City Slickers Unite:

Madrid (Spain):

Madrid is one of those magical cities that woos you with its old fashioned traditions and keeps you enthralled and excited for more with non-stop energy. This is a great city for urbanites. It is filled with cultural attractions, it is high-class and grunge all at the same time, there is never a dull moment (except maybe Sunday afternoons when most madrileños are resting after their big Sunday lunch), and it is full of surprises around every corner. Madrid is a city where it is easy to experience all of the latest trends and get lost in tradition all in the same day. Its architecture, restaurants, parks, museums and city streets will make you happy you went with a city for your Spanish abroad experience.

Buenos Aires (Argentina):

Buenos Aires is full of old world charm and new world fire. It is a place to enjoy the deep, slow, romantic sights and sounds of tango, then jump into the fast paced streets and experience a diversity of cultures that will keep you entertained days on end. It is a city that many people visit and then make their permanent home, inspired by its creativity, excellent cuisine, great shopping, exciting night life and surprises around every corner.

Barcelona (Spain):

Barcelona is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Europe. It is filled with modern ideas, people from around the world, a rich mix of cultures and the latest in cuisine and fashion. It is the perfect place to get blown away by the gaudy Gaudi architecture, go out for new age tapas, see live music at night and stroll through the exciting streets. You can wander through history in the Gothic Quarter, experience Catalonian transformative cuisine, then get back to the basics with a simple stroll under the Spanish sun along the boardwalk or the Mediterranean Sea.

Nature Lovers (throw caution to the wind):

Tenerife (Spain):

Tenerife is a tropical paradise. But its long sandy beaches and crystal clear waters are only part of its magnetism for nature lovers. Many of the island’s diverse and interesting landscapes are protected, keeping them beautiful and pristine for those who want to get down and dirty with nature. The most eye catching and impressive of its natural stunners (including dark volcanic rock, and misty tropics alongside stretches of soft sand and splashing waves) is Mount Teide, a still active (although the last activity was at the turn of the 20th century) volcano and the site of some of the best hiking in Spain. There are plenty of ways to get off the beaten path in Tenerife.

Playa Jacó (Costa Rica):

Surf lovers get ready for your destination. If you like to catch a wave, Playa Jacó will not let you down. It is famous for being one of the best surf destinations in the world. There are also plenty of underwater delights to explore with snorkeling, so those who aren’t quite ready to catch the big ones will still have plenty of fun in the water. And when you come up for air you will discover an incredible medley of both black and white sand beaches, exciting jungles with rare species and a diversity of biology (both plant and animal life) that won’t leave any room on your camera for pictures with friends. Playa Jacó is the perfect place to get back to basics and nature while at the same time having the chance to enjoy a vibrant and lively beach town.

Oaxaca (Mexico):

Oaxaca is a place to get overwhelmed by nature. The city is filled with creative artisans, indigenous traditions, yummy Mexican cuisine specific to Oaxaca, markets and festivals. But outside of the city is where you will really be inspired if what you’re looking for is to breathe in fresh mountain air and stumble upon an incredible amount of biodiversity. As one of the five highest ranking locations in the world for endangered species and the region in Mexico with the most diversity in animals and plants, there is never a dull moment in Oaxaca for nature lovers. Venture out into the small towns around the city and then a little further, into the mountains for incredible hikes, horseback riding and biking.

So where do you fall on city-country spectrum? Or maybe you like both equally well! If so no need to fret, study Spanish in more than one destination this summer and get a little of everything on your Spanish adventure.

Cova d’en Xoroi: Menorca’s most spectacular night club

The Balearic Islands of Spain are made up of four main islands: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. They also include Cabrera and several other islets. This Mediterranean archipelago is a highly valued tourist destination and the capital, Mallorca, has recently been recognized as one of the best places in the world to live in by the British journal The Sunday Times.

If you’ve chosen these islands as your vacation destination, you may be wondering which one is the best one for you to visit. That will all depend on what you’re looking for during your Mediterranean getaway.

Mallorca, the best city in the world

The city’s ranking as “the best place in the world to live in” has attracted many tourists from around the world to see for themselves what makes it so special. In essence it’s an enormous island that encompasses all the comforts of a city with the appeal of an exotic island, which is what most attracts attention.

It’s important to keep in mind however that Mallorca gets crowded throughout nearly the entire summer season. This makes it an ideal place for vacationers looking for a destination with many extensive beaches and many other visitors like themselves. This is reflected in the price of the accommodation, which is sensibly more economic than the rest of the islands. The entertainment options here are quite varied as they are on Ibiza.

