Posts Tagged ‘spanish courses in spain’

The 8 best things Spanish students can do in Tenerife

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

The island of Tenerife is a place where students from the Spanish school have a great offer of activities to undertake. Here we leave you a series of pieces of advice to never get bored on this big island:

  • • Go for a walk in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the island capital, and discover its different cultures, its monuments, and talk with the people.
  • • Go to the Parque Nacional del Teide and climb up to the top of the volcano, which is the highest point in Spain, 3.718 meters high, and the landmark of the city. It is the most emblematic natural monument of the Canary Islands, where you can enjoy beautiful landscapes and a great fauna and nature. It is without a doubt an excursion you need to do during your stay in the city.
Teide, a must see for students of Spanish in Tenerife

El Parque Nacional del Teide

►…continúa leyendo sobre las mejores cosas que los estudiantes de español pueden hacer en Tenerife

Learn Spanish in Denia and enjoy the “Bous a la mar”

Thursday, May 24th, 2012

In the town of Denia in the region of Alicante, one of the most original and well known parties from the Spanish Summer is celebrated, the “Bous a la mar” (bulls in the sea). It is a show that attracts thousands of tourists every year and that all students undertaking a Spanish course in Denia enjoy.

It takes place during the town’s patron saint festivities, celebrated in honour of the Virgen de la Santísima Sangre (Virgin of the Very Saint Blood) (7th to 15th of July), declared of National Tourist Interest in 1993.

A bull during the "Bous a la mar"

A bull during the "Bous a la mar"

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Enjoy the summer in Spain and learn Spanish in an intensive way

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

Next June comes one of the favourite times for Spanish and for students who would like to come to Spain to learn Spanish, Summer. This season is one of the most attractive ones to undertake an intensive Spanish course, since it allows to learn and, at the same time, to enjoy the country.

Summer is a time suitable for studying Spanish in Spain

A Spanish beach in summer

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Gastronomy in the Spanish schools: the mona de Pascua

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

With the Holy Week in Spain comes one of the typical products from the Spanish gastronomy for this time, the Mona de Pascua (Easter Cake). This sweet is very common in the Valencian Community and Catalonia, and its presence has been growing in many other cities over the last years, so, if you are undertaking a basic Spanish course in Spain you can buy it in many bakeries.

Its name comes from the arabic munna, which means “provision for the mouth”, and it is a present that the Moorish made to their masters. Nowadays, it symbolises the end of Lent and the Holy Week.

The mona de Pascua is a dish to eat Spanish students

Traditional Mona de Pascua

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Alicante brightens up with the Spring Festival

Friday, March 9th, 2012

Spring will be here on the 21st of March and the city of Alicante wants its citizens and visitors, including students from the Spanish courses, to celebrate it with the most important electronic music festival in the province, the “Alicante Spring Festival”.

It is the fourth edition of this great event which is all about electronic music and indie pop. It will take place on the 31st of March in the Zona Volvo of the Port of Alicante and you will be able to enjoy it during the day as well as during the night, until very late in the morning.

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Enjoy the Fallas in Valencia, the celebration of fire

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

The city of Valencia starts preparing the celebration its inhabitants really look forward to, it brings the city to a standstill for some days every year, it attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world and students from the Spanish courses can enjoy its main elements, music, fireworks, light and colour… we are talking about the celebration of fire: the Fallas de Valencia.

The Fallas is the most important and spectacular celebration of this city and it is a great tourist attraction, it was declared celebration of International Tourist Interest. The celebration is a tribute to San José, patron saint of carpenters, and it takes place between the 15th until the 19th of March.

Make a Spanish course in Valencia and enjoy the Fallas

One of the monuments of the Fallas 2011

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Why not work and study Spanish in Spain?

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Some days ago we were talking about learning Spanish in Spain with a Spanish course. We would now like to present a different way to improve your knowledge of the Spanish language, work and study in Spain.

It is one of the best solutions not only to learn Spanish faster and easier, but to integrate in the culture and life of the country, since working while studying Spanish in Spain, allows the student to be constantly in contact with the language and with the citizens, which forces them to communicate in Spanish and to practice every day during their stay in the country.

