LITMO In Spain + Morocco!
June 18, 2026
Hey Moondance Families! One final greeting from the leaders over here in Spain and Morocco 1B!
We hope everyone has made it safely to their next destination for the summer. We have loved having everyone in Spain and already miss our amazing first group!
After two action-packed weeks together, everyone can now say that they have seen 2 countries, summited 3 mountains, made 13 new friends (if not more!), learned at least a few new phrases in another language, and tried countless new foods (maybe even kept a recipe to bring home with them!). We have had nothing short of a blast the past 14 days and hate to say goodbye. When asked at our final breakfast together what they were excited to come home to and what they were sad to leave behind in Spain/Morocco, Mary Brady’s response “seeing my family” to the former and “our awesome group” to the latter was echoed by the entire breakfast table. The magic of Moondance is that these friendships last- although we will miss looking like the family from “The Sound of Music” frolicking through the peaks of the Picos de Eropa, or popping up on the same wave together in the Bay of Biscay, or sharing a bag of Trolli gummy worms together on top of a 14,000ft mountain in Morocco, or making traditional moroccan pancakes together and arguing about how much Nutella each person should get to put on theirs- these memories and connections will stay with us for a long time. We have shared so many beautiful moments the past two weeks, whether it was conquering our fears together during an activity, allowing ourselves to be both vulnerable and silly during Moonup, or just filling those in-between moments with jokes, games, words of encouragement, laughter, and joy.
Some particular Moonup moments that deserve a shoutout…
When we opened up the floor to share our hidden talents with the group, Lydia and Sophie did not hesitate to wow us with their skills. We were blessed with a full choreographed dance routine to Smooth Criminal without music from Sophie, who showcased her talent, confidence, and spunk that night and left us all with Michael Jackson stuck in our heads 🙂 Lydia also impresed us with the number of pistol squats she could do in a row, which in no way slowed her down during our summit, which she reflected upon as one of her favorite and most accomplished moments from the trip.
Maxwell kept us entertained as narrator of a Moroccan themed game one of our last nights together, always making the group laugh and have fun.
Our final night of the trip, Bella and Fraser led Moonup on a terrace in Madrid, reflecting on special moments from the trip and creating a space for all of us to appreciate and shoutout each member of the group for their contribution to the magic of our session.
This trip would not have been so sweet if it were not for the 12 rockstars we had supporting each other, cracking jokes, and fearlessly leading activity after activity.
Thanks to Gray, Sophie, and Mary Brady’s Spanish skills, our communication with locals in Spain super facil! Our guides loved that everyone was trying to speak the local language and learn more about their culture.
Maxwell and Mary Brady served as effortless group connectors, always welcoming and inclusive towards others and looking for a chance to make others smile. The two Moonups they led together were both fun and meaningful- they did an incredible job as LODs, balancing the silliness and seriousness of Moonup. Mary Brady also kept everyone going on our longer hikes in the Picos, sharing stories about her friends from home and planning Jane and fraser’s joint sweet 16 birthday! Bella’s kindness towards others shined within our group like a beacon- each student expressed how sweet she had been to them and how much they appreciated her intentionality towards her relationships with each student, as well as us leaders! Wills always brought a calm energy to the group, always ready with a corny one-liner or a meaningful one-on-one conversation. He also shined at the beginning of the trip during our surfing lessons, where he caught a wave just like Chicken Joe from “Surf’s Up” (alongside Fraser and Gray). What a gnarly moment! Winston brought the energy on every activity, never wasting a moment, as he was always prepared with a hacky sack in his pocket and inviting people to join. We were super impressed with his both his surf and soccer skills!
We are so incredibly proud of our group for accomplishing something that not many people have done- summiting a mountain at 13,671ft tall. We started off strong with a powerful motivational speech from Gray that got everyone psyched to summit a mountain early in the morning- he set the tone for the rest of the day and continued to encourage others the whole way up, equipped with games and riddles to distract those who needed it. Penn led the entire way up the mountain with no trace of complaints-he hiked so effortlessly to the point where an outsider might have mistaken him as a guide. There is something special about experiencing something (especially something challenging) for the first time with others. Not one of us could have made it to the top of the summit without the support and presence of the 13 others, and sharing that glorious moment once everyone reached the top was a memory I will hold close for years to come. I can still see Jane’s face glowing as she reached the top, filled with pride from defying even her own doubts. Ashlin powered through a challenging descent from the top, and we kept each other entertained with games and shared music taste the whole day down. I admire her observational skills, as she was the only one to figure out a card trick demonstrated by the leaders and attempted (but failed) by other group members. Fraser kept the group laughing no matter the activity, and also showed a strong interest in the culture of both countries- during our ascent, he challenged himself to greet each person on the trail in their “native tongue,” whether that was, English, Spanish, French, or Arabic. His French knowledge definitely helped us out a few times throughout our adventure in Morocco.
