Search results matching tag 'cultural'

Emma Ferrer participates in don Quijote's Spanish programs!

Stacey — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:13:00 GMT

16-year old Emma Ferrer is studying Spanish in our summer camp in Granada and very kindly agreed to answer a few interview questions for donQuijote.org. Oh, and did we mention that she’s the granddaughter of legendary actress Audrey Hepburn and multifaceted actor Mel Ferrer?

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Switzerland, spent my elementary years in Los Angeles, and currently live in Italy.

What are your major interests?
I love art, literature, and travelling. I draw and am improving my painting skills. I enjoy reading and writing poetry, and creating my own stories. I love to travel and see new places, and especially learn a new language and see a whole new culture.

Is this your first time studying in our summer camp?
Yes.

Why did you choose Granada to study Spanish?
I had previously visited Granada twice and love the city. We went as a result of my father participating in the first yearly Granada classic film festival: Retrobak. My Grandmother was honored as well as Fellini and other wonderful Spanish and Italian filmmakers. Our family became very close with the city hall government of Granada. We were very spoiled by the vice mayor, Juan Manuel Garcia Montero during our visit. Thanks to him we were also able to travel around the coast of Spain! I knew I wanted to study in Andalucia, and Granada is the perfect city for a student. It’s not too big and not too small, and the people are amazing. You acquire a certain sense of freedom in the city. I never wanted to leave!

How did you become interested in learning Spanish?
Growing up in Los Angeles I was exposed frequently to Spanish because of the South American influence. I have always loved it as a language, particularly Spanish in the south of Spain. It has such a beautiful flow, like music. I also am Spanish by origin, so I think it’s important to know the language of your ancestors. Spanish is also a very important language in the world today. I think it will be very useful in my lifetime.

How many languages do you speak, if any?
I speak English and Italian fluently.

Are you enjoying your stay in Granada? Tell us about the camp and your camp activities.
The school is great. My friends and I chose to live in the residence, which I believe to be the best option. I met so many fantastic people whom I lived with, people from all over the world. The residence is a magical place, and for me it was so hard to leave. I immediately felt at home. The residence is home for people of all ages, so there is a lot of diversity. It’s not too far from the school, a 15 minute walk. My teachers were great, and my classes were never boring! It’s not like any other school I’ve ever been to. The classes incorporate all the elements of learning a language; culture, conversation, and grammar, but I never found myself counting the minutes until class was over. I only attended a few activities, but loved them. I especially enjoyed the excursion to a river. It was a bit of a walk, but we saw a fantastic waterfall and swam in the ice cold water.

Do you like travelling? If so, where have you been and what was your most favourite place?
I love travelling. I’ve travelled a lot and have met a lot of people. I think I’ve fallen in love with Spain after the month I passed in Granada. My friends and I went to the beach on the weekends. We went to Huelva, Almeria, and the coast of Granada. I can’t wait to come back to Granada next summer, it’s my new favorite city.

Tell us a bit about Granada's student life, if you don’t mind...
I had quite a bit of freedom during my stay in Granada. In the morning we had classes from 9 to 1, and then we had the rest of the day to do what we liked. Spanish wasn’t hard to get a hold of, and after two weeks we could make our way around pretty well. The nightlife is great. We had a curfew of 1, which was great! People are welcoming to foreigners in Granada, and being students we got lots of discounts. The other students I spent my time with, both teenagers and adults also loved the school and the city. I met so many great people, and that made it even harder to leave.

What are your plans for the future?
For now my plans for the future are to enjoy my teen years and travel as much as I can. I want to learn as many languages as possible. I’m not very sure of what I want to do as an adult, but I know I have time.

2 curious questions: Have you watched any of your grandparents films'? If so, what is it like for you to watch them?
I have. It’s not very strange watching them or seeing photos, because they’re just normal people. It’s hard to accept I guess for a lot of people, but when you have someone famous as a family member, they’re not famous, they’re just family!

Do you have a final message for our readers?
I was so sad when I had to leave Granada. I chose a month, which initially seemed a lifetime, but flew by. A few days before we left I was shocked that a month had gone by. For me it was kind of an escape. During my time there I didn’t have to deal with any stress or think about anything in the future, or even in the past. Just the present. The little street where the residence is, our simple room, the kitchen, the classroom, the city, the people, all the memories I’ll bring with me for my whole life. I cried so hard when I had to leave, because it was a magical experience. We just let ourselves free. I’m counting down the days until next summer when I can go back!

Cervantes Institute to celebrate world's first "Spanish Language Day"

Stacey — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:21:00 GMT

June 20th, 2009 marks the first annual Día del español "Spanish Language Day" celebration in all of the Instituto Cervantes branches throughout the world. The purpose of this day is to establish a meeting point for Spanish speakers and to increase the visibility of the Spanish language, validating it as aninternational means of communication. An event to be enjoyed by the whole family family and visitors, Instituto Cervantes has organized a series of activities around Spanish words, their diversity and how they are perceived which begin at 11am local time of each branch.

In preparation for “Spanish Language Day” celebration, the Instituto Cervantes has launched a platform that encourages people from all over the world to vote for their favorite Spanish word and even invent terms that they think should be added to the language. Please visit http://www.eldiae.es/ to propose and vote for your favorites or for more information on this day!

Cervantes Institute to teach Spanish to Starbucks workers

Stacey — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:31:00 GMT

(To read in Spanish, click here)
Spain's Cervantes Institute will teach Spanish to some 100,000 Starbucks workers throughout the United States. By virtue of an agreement signed Tuesday 26 May of 2009, those 100,000 workers will be able to learn Spanish via the Institute's online Virtual Spanish Classroom (Aula Virtual de Español), or AVE.

The course will last one year and quarterly reports will be issued to evaluate how the students are progressing in learning the language, according to a press release revealed by the Cervantes Institute.

Starbucks will be able to follow the Spanish studies of its workers via AVE, which will be available on the intranet of the Seattle-based chain. Also in Seattle is the first Cervantes Classroom that the Institute opened in the United States (in Washington State), located at the University of Washington.

The Seattle Classroom will kick off the training program, which will start with a pilot course taught by professors from UW's Spanish department.

When the course ends, students will receive certification of their knowledge of Spanish with a Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (known as DELE) awarded by the Cervantes Institute in the name of Spain's Ministry of Education.

Videos of don Quijote's Summer Camps!

Stacey — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:13:00 GMT

Our Summer Camp programs in Barcelona, Salamanca, Sevilla, Madrid, Granada, Valencia, Guanajuato and Marbella (with 3 camps: Albergue, Alborán, Aleman!) perfectly coordinate your child’s class schedule with social and leisure activities they will enjoy participating in as they are immersed learning a language that would last them a lifetime.

Offer your youngster between 5 and 18 years old an unforgettable summer learning Spanish with don Quijote... some camps begin June 28th, so hurry!

Check out our following camp videos!

MADRID

SALAMANCA

MARBELLA (ALEMAN)

MARBELLA (ALBORAN)

BARCELONA

Health Warning for H1N1 Flu in Mexico - removed!

Stacey — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:43:00 GMT

LAST MINUTE NEWS:
As of May 25th 2009, all travel warnings to Mexico due to the outbreak of novel H1N1 flu in Mexico have been lifted!
This is great news considering that after taking all necessary health and safety precautions, our schools in Mexico did not suffer any incidents!

Why not take this opportunity to have an exotic cultural spanish-learning experience (and a wide range of courses to choose from) in warm and colorful Mexico?
Here's a quick snap shot of each of our Mexican destinations to help you start your planning:

A university city, small and peaceful, far from the coastal centers of mass tourism, Guanajuato seems made to welcome students of Spanish. You will find yourself enchanted by the lovely architecture and by the culture that breathes in every nook and cranny of this alluring colonial beauty.

Simply known as "Playa," this small Caribbean fishing village on the Mayan Riviera is Cancun's laid-back neighbor (approximately 35 minutes from Cancun's international airport). Playa del Carmen is a wonderful place to enjoy the cultural and historic richness of Mexico and the Mayan people. It attracts visitors from all over the world because of its relaxed, tropical atmosphere and its unmatched beaches.

With peaks of almost 10,000 feet high, caverns among the deepest in the world, unspoiled beaches, jungles and valleys, Oaxaca is an ideal place to experience the beauty of Mexico and its people. Oaxaca is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its Spanish colonial buildings and nearby archaeological centre, Monte Albán.

The magical combination of mountains and beaches makes visitors fall in love with Puerto Vallarta at first sight. Aside from its beauty and amazing flora and fauna, this city also charms tourists with its colonial architecture and traditions, famous even in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta is the perfect blend of tropical waters and rich Mexican culture: a place to learn, relax, have fun and marvel at natural wonders.

Request your free brochure!

Save on your Summer Camp experience with no enrollmente fee!

Stacey — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:26:00 GMT

Save on your Summer Camp experience in 2 simple steps!

Step 1- Choose your favorite summer camp destination:

Step 2- Request your enrollment fee waiver (for an summer camp arrival in August 2009) when you book and fully pay before May 31, 2009).

That’s it!

Get a free Summer Camp brochure with all our programs and prices.
Contact our Course Counsellors to request more information.

Conditions:
- Offer is only available upon request.
- Offer not cumulative with other offers and subject to availability.
- Enrollment fee savings: 65 euros ($100 for Guanajuato only)
- Offer expires: 31 May 2009

Learn Spanish and dance Flamenco in Madrid and Granada

Stacey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Flamenco is a genuine Spanish art; to be more precise - a genuine Southern Spanish art.

Originating from Andalusia, flamenco is a passionate and seductive Spanish art form involving the guitar, song and dance. The interesting thing about flamenco is that its roots are a mystery. The general belief is that this art form was created before the Reconquest as the mix of Gypsy, Islamic, Sephardic and Andalusian cultures cohabited together in the south of Spain.

Our Spanish schools in Granada and Madrid provide you with a special course of:

20 hours a week of Intensive Spanish + 8 hours a week of Flamenco Dance
... with classes starting every Monday, year round!

Contact us for more information or to book your stay!
Request a free brochure!

Cultural Agenda ¿Qué pasa en...?

Stacey — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:08:00 GMT

Activities and Excursions in don Quijote schools
Want to take up a dance class? Interested in watching a movie? Take a complementary Spanish culture course or go on an excursion. Consult the agenda and start planning your after-class cultural activities!

Check out our destinations:
Spanish schools in Spain
Spanish schools in Latin America

Why don Quijote? Because there are Spanish courses for every individual!
Intensive course: 20 classes of Spanish weekly + 5 cultural classes.
Super-intensive course: 30 classes of Spanish weekly + 5 cultural classes.
One to One: Tailor-made language training.
Spanish Talk: Dedicated Spanish conversation practice
Spanish for life: 20 or 30 Spanish classes each week with another 5 about culture, courses of 12 weeks or longer.
Groups/Study travel: Tailor-made program for 8 or more students with a minimum of 2 daily Spanish classes per day.
Kids & Teen programs: Intensive Spanish language summer camp courses with a full schedule of sports and leisure activities for youngsters from 5 to 18 years old.
Spanish for fun: Combine the learning of Spanish with fun activities (scuba diving, flamenco dancing, wine tasting, art & history, etc).

Spain News
Last minute headlines from the most important media publications around the world.

Discover Spanish and Latin Culture in 2 languages
Read culture texts in English or in Spanish... some of the Spanish texts come with audio, too! Each text includes a list of topic-related vocabulary and verbs useful in and out of class!

Special Offer: Study Spanish in Mexico!

Stacey — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:42:00 GMT

Experience the exotic culture of Mexico while you learn Spanish

Spend 4 weeks or longer learning Spanish in Mexico’s Guanajuato or Playa del Carmen, and receive 5 private One-to-One lessons for FREE.

Just book your Spanish course with us to begin in October 2008 between October 1- October 31.

It's that easy!

Do not miss this opportunity to study Spanish in an exotic Mexican location!

Contact a course counselor now to request more information.
Get our free brochure!

Conditions:
- Offer cannot be combined with another offer.
- Offer available upon request and subject to availability.
- Offer applies only to bookings made between October 1st until October 31st of 2008, Spanish time.
NOTE: This offer ends on October 31, 2008.

Live Spanish in Salamanca, Ciudad del Español

Stacey — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:20:00 GMT

Every year, Salamanca is the preferred Spanish city where over 30,000 students choose to learn Spanish. This makes Salamanca an important tourist destination as people begin to discover the appeal of this charming city.

The new slogan “Live Spanish in Salamanca” is being actively used to promote Salamanca throughout the world and to attract foreign students who wish to learn or improve their Spanish skills. The administrative office is also promoting it with the Spanish version,“Salamanca, Ciudad del Español”.

Their main focus is to propel the city into becoming the principal reference, the 'must go-to' city for foreigners who want to learn Spanish, out of the potential destinations within the worldwide language tourism industry. They also hope to outshine the competition by providing students with assistance in social and cultural integration with their Student Information and Support center.

Located on the third floor of La Casa de Postas in the Plaza Mayor, just two floors above the Municipal Tourism Office, they have proudly embraced the motto “Salamanca, Ciudad del Español.”

Discover the reason why no one can resist learning Spanish in such a beautiful city!
Watch Salamanca Única, a 13-minute video of Salamanca’s impressive sights and one-of-a kind monuments.

Why not combine language learning with fun and culture in a 1 or 2 week Spanish course in the cradle of the Spanish language? Study Spanish in Salamanca with don Quijote !