Two Spanish students in a restaurant

Two Spanish students in a restaurant

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The toros (bulls), a great Spanish tradition

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

The toros is one of the most popular and ancient shows in Spain, and one of our country’s most famous traditions in the world. It started in the XVIIIth century, involving a man on foot who has to lidiar (battle) a fighting bull in a precinct called Plaza de toros. It is one of the events you cannot miss if you are undertaking a Spanish course in Spain.

The corrida is divided in three distinct stages or thirds. The first part, or lancing stage, involves the lidia of the bull with the objective to check the animal’s strength and behaviour. This is when the cape’s good luck is put to test, the most famous techniques are the verónica, the chicuelina or the porte gayola.

The toros, spanish tradition

A torero performing a veronica

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The Spanish cinema is getting prepared for the Goya Awards

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

All countries have their cinema awards: the Oscars in United States, the BAFTA in the UK and the César in France. In Spain we also have ours, the Goya, the annual awards from the Arts Academy and the Cinematographic Sciences for best directors, actors and films from Spanish cinema.

This year we celebrate the XXVIth edition of awards that will take place on the 19th of February in the Palacio Municipal de Congresos (a convention centre) in Madrid. So, if you are in the city to undertake a Spanish course, use the opportunity to see the best Spanish actors on the Spanish cinema’s red carpet.

Learn Spanish with the film Goya Awards

Pedro Almodóvar y Penélope Cruz

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Culture of Spain for Spanish classes: The Reyes Magos(the Three Wise Men) arrive to Spain

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

On the 6th of January we celebrate one of the important Spanish traditions for children, Epiphany or the día de los Reyes Magos. The little ones, and sometimes less little ones, receive the presents or charcoal on that day, charcoal if they behaved badly, which they previously ordered in a letter.

Even though the figure of Father Christmas becomes more important in our country, the Reyes Magos day is still more important and every year it is customary to organise a series of related events for the festivity, the most outstanding one is the Cabalgata de Reyes which takes place on the 5th of January and is celebrated in all Spanish villages and cities. The cabalgata is a parade with the Reyes Magos mounted on horses, camels or sitting in carriages, and covering the city’s streets throwing sweets and balls to the children who stand on the pavement, this is therefore a very good opportunity to enjoy one of our traditions with your classmates from the Spanish course in Spain.

A Spanish course may be a good gift of Kings

Picture of the Three Kings Parade of Alcoy

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Christmas lives in Spain and learn Spanish in an intensive course

Friday, December 16th, 2011

The colourful lights light the streets, snow covers the mountains, shops fill with people… they are obvious signs that show Christmas is here. This time of year is one of the most waited for for many people, and they make most of it travelling, visiting family and friends or, why not, undertaking an intensive Spanish course in Spain.

Our country is an ideal destination to spend holidays while studying Spanish, as there is a variety of activities and traditions you can combine with your learning time. To walk in the town centre and see its decorated streets, to buy the Christmas presents, to watch the live nativity scenes or skate on the ice tracks of the city, these are most things an intensive Spanish course student can do in Spain.

Christmas, one of the best times to study Spanish

City Council of Valencia at Christmas

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The “Danza Kuduro”, best Spanish language international song

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Don Omar, a Puerto Rican singer who made many students from the Spanish courses in Spain dance reggaeton, was awarded last week, on the 9th of December, the prize for best international Spanish Language song with his theme “Danza Kuduro” at the Premios 40 Principales 2011 in Madrid.

Many of you have probably already heard this song, on the radio, the internet or on a night out with your classmates from the Spanish courses. If its name does not sound familiar to you, if we say “La mano arriba, cintura sola. Da media vuelta, Danza Kuduro” you will probably remember.

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How to chose the Spanish course that will adapt best to your needs?

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

When someone decides to undertake a Spanish course in Spain it is very important to clearly know what the interests and objectives are, as you will then be able to choose the course that adapts best to your needs. Take into account two main factors in the selection, the type of course you would like to undertake and the type of city you would the Spanish school to be in.

There are several types of courses meant for people with different profiles. If you are an businessman, it is most interesting to undertake a specialised Spanish course, such as the business course which focuses its programmes on Spanish needed in the business context. Erasmus students coming to continue their studies in Spanish, need to start or improve their knowledge of Spanish, the basic courses offered by some schools are the most outstanding option.

