Blogging Spanish : Teachers

Felipe's study abroad experience: 8 weeks of learning Spanish

Stacey — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:41:00 GMT

Felipe Petri spent 8 weeks studying Spanish in don Quijote Madrid.
This is his story, in his own words...

I had two friends that went to don Quijote for a short term period. She studied in Madrid and Barcelona, he studied in Barcelona. Both really enjoyed the experience and recommended the school to me.

The school is really a Babel tower. There were people from Latin America, Europe, Asia, and North America all in my own class. The teachers are mostly young and fun. That really helped relate to the new culture we were facing since they were speaking Spanish but spoke “our language”.

Spanish people are great to interact with! For Latin standards, maybe a little distant at first but that’s a very shallow first impression. I still have contact with all the friends I made in don Quijote. I visited Madrid again after I left the school and was able to organize a little gathering between those that were still in Spain and others that came back just for the sake of getting back together again!

There’s nothing compared to spending time in a country where the language spoken is the one you’re trying to learn. It’s the fastest and most accurate way of learning. It is really culturally fulfilling and an amazing experience to just experience the differences between the regions of such a vast country that Spain is. I visited Barcelona and Santiago de Compostela and loved them both. I still want to go back and get to know the rest of Spain.

I stayed at a friend’s house, so I do not know what the school’s accommodations are like. But the school offers good service and I’d recommend it. I had a great time and learned a lot even though we partied a whole bunch!!! hehehehe

I want a brochure to come back... please let’s rush it!

If YOU are planning on studying abroad then request our FREE BROCHURE and learn why study with don Quijote!

Meet our Spanish teachers

Paqui — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:43:00 GMT

Let us introduce you to Ana García Martín, she is one of our teachers of Spanish in don Quijote Salamanca school.

How long have you been teaching Spanish?
Since 1994.

What do you like most about your profession?
What I like most is seeing that the students are there because they want to be, that they really learn…and that in a certain way they are my “creation”, ha ha. Plus my work is always a mutual cultural exchange.

What do you do when you are not working (hobbies, etc.)?
I like music, reading, being with friends…of course my family. And I like sports, but not on television.

Have you ever studied abroad? A language? Which? Did you find it difficult?
I’ve studied English, but not abroad. Yet I can understand very well the different sensations the language student experiences: frustration, emotion, satisfaction…

What makes Salamanca the ideal place for a Spanish language course?
It’s not a very big city, which helps you feel more at home and less left to fend for yourself. Because Salamanca is a university city there’s a lot to do and enjoy. And you aren’t far from bigger cities, including the capital (Madrid).
What’s more, there’s got to be some reason they refer to our province (Castilla y León) and Salamanca in particular as the cradle of the Spanish language.

Do you have a key piece of advice for people who want to learn Spanish? Most of all excitement, but also a certain dose of patience, and confidence that the fluency will come eventually, though it’s sometimes difficult to convince students that it will come.

Will you tell us your favourite teacher’s anecdote?
There are always lots of anecdotes, although I prefer to stay with the wonderful experiences and the friends from all over the world with whom I am still in contact after years and years.

What book would you recommend to students (at the intermediate level, for example) who want to read their first novel (or first book) in Spanish?
One of my favourites is "Sin noticias de Gurb" by Eduardo Mendoza. It’s a small book, which makes it likely students will read and finish it, and it has an energy about it, and an amusing story that’s easy to understand. The fact that it is written in diary form helps the reader read it in little pieces without losing the story. In general all of the students to whom I have recommended the book have liked it a lot and haven’t had trouble reading it.

Last days for our teachers of Spanish

Paqui — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 10:55:00 GMT

Last days to join our course for teachers of Spanish in Barcelona and get to your free set of didactic materials.

6 excellent books that have been selected by don Quijote to help you with your lesson plans, to perfect your teaching methods and serve as a reference for Spanish teachers.

The pack includes the following reference books:

Spanish grammar
Lexical and sociolinguistic aspects
Functions, phonetic and phonologic aspects
General competencies
Language activities and strategies
Classroom management

Contact us now to get more information about this special offer.