Ibiza, the white island

Ibiza has been considered an island paradise since the mid 20^th century, where alternative social and musical trends have originated and expanded across the small surface area which is characterized by scenic white-sand coves.

The period between the end of the 20^th century and the beginning of the 21^st saw the height of Ibiza’s youth tourism, which concentrated on partying that lasted all night and all day. Despite the current legal restrictions on the opening of night clubs, and although the island also offers scenic coves and natural landscapes, it continues to be a destination recommended for those looking for a place to party.

Menorca, the wild sister

The island of Menorca is a nature paradise with many large coves where tourists can go snorkeling and diving among all types of fish and mollusks. The protection given to natural areas makes this a lush and scenic island; many coves can only be accessed after a long walk. Nightlife is not as active here as Ibiza: there’s only one large night club on the island and it’s tucked away in caves overlooking the sea, which gives it a magical ambience. This island is clearly the best destination for nature lovers.

Formentera, the little island

Finally, Formentera (like Cabrera) stands out as an ideal destination for a different type of vacation. It’s extremely small, the entire island is protected from external contamination and only naturalists and lovers of the most primitive islands find the vacation of their dreams here. If you’re one of them, this is the destination for you.

La Alhambra

A Kasbah is a type of Islamic city or fortress, which in past times was used as a defense against an attack, and as a home for the leader of the city. It was often built on a hill as a better means of defense, which is true of the Alhambra in Granada, considered the best Kasbah in Spain.

The Alhambra was first built in 889 as a fortress, and later converted into a royal palace by Yusuf I, the Sultan of Granada, in 1333. The Alhambra was the stronghold of the Muslim rulers in Spain until 1492. It had survived many attacks before it was finally surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Ferdinand, after the War of Granada, marking the end of the Spanish Reconquista. The Monarchs began to change the Alhambra, as did the Christian leaders after them. That said, the Moorish architecture is evident everywhere you go and it remains to this day, very well preserved. It is in fact the best preserved medieval Islamic palace in Europe, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This Kasbah is the most visited site in Spain, and one of the most popular of the world, and you can come and visit all the different palaces and parts of this complex, built for the last Muslim rulers of Spain:

-          The Royal Palace of the Alhambra is divided into three parts; the first, the Mexuar, is fairly modest in decoration compared to other parts of the palace and was primarily used for business administration at the time. The Serallo is a collection of very beautiful rooms and courtyards; the most notable being that of Patio de los Arrayanes, Courtyard of the Myrtles. The Harem makes up the final part, and consists of the living quarters and bath for the wives and mistresses. It also contains the Hall of the Abencerrajes, with the most beautiful ceiling in the whole of the Alhambra. This room is famous, as legend has it that King Boabdil, the last Muslim emir, killed the whole of the Abencerrajes family here after inviting them for a banquet, as he found out that his favorite mistress was having an affair with the head of the family.

-          The Alcazaba is the ancient fortress of the Alhambra Palace; parts of which are in ruins, but it is still very much an important part of its history.

-          The Generalife is the Alhambra’s answer to a retreat; a place where the Muslim Kings could be surrounded by beautiful gardens, flowers and fountains. This really is a magical place and is most definitely worth the visit when going to the Alhambra.

With these different parts of the complex to offer; all so beautiful, and all so well-preserved, it’s no wonder that the Alhambra is the best Kasbah in Spain!

When most people think about learning an Asian language, they want to study Mandarin or Japanese, often overlooking Korean, the language of North Korea and South Korea. It is what’s termed a ‘language isolate’ – that is to say it has no relationship with other languages. There is, however, a wing of linguists who believe it to be part of the Altaic family (which includes Japanese and Turkish). So, here are ten of best reasons why you should consider learning Korean as a second (or third..!) language:

1. South Korea is the fastest growing economy in northern Asia and is ranked thirteenth in the world with a GDP of $1.64 trillion. Some of the world´s biggest brands are based in Korea, like Hyundai, Samsung and LG. This translates to excellent opportunities for native English speakers with knowledge of the Korean language. As the economy continues to grow, so too will the demand for these foreign workers!
2. Knowing such an unusual language will make you more employable. Most native English speakers can´t even speak any foreign language, so stand out from the crowd by being one of few who knows Korean. Even if you´re not applying for a job that requires Korean language skills, it still shows your ability to learn new things or could even just be a talking point at an interview!
3. Contrary to popular belief, Korean is actually the easiest of the Asian languages. Unlike Chinese it is not tonal, and the language is based on an alphabetic system, so all you have to do is learn a new alphabet of eleven characters – simple!
4. Once you have mastered Korean, you´ll be able to learn other Asian languages far more easily than before, since many of them share common vocabulary and grammatical structures.
5. In many ways, Korean is actually simpler than European languages. What most westerners find tricky is the new alphabet system, but after that there are no verb endings to be changed or any difficulties with masculine and feminine nouns!
6. The number of people that speak Korean is about 73 million, most located on the Korean peninsula. But there are significant Korean populations throughout the world, namely in North America and Japan. Just think, you´d be able to speak to 73 million more people than you can right now…
7. Knowing Korean gives access to one of the oldest civilizations in the world a whole new culture, such as the intricacies of Korea´s system of respect or its famous World Heritage Site shrines, dotted around the country. You could also learn about Korea´s most famous sport: Taekwondo.
8. See for yourself a greatly diverse nation. According to a 2010 census, some 31.6% of the population is Christian, whilst 24.2% is Buddhist – a little known fact!
9. Korea´s capital – Seoul – is the largest city proper in the developed world, accommodating about half of the South Korean population. A survey by the United Nations placed Seoul´s quality of life higher than London, New York or Melbourne.
10. Finally, research suggests that studying a language reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s. What´s more, the more challenging that language is, the more the risk is reduced. So with the disease being the sixth largest killer in the US in 2012, what better way to stop it than by learning Korean!

A world of possibilities…

How to choose your Latin American destination? Perhaps a place where you can relax on the warm sand under sunny skies while surrounded by stunning beach scenery, or maybe within chilly Andean mountain landscapes, or how about in a big cosmopolitan city such as Buenos Aires? Here are three general categories you may want to think about to help you choose the perfect school in Latin America:  coastal, mountain, and big city.

Coastal destinations

The advantages of choosing a coastal destination are as clear as the sunny blue skies that hang over beach paradises along many Latin American coastlines. Schools in these destinations often offer the luxury of being able to walk to the beach after class, where you can spend the afternoon doing little more than listening to the soft sea breeze and the waves gently breaking on golden sands. Some schools even offer exciting coastal extracurricular activities such as kite surfing and scuba diving.

Mexico: Playa Del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta; Costa Rica: Tamarindo, Jaco Beach; Dominican Republic: Sosua;

Mountain destinations

Hot temperatures are not for everyone, so you may prefer a cool weather destination. Consider tossing on a new handmade, traditional, brightly colored wooly sweater that you just picked up from a local open air market high in the Andes. Visit nearby villages huddled between the summits of the vast Andean mountain range, places where the Inca Empire once flourished and continues to influence the region’s rich culture.  Mountain destinations are often decidedly less touristic than coastal ones, a factor many students looking forward to immersing themselves in a new language and culture find appealing.

Ecuador: Quito; Bolivia: Sucre; Peru: Cusco ;

Big city destinations

Want an exciting study destination where there is always something happening? A big city may be what you are looking for and there are many Spanish schools located right in the heart of all the action where after class you can step outside and explore vibrant urban landscapes. Big cities often offer an exciting and modern variety of restaurants, art galleries, museums and shopping possibilities.

Argentina: Buenos Aires, Córdoba; Chile: Santiago; Colombia: Bogotá; Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo;

Guanajuato, the childhood home of Diego Rivera, is a charmingly unique colonial city, located in central Mexico. A mid-sized university town brimming with history and art, copious plazas filled with cafés and restaurants and narrow, pedestrianized streets lined with colorful houses – a perfect city for strolling. La Bohemia is a small restaurant in Jardín De La Unión, Guanajuato’s main plaza. It is open seven days a week from eight in the morning till eleven at night. For fifty-five pesos (that’s just over 3 euros) the restaurant offers a meal of the day which includes a bowl of homemade soup, a starter, freshly prepared rice and salad, a round piece of bread known as a bolillo and a refillable glass of agua fresca (a Mexican fruit drink). The restaurant owner has about 50 dishes that he rotates for the meal of the day. It appears that the prices at the restaurant are about the same, if not a bit lower, than other eateries in downtown Guanajuato.

Oaxaca is one of the best places in Mexico to enjoy cultural holidays. Around Day of the Dead (on the 1st and 2nd November) families descend upon the local cemeteries to clean the grave stones of their deceased ancestors and have a picnic in their honor. In the city center, street vendor’s spring up selling marigolds and coxcombs (a velvety red flower typical of this season) and market stall owners attract customers with wonderful displays of candy skulls and special bread known as Pan de Muerto. The cuisine in Oaxaca is very rich and varied: from the chocolate-infused meat sauce known as mole to the crunchy fried grasshoppers not for the faint-hearted! As well as a selection of exotic dishes, Oaxaca is also famous for its alcoholic beverages: tequila always took center stage in the past; but over the years, it has risen considerably in price so its “brother drink” mescal has become the tipple of choice for all those who appreciate fine liquor.

Mexico City, the fifteenth most populous city in the world, might seem a bit daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. The most popular tourist attractions are mainly concentrated in the heart of the historic city center, for example, the main plaza (known as the Zócalo), the Alameda Park and the Palace of Fine Arts. The Plaza Garibaldi, located a few meters away from the Palace is the best place in Mexico City to listen to live Mariachi musicians. The Rosa, Roma and San Angel zones, home to some lovely parks, shops and cafés are considered to be the “artsy” areas in town. The affluent neighborhood of Polanco is the place to be if you’re looking for a good night out. Further south, the UNAM campus (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) is renowned for its famous work created by some of Mexico’s most well-known artists.

Amerispan has 25 years worth of experience in helping students to travel to different countries to learn Spanish. Staff members have personally experienced the destinations on offer by Amerispan so they can give first hand advice on what to expect and how to prepare for your trip. Amerispan is in constant contact with the schools and the host families so all parties are kept informed at all times. There is no risk involved in booking a course through Amerispan because you can cancel at any time and get a full refund. You must give three weeks notice if you wish to cancel your course to give Amerispan the opportunity to offer you place to somebody else.

If at the end of your course you are not fully satisfied, Amerispan will pay for an extra week’s worth of tuition on a Spanish course of your choice. In order to claim one week free, you must send an email to the following address admin@amerispan.com explaining why you are dissatisfied with your program. Amerispan uses this information to improve the learning experience of future students. Finally, in the unlikely circumstance that you find another company offering an equivalent course for a lower price, Amerispan not only matches their price, but offers a price that is 10% lower than the competitor. For a course to be considered “equivalent”, it must meet certain criteria:

a)      The course must be in the same city

b)      The number of students in the class must be the same or fewer.

c)      The amount of Spanish teaching time and the quality of instruction must be comparable.

d)     The accommodation must be of a similar quality.

To sum up, if you buy a course from Amerispan, you can be sure of three things:

1. A full refund if you change your mind
2. One week free if you’re not fully satisfied
3. The best possible price

Amerispan’s principal goal is to serve their customers. The Philadelphia office is open 8 hours a day; 5 days a week so there will almost always be a member of staff available to help you whether it be over the phone or via email. Amerispan understand that there is a lot of information available and they are here to help you sort through it and to make an informed decision.

In the tradition of western art, Spanish literature undoubtedly stands proud on the podium of contributors along side its English, French and Italian counterparts. The oeuvre of discovered Spanish literature dates back as far as the 10^th century and thus includes writings not only in Spanish and Medieval Spanish, but also in the various Semitic languages which at one point also flourished on the peninsular. Amongst that inexhaustible list of dramatists, poets and authors are to be found those distinguished Spanish names of Lorca, Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega, and of course plenty more, whose names cannot be left unmentioned whilst on the topic of the written arts.

Joining the oeuvre of the opera magna is the anonymous Cantar de mio Cid; an epic poem from the beginning of the 13^th century, and the only work of that form which remains in its entirety. The following century, the Spanish nobility would give birth to an author in Don Juan Manuel whose iconic work El Conde Lucanor remains of both interest and relevance to the field of Literary Theory even today. The Renaissance would indeed bring the rebirth of literature through the revolutionary work of Miguel de Cervantes, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, a piece that would go on to inspire works of artists to come: namely, the composer Richard Strauss and artist Pablo Picasso.

Of course, any effort to do justice to the appraisal of such a fine collection of art in so few words is only done in vain. The field of Spanish literature is understandably one both so vast and so varied that one can only claim to have expertise over it all in pretence. Ever aware, as you must be, of the challenge inherent in combating this field of studies, Enforex offers a course in Spanish Literature which combines Spanish language classes with the in-depth study of its literature. After all, what is language without literature?

Did you know that studying Spanish is more than just studying one language, but rather enabling yourself to communicate with almost all non-English speakers in the world and setting the basics for many more languages than you ever thought of?

Linguists speak about so-called mutually intelligible languages. The speakers of those languages can understand each other in talking or writing without learning the respective other language. The Spanish language belongs to the family of the Romance languages, which developed out of the Italic language and later Latin. Other languages in this family are Italian, French, and Provençal (France), Portuguese, Romanian, Romansh (Switzerland), as well as Catalan, Galician, and Valencian (Spain). These languages show strong similarities in grammar, syntax and lexis. The similarities do not only stem from their common language of origin, but also from later blending of cultures. The Road to Santiago, for example, a road of pilgrimage leading from France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, brought many French people to the north of Spain during the Middle Ages thus influencing the language of this region sustainably.

A scale was invented for measuring the intelligibility of those languages. It was found that the highest percentage of lexical similarity exists between Spanish and Portuguese with 89%, closely followed in joint second place by the Spanish-Italian and the Spanish-Catalan mutual intelligibility; Catalan being spoken in the eastern part of Spain and both this language and Italian with a figure of 85% intelligibility with Spanish. A bit less but still recognizable are the similarities between Spanish and French as well as Romansh with 75% and 74% respectively. The lowest compliance with Spanish in this test was Romanian language with a relatively high 71%.

The understanding on both sides differs, meaning that Spanish speakers might for example be able to ask for directions in Portugal and be understood but then struggle to understand the response. Anyway, it is much easier for people who have learned Spanish to study other languages of the same family. Sometimes it is only necessary to spend some time in the respective country to grasp the differences.

Who would not like to learn a language that enables you to communicate with people in huge parts of Europe, almost all of America, and the majority of Africa? Learning Spanish is an investment which opens many doors. With a few weeks of an intensive Spanish course or a Spanish immersion program at a Spanish language school in your country of choice, you can learn Spanish and lay down the foundation for your future, not only in Spain and Latin America, but in almost the entire world!

Language stays abroad are career booster and adventure at the same time. But the most important factor is that experiences of this kind contribute to your personal development.

Do you dream of participating in a Spanish course and escaping from the typical autumn weather? Take now the opportunity and to find more details about Spanish language classes in Mexico.

Why Mexico?

Mexico is no doubt one of the greatest destinations for language students not only from a cultural, but also from a climatic perspective, with moderate temperatures throughout the year. Thanks to its biosphere reserves and protected national parks, Mexico disposes of a variety of regional fauna and flora, which is just waiting to be discovered.

In countless Mexican cities you are still able to feel the mystical history and to follow the traces of ancient Maya and Aztec cultures. Mexico is where past meets present… dip into its cultural diversity and increase your linguistic knowledge during a language stay in the Mexican city of your choice.

Destinations and Spanish classes

Summer’s almost gone and you are still looking for a Spanish course for autumn 2012? Look for detailed information concerning destinations in Mexico like Cuernavaca, Mexico City, Guanajuato, Playa del Carmen, Oaxaca, San Miguel or Puerto Vallarta…just to mention a few.

City flair or relaxing lifestyle on Mexican beaches…the choice is yours!

Amerispan guarantees high quality Spanish classes in all partner schools all over Latin America and Spain, with teaching methods that enable you to amplify rapidly your language skills and to experience the regional variety of Mexico. By focusing not only on grammatical matters, but also on vocabulary of “real life situations” you will have the possibility to get to know very closely Mexican traditions, habits and most of all its open-hearted people. My experience tells me that Spanish courses abroad are absolutely necessary for everyone, who wants to learn pure and authentic Spanish, by speaking to natives and getting to know better the foreign culture.

Now it’s up to you to choose the Spanish course that best fits you. Amerispan’s schools in Mexico dispose of a great offer of language classes like short and long-term Immersion Spanish courses as well as classes for Business language and Culture. If you prefer to gain academic credits, you can also take part in Semester Programs, enjoying a longer stay in Mexico.

To enable you a pleasant stay in Mexico, Amerispan offers great accommodations with host families, which will also foster your oral language skills during the free time. In my opinion this is a unique possibility to study Spanish without much effort.

Are you curious? Don’t hesitate to find out more about your Spanish course in Mexico this autumn!