A group of students in a Spanish course

A Spanish class at a school

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Spanish cuisine to Spanish courses: The best potato tortilla is made in Bentazos

Monday, November 14th, 2011

It is the city’s dish of excellence, it has its own festivity and last 12th of November, the potato tortilla of Betanzos became the best one in all of Spain, so none of the students undertaking a basic Spanish course in the city can leave without trying it.

This prize was awarded thanks to the Galician Alberto García Ponte, who resulted to be the winner of Spain’s XIII Potato Tortilla Championship which took place in Elcheas part of the competition ‘Lo Mejor de la Gastronomía’ (The best of gastronomy).

Un curso de español en Betanzos permite disfrutar de la mejor tortilla de patatas de España

La tortilla de patatas de Betanzos

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Learn Spanish at your leisure: The roar of the Lion King in Madrid

Friday, October 14th, 2011

Considered one of the most extraordinary Broadway shows, the Lion King musical arrived at the Teatro Lope de Vega in Madrid and will stay in the city for an indefinite length time. So, if you are undertaking a Spanish course in Spain you can not miss it. It is the biggest musical production ever made in our country and it will open on the 21st of October.

The musical is based on the famous Disney film, The Lion King, which started in 1997 on Broadway stages, more than 50 million people have seen it over the last 14 years (it’s the fourth most seen musical in history) and it has received many international awards. It did finally arrive to Spain for its first performance in Spanish, which is of course a great opportunity for students to learn Spanish in Spain while enjoying a great show.

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Learn Spanish with the music: David Bisbal, the success of humility

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

His songs are known all over the world and he has been piling up success after success in and outside Spain, so it is certain that any student who comes to undertake a Spanish course in Spain has heard some of his songs.

David Bisbal started his career in the music world when he was18 ina famous orchestra in Almería called Orquestra Expresiones. It is in 2001 when he started to be famous after his participation in the first edition of Operación Tiunfo, a television competition where the face of Spain at the Eurovision would be selected between 16 competitors, and David Bisbal finished second.

David Bisbal y K'Naan, interpretes del tema de Coca Cola para Sudáfrica 2010

David Bisbal y K'Naan (haz clic en la imagen para ver el videoclip de su canción)

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Spanish Schools and gastronomy: The Iberian ham, king of Spanish gastronomy

Monday, September 26th, 2011

The Spanish product by excellence, the best delicacy for the palate, the king of Spanish gastronomy, beneficial for the health…is the Iberian ham. It is possibly one of the most consumed products in Spain and the most searched for by tourists coming to our country.

To understand the differences between hams is not easy and one of the first things to know is to differentiate jamón ibérico and jamón serrano. The jamón ibérico or dry-cured ham is the one made from native swine from the Iberian Peninsula and it has a minimum content of 50% pure Iberian pork, while the Serrano ham refers to meat from a white race of swine, which is cured in a cold and dry climate. When you go to eat out in a restaurant after your Spanish class in the Spanish school, do not get confused when ordering the ham, which can be identified by its dark skin and its black foot (pata negra).

Iberian acorn ham

Iberian acorn ham

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Practical vocabulary to learn Spanish: Speak at the restaurant

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

In today’s post, we teach a series of words and phrases to practice everything you learned in your Spanish courses in Spain. It is very important to be able to speak in public without fear of failure and practice and practice Spanish at any time will help you in your learning.

Go to lunch or dinner at a restaurant is very common in your stay in Spain, so knowing the words and phrases used in a restaurant is critical. Here are the most necessary for a good meal in Spain:

General vocabulary

Ingredients: ingredientes Waiter / Waitress : camarero/ camarera

To order: pedir Meal: comida

Starters: entrantes Main course: plato principal

►…continue to learn Spanish with our vocabulary practice

Paella, one of the favourite dishes in Spanish schools

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

A student visiting or staying in Spain to undertake a course to learn Spanish, cannot get back to his country without trying one of Spanish’ most typical and representative dishes of the Spanish gastronomy on an international level: the paella. There are several variants of this dish within the national territory, but our country’s cuisine’s best and most varied paella and the one we recommend to all who come to study Spanish, is the paella from Valencia.

To learn how to cook this dish is one of students’ most practised activities in Spanish schools. The paella is not easy to prepare, as you need to know the steps to follow to prepare it and have great care while preparing it, but with a little practice any Spanish student will be able to cook a paella and be proud of it.

Paella is a dish to practice in Spanish schools

A paella valenciana in the fire

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