boise in the Summer of 2013
Please visit the Basque Museum web site at:
6. PAST CULTURAL EXCHANGES
See some pictures of past Basque exchanges here.
Read news involving Basque students who were hosted by our families.
7. INTERESTED IN EXPLORING THIS?
So if you would like to host a student from the Basque Country in the Boise and Middleton areas this Summer, please call Juanjo Carmona, Real SC president, at 208-713-8924! You will have a chance to let him know your preferences about the student you would like to host. He will make the students profiles available to you and will answer any questions you may have!
REAL sc - real boise cf, real middleton cf, real meridian cf & real caldwell cf 