Trip of a Lifetime: Spain 2027 With MHS Teacher Ridoloso
The beautiful historic streets of Madrid, Spain. (Photo contributed)
By CAITLYN MELITE
The Tower
MANTECA- As Manteca High School Spanish teacher Fatima Ridoloso begins to prepare for the 2026 school year, she's planning the trip of a lifetime: a 10-day cultural and educational journey to Madrid, Spain.
Looking ahead to 2027, Ridoloso along with MHS media and communications teacher James Burns, hopes to team up with East Union High and Lathrop High, two other schools in the San Joaquin County area, to make the trip even more impactful for students across the region.
Manteca High Spanish teacher Fatima Ridoloso in her classroom on December 17, 2025. (JahLeiah Smith)
On this trip, students will have the chance to explore Madrid, Granada, Serville, and Costa del Sol region. The trip includes 10 days packed with activities that are both educational and exhilarating. Students will have the opportunity to make new friends along the way and get to know each other as they share hotel rooms and experience each day together. They will have the opportunity to go zip-lining in Toledo, take a Flamenco dance class, and visit Gilbahar.
“In a lot of our Spanish classes, we explore a lot of Spanish history,” Ridoloso said. “Not only that but traveling to Spain is going to open the door to many students who are not yet taking Spanish but might have interest in studying abroad in college.”
Ridoloso said this trip is not just geared towards Spanish speaking students. It’s about the experience of seeing and learning about things that most people only ever have the opportunity to hear about in school. Students will have the opportunity to have this experience, bringing these school lessons to life.
Manteca High Student and member of the trip Gabriela Ramos explained how she heard about the trip and became interested.
“I first heard about it from Mrs. Ridoloso during one of her classes because she was saying that she wanted to promote it but didn’t know how,” she said. “I guess I just heard her talking about how it really is a once in a lifetime experience, and I ended up really wanting to go. The next day, I gave my parents a pamphlet and I was able to sign up with the help of my parents.”
For many years in the past and hopefully many more in the future, EF has been the most trusted traveling company being used continuously by the Manteca Unified School District. As it gets closer, the price will continue to increase so sign up fast! The estimated cost per monthly installment would be around $243 per month for 17 months or $4,219 total. Early enrollment includes a discount of $200!
The cost of any EF trip includes airfare, hotels, bus rides and driver’s trips, and 3 meals per day. As well as offering a safe and welcoming environment with 24-hour hotlines available for students and parents and tour guides who will be alongside the group from the moment they land to the moment they get on a plane back home. There will be a translator who will help students further their understanding in Spanish at each location.
Any students interested can attend the informational meetings that are ongoingly held in room V103. If you have any further questions or are unable to attend the meetings, please feel free to contact Fatima Ridoloso at Fridoloso@musd.net or visit her in room V103. The first 6 students who sign up will be entered into a $1,000 raffle going towards the cost! Any other information can be found on the EF website Adventure in Spain | EF Educational Tours.