By Renee S., Guest Blogger learning Spanish in Montevideo

It is amazing how different my surroundings are here.  Americans look compulsive compared to the easy going Uruguayans. My host family's roof is more of a patio. And in the U.S., each room in the house is designated a specific purpose.  Here each room is used, but there is no “tv room”, “dining room”, etc. 

I bought a cucumber and tomato the other day and she saw me eating them.  I was not sure what was an appropriate way to tell her that I wanted more veggies without offending her.  I was so happy when she gave me a salad today.  I made sure I told her about 8 times how good it was. 

We went to watch a big soccer match last night in a restaurant/bar with Uruguay against Brazil for the cup of S.A.  Brazil won, but they were supposed to be the better team.  You could hear fireworks going off and the people's faces were great.  They are fanatics.  The Uruguayans say their religion is soccer.  

One of the guys with us who came to watch the match is South African, but looks like he could be Brazilian.  He was worried he would be mistaken as a Brazilian and hassled, so he wore a shirt that said “Out of Africa” and he kept showing it off.  Two of the other guys are Brazilian.  They kept loudly cheering for the Brazilian team Santos in Portuguese.  Luckily, no problems arose.

We left the bar a little before the game ended.  On our walk home, we walked past the police station.  There were about eight police cars and a giant bus full of officers. Once one guy throws a punch, it becomes a group fight.  The police were prepared and everything was quickly under control.  I heard later that the two teams, Santos and Penarol, fought after the game.  In general, fans are very emotionally invested in their teams, much like in the US.

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By Renee S., Guest Blogger studying Spanish at AmeriSpan's Montevideo Spanish school

My host mom is really animated and considerate.  The food tastes good, but it is all variations of carbs and meat.  For example, the first night we ate noodles with potatoes covered in marinara sauce with bread on the side.  I have yet to see a vegetable.  The roommate, Debbie, asked for fruit or veggies before I came, but she only knew how to say orange.  So, we have a lot of oranges and nothing else.  My roommate is very nice.  She is from Boston and loves ice cream also.  She has a very low level of Spanish, which is bad for my Spanish because she can only really communicate in English.

The host mom is a very admirable woman.   She takes care of her mother, who is 93 and living with Alzheimers.  Although it is difficult for her, it is nice to see.  In the U.S. we tend to give money to send them to homes rather than take them into our own homes. 

The teachers are great.  They are very patient and are able to give advice as to how to sound more fluent.  I feel like I am learning quickly, but I am still adjusting to the accent.  It is very pretty, but I am in the habit of forming the sounds differently.  One Uruguayan told me I have a Mexican accent!

The school is also a residence, so there is a kitchen, living room, patio, etc.  The homestay and the school are one block apart.  It is about a 45 second commute : ) 

   On my quick commute to school there is a cute dog that is always standing outside the butcher shop.  He knows where the good stuff is.  I saw a dog walker today, but unfortunately I did not have my camera. 

   I walked through one section of the city and also went for a run down by the water.  There is a huge boardwalk/giant sidewalk along the ocean that runs for 22 kilometers or something around there.  It is nice to see the ocean.  My parents were kidding that they were going to sail down here to visit and that they would arrive in time for summer here.

Read all of Renee's blogs from Montevideo

Find out more about our Montevideo Spanish school

By Renee S., Guest Blogger studying Spanish at AmeriSpan's Montevideo Spanish school

Hello fellow travelers,

I am heading to Montevideo, Uruguay in 2 days.  I will take classes and stay with a host family for four weeks.  Following the four weeks, I will spend two more weeks traveling.  Hopefully, this will allow me to enjoy Montevideo while I am there and not spend my free moments leaving the city to visit another location.

I chose Montevideo because it is known for its safety and stable economy.  As a female traveling alone, these are important factors to consider.  I want to be able to walk the streets alone and enjoy the city and country without too many worries.  Yet, there are always precautions to take.

I am excited to travel, but nervous about all of the pieces pulling together.  Due to the volcanic activity in Chile, in the past few days many flights have been canceled that were heading into Montevideo.  I called the airline company today and was happy to hear that the flights are up and running again.  I still can’t help but worry… “What if I can’t fly in?” or since my last leg of the flights is from Brazil to Uruguay, “What if I am stuck in Brazil with no visa to enter the country?”

As I prepare for the trip, I constantly remember items that I am forgetting.  This causes some worry, but in the end, as long as I have my passport and toothbrush I can handle the rest!  It is hard to mentally prepare to go to winter when the sun is shining and it is 85 degrees out.  Luckily, all of the clothes that are going are not currently in use, so I do not have to worry about wanting to wear them now. 

The idea that I was leaving soon did not hit until I received the information for my host family.  The house is close to the school and the city center.  The information sheet stated that she has plenty of time to talk with the students and loves to cook.  This works out perfectly because I want to improve my speaking and I love to eat.

I read a travel guide for Uruguay (the only one available on the internet that was specific to Uruguay) and every location sounds exciting.  I can’t wait to begin exploring.  I thoroughly enjoy study abroad experiences because it is a sensory overload of new information, events, experiences, etc. and when I lay down at night my brain is tired from all of the excitement.  Hopefully, since Uruguay is off the beaten path for English speaking tourists, I will have plenty of learning opportunities in Spanish.

Until my arrival,
Renee

Read all of Renee's blogs from Montevideo

Find out more about our Montevideo Spanish school

Meet Renee S., Fundraising participant who will study Spanish in Uruguay

What is your background?
Age 26, masters degree, Virginia

Which languages do you speak or have studied?

What is your name?
Ellie Bridgwood

What is your background?
I’m 26 and I’m from England. I have been living in Uruguay for nearly two years. I’m a graduate of English language and literature, and I have worked as an English teacher in England and in Uruguay.

Do you travel abroad often?
Living in another country is a lot like travelling abroad! I have been lucky enough to visit lots of different parts of Uruguay in my time here, as well as parts of neighboring Argentina.

Have you studied abroad?
Yes, I learned Spanish at language schools in Argentina and Uruguay.

Which languages do you speak or have studied?
I speak English and Spanish, and now I’m starting to learn Portuguese.

When did you start/join your organization?
I started as a student, when I took some Spanish classes at the school in Montevideo in 2009. Then I was offered the job of school administrator and I have been working here for about a year.

What is your job or function at the organization?
My main role is being a constant point of contact for current and potential students. I’m there when people have questions or doubts about the Spanish courses, accommodation, public transport, or free-time activities. I also take care of the day-to-day administration, preparing bills, updating our website and keeping students informed of their timetables.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
I enjoy meeting people from around the world, because each one has different reasons for coming to this little country and for learning Spanish. I also love Uruguay, so I enjoy having the opportunity to help our students enjoy their time in this beautiful and peaceful country.

Tell us one of your biggest mistakes in your job, studying/teaching a language and/or traveling abroad?
Before I came here, I planned to travel around lots of South American countries, but I liked Argentina and Uruguay so much that I ended up staying here! It’s not really a mistake, because I feel I’ve discovered a great corner of the world, but I still have a long list of countries I hope to have the chance to visit one day.

Can you tell us about your school's philosophy, specialty and/or why you think it is special?
One of the reasons that this school is so special is its location: we’re in a capital city, with great culture and nightlife, but we’re in a residential neighbourhood close to the centre, so it’s safe and peaceful with a real sense of community. We are also just a short walk from the beach, which is perfect for a quick swim after work or class.

Any thing else?
Perhaps some advice to potential participants, teachers, school owners or travelers to your country or city: I would advise potential participants to remember that you’ll learn a lot of Spanish in the classroom, but you learn plenty out of class too, just by being in the country! So get out there, chat to local people, join dance or sports classes, talk to vendors in the street markets… anything, just to take advantage of being among chilled-out and welcoming people who will appreciate your efforts to speak their language and get to know their country. Learning a language is an investment, as many employers value it very highly, but I think we learn best when we’re relaxed and having fun.

Check out AmeriSpan's school in Montevideo, Uruguay

What is your background?
I’m from the Netherlands, 43 years old, married to a Uruguayan and we have two daughters. We moved to Uruguay 3 years ago.

Do you travel abroad often?
I used to, but not right now

Have you studied abroad?
After finishing my studies (administration) in Holland, I have done many courses in tourism in different countries. Working with languages and in tourism has always been interesting for me and I still enjoy it very much.