These students accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, and I am in awe of the amount of information they absorbed and internalized and were able to then reflect on. From the bargaining culture of the markets, to the history and customs of Islam, to the traditional foods of northern Spain, to the different languages spoken in each place we visited, everyone took something with them that they noticed and appreciated about different cultures. I am so proud of everyone for stepping outside of their comfort zone and embracing this trip- the hiking, the language gap, the food, the history- with open hearts and minds. We truly could not have asked for a better first group to explore these beautiful and vast countries with us.
We wish everyone the best of luck going into this next school year, and we hope the rest of their summer activities are filled with laughter and adventure 🙂 We want to remind everyone that their Moondance family is always here for them, and we are so happy they joined us on SPM 1B!
Cheers and LITMO!
Love,
Georgia and Sam
Making Memories in Morocco
June 15, 2026
Hello again Moondance Families-this time from Morocco!
We have had an eventful past few days. We absolutely loved the remainder of our time in Spain and were very sad to say goodbye to the incredible views, beautiful weather, delicious food, and our wonderful guides.
Before leaving Spain, we were lucky enough to experience some of the most spectacular scenery. Grey and Mary Brady led us through the dramatic gorge. During our lunch break along the hike, Winston, Maxwell, Wills, Penn, and Fraser found a rare flat spot and squeezed in a few rounds of hacky sack-it may very well have been the best hacky sack location in the world! Bella and Penn led a meaningful MoonUp on our final night in Spain, with the glow of the setting sun illuminating the mountains behind them. It was a special way to reflect on our time there and appreciate everything we had experienced together. Sophie’s optimism and gift for conversation helped several group members push through a challenging but rewarding summit hike on a beautiful sunny day. Her encouragement and positivity kept spirits high throughout the climb.
Grey demonstrated outstanding expedition behavior at the airport by volunteering to help carry others’ heavy bags, embodying one of the core values we emphasize at Moondance: supporting your teammates whenever possible. He also helped us finish off a classic Spanish dish, cachopo, on our final night in Spain, making sure our hosts knew just how much we appreciated the incredible meals they shared with us.
Ashlin and Winston stepped up as our second leaders during our travel day and mid-trip flight to Morocco, helping the group navigate a busy day of airports and transitions with confidence and enthusiasm.
Upon arriving in Morocco, the boys enthusiastically embraced the local culture during our visit to the markets, proudly sporting traditional Moroccan gandoras. Lydia showed off her impressive dough-working skills during our Moroccan cooking class, where we learned how to make a traditional Moroccan pancake called msemen. The finished products were delicious, and Lydia quickly proved herself to be a natural in the kitchen.
Jane shared thoughtful and encouraging words as Leader of the Day on the evening before our trek, helping the group prepare mentally and physically for our upcoming climb of Mount Toubkal.
We have had such an incredible variety of experiences across both Spain and Morocco. I think we can all agree that Spain is far more geographically diverse than many of us expected, while Morocco is overflowing with color, culture, and hospitality.
We have loved every minute of our time together and are excited for our next challenge: summiting Mount Toubkal, the tallest peak in North Africa! As we prepare for the climb, the students wanted to share a few words with you all:
From Winston-Hey mom and dad I’m having the best time. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. See you all soon love you.
From Penn- Hey mom and dad I love y’all so much. I am having so much fun in Morocco and Spain! I can’t wait to see you soon.
From Gray- hello mom and dad I love y’all so much I am having so much fun and have made so many new friends thank you so much for much for allowing me to go on this trip and I will see yall soon love y’all
From Maxwell – hello family, I am having an amazing time. The people on my trip are super cool and it has been a blast! Thank you so much for sending me on this once in a lifetime trip! Can’t wait to see yall soon!
From Fraser – hi guys thanks for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip, having a lot of fun. tell the animals I say hi
From Wills – Hey guys, thanks for sending me on this trip. It just has to be the year of sports missing right now. Ole miss is in the college World Series, the knicks are one game away from winning the nba finals, and same with the canes. Other than sports, I am having a great time and making many new friends. The market was crazy and I bought some cool stuff especially for dad. Tell Henry I said happy birthday and i will bring something home and thanks for sending me on this trip. Hope to see you soon if knicks don’t go too crazy, love you!
From Isabella – Thank you guys so much for letting me experience this adventure. I have done so many different things and have been placed out of my comfort zone it’s been weird being without you guys this far away. I have meet really great people and have learned so much about myself. Today we was so cool seeing the culture of Africa . Spain was so incredible there are no words to describe it. I can’t wait to tell you all about and can’t wait to hug you guys. Love you so much
From Mary Brady- Hi mom, dad, Pete, Thomas, Brennan, Aggie, Gabby, and Leighton, I miss you guys so so much!!! Mom and dad thank you so much for sending me I have had such a great time. Spain was so cool and our first days in Morocco have been amazing. I can’t wait to spend another week in Spain and get to see a whole different part of the country. I love you guys so much and really miss y’all. I can’t wait to see you guys! Also mom I feel a lot better. Love y’all
From Ashlin- Hi Mom, Dad, Finn, Dillon, and Archie. I miss you all! Spain was so pretty and we just went to the Marrakech market today, Morocco is so cool! Thank you so much for sending me. I miss you lots and can’t wait to see you in a few days! Love you guys!
From Lydia- Hey Mom, Dad, Owen, Miles, Gigi, and Champa. I have been loving this trip! Spain was gorgeous and Morocco is so cool the culture has been so interesting and cool. Miss you guys, hope all is well in STL. See you soon!
From Sophie- Hi mama hi dad! I’m so incredibly grateful that yall let me go I am having the best experience of my life! I’ve seen so many cool things! My favorite parts end up being the van rides and just watching the people because it’s so different but so interesting and I just love it! Morocco has been crazy it wasn’t what I expected at all! Okay I love y’all so much and miss yall a lot and you don’t have to worry about me! Say hi to my friends for me!! I love y’all see you at home!
From Jane- Hi mom and dad! I miss you guys so much! I’m so happy and grateful that you sent me here, I’m having a blast. The hikes have been hard but after I feel very accomplished. Spain was so much fun but was a little cold. My favorite part so far was the hikes and getting to know the people in my group. Anyway I miss yall and love you guys so much! Tell Will and Kate I say hi and that I miss them too. See yall in two weeks!
Thanks for sending your amazing kids with us, we will check back in after the summit!
Cheers,
Georgia and Sam
Update from SPM!
June 9, 2026
Hola from España 🇪🇸. We have had an eventful three days from surfing in the Cantabrian sea to climbing the tallest cliffs in Spain. May we just say we are so lucky to have such a good group of kids. Everyone has taken each activity in full stride and we are so excited to see what lies ahead of us in our trekking section!
A recap of our first few days in Spain…
The kids arrived in Madrid, the same day as the Pope, excited for the adventure ahead. Starting off the bat we traveled north to Llanes, meeting our amazing outfitters Alex and Lucia. We had a bit of a long travel day, but Gray kept the morale high with good tunes in the van as well as good conversation! Wills and Lydia were our first LOD’s after moon up, already showing amazing leadership within the group. Our first activity was Canyoneering in the national Park where Ashlin braved through the freezing water of the canyon with a smile. After stopping for a delicious traditional Spanish lunch, we headed out to the surf town near Llanes for a surfing lesson. We had two first year students who impressed us with their surfing skills- Winston, who quickly graduated to a short board after a few runs, and Isabella who caught several waves for the first time in her life! Penn took on every activity with bravery and humility, and we were impressed with his resilience after never getting discouraged by taking a few wipeouts on the Spanish coastline (Don’t worry, he got his redemption ride to shore). That night we enjoyed a barbecue at camp, that would not have been possible without the help of Mary Brady, the MasterChef and queen of hospitality.
Fraser is constantly making the group laugh with his jokes and unlimited meme knowledge. The next day, we shredded the gnar before heading back into the national park for an epic afternoon of climbing and zip lining at Via Ferratta! Lydia fearlessly scaled the rocks, while everyone was soon to follow. Jane faced her fears on the mountain and helped everyone else along the way with her positive attitude and fun dance moves. Whenever we had downtime the past few days, Maxwell has led the group in games of ultimate frisbee and hockey sack, helping us as leaders entertain the crew. To close one of the most important things we do is called Moonup and Sophie has led the way during Moonup, making the group feel comfortable with her genuineness and willingness to open up when we are sharing meaningful thoughts and reflections with everyone.
As we go into our trekking section, we are excited to see how the group continues to grow and bond with each other and gain confidence in themselves as individuals. They are excited and ready for a challenge! More to come! Hasta pronto,
Georgia & Sam
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello Spain + Morocco Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