Which languages do you speak or have studied?
I speak Dutch, English, Spanish, German, French and I’m learning Portuguese.

How and why did you get into the Study Abroad market?
I was working in Spain as a tour guide when the company decided to send me to another country. I refused (as I had just met my current Uruguayan husband) and had to look for something else. I applied for a job at a language school in Malaga where I had been working for a few years, then moved to Nerja where I also worked at a language school for a few years and after giving birth to our first daughter, my husband and I decided to start our own language school in a village called La Herradura in Southern Spain. That’s where the name of the school comes from.

When did you start/join your organization?
We started the school in Spain in 1997 and the school in Uruguay in 2002.

What is your job or function at the organization?
I’m the owner / director

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
The variety and the contact with the students. It is wonderful to observe how they enjoy themselves while learning or improving a new language. It also is very nice to see how students of different nationalities and ages get on well together.

Was there a person, group of people or organization that was instrumental in your success?
No, I don’t  think so.  The most important for me is the personal attention towards the students, in offering them your time and listen to their suggestions, or complaints helps us to keep improving. Good teachers, accommodation and a variety of activities and excursions are also essential.

Tell us one of your biggest challenges in starting your organization.
Opening a business in another country, first in Spain and afterwards in Uruguay has been and still is a challenge. Different rules, “bureaucracy” and the slow work rhythm can make working in Uruguay very difficult. As long as you explain this to the students so they understand, it doesn’t cause any problem though.

Tell us one of your biggest mistakes in your job, studying/teaching a language and/or traveling abroad.
The webmaster, who worked with us for some years, couldn’t continue and we didn’t really bother to find a substitute. When we realized, we employed a web designer who did a great job and the page looked wonderful, but the SEO job wasn’t done….no more explanations are necessary…

This was a good lesson!

How did you and AmeriSpan begin working together?
I received a phone call from one of your assistants, a Dutch lady and this was the start of a very good cooperation. It is a pleasure working with you.

Can you tell us about your schools philosophy, specialty and/or why you think it is special?
The personal contact with the students, giving good and reliable information and always be there when they need you.

Any thing else? Perhaps some advice to potential participants, teachers, school owners or travelers to your country or city.

-Potential students: give us the feed back in time, if there is anything you don’t like about the program, let us know, so we can improve and make changes.
-Teachers: if you notice that a student should not be in the group he/she is, you should inform the administration, or talk with the student directly.
-School owners: the opinion of every single student will help you to keep your business going and have satisfied students who will recommend your school

Check out AmeriSpan's school in Montevideo, Uruguay

By Angela B., AmeriSpan Delegate, studying Spanish in Uruguay

Ok, so we went to Buenos Aires….excelente!!!!  It was me, another kid from the states and 2 Brazilians.   This city is absolutely amazing!! We had soooo much fun and we stayed in a hostel downtown.  We hung out with people from literally all over the world…Italy, Spain and Chile, Argentina.  We walked all over the city and went to some great bars and restaurants.  This city has so much to offer, it's very historical and if you ike to party: everybody stays  out until all hours of the night, in other workds…the city never sleeps!!  We went to this great barrio called "la boca" it is so cool, it's known for the Tango.  It's super colorful, artsy and musical. I definitely recommend going to Argentina!

My last week in Montevideo, went so fast!  For my last week, I spent time hanging out with all of the nice people that I met, while I was there.  We went to couchsurfing meetings every Thursday and got a chance to really meet some cool people from all over, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, USA, canada, Europe…it's a great way to network.  I also ate alot of food.  The everyday food in Uruguay is OK, nothing spectacular, a lot of meat, potatoes, veggies, but they have this sandwich called a Chivito.  It's huge!!  it's a piece of steak, cut thin and grilled, ham, cheese, egg, lettuce, tomato, and all "gustos" you can handle.  AMAZING!! We went to the place called chivitos, Marcos..I guess they are like famous or something, needless to say, they were muuuuy rico!!!!  Uruguay is also known for these to die for little sweets called bizcocho, they are DELICIOUS!!!! It's a little pastry filled with just about anything but the ones filled  with chocolate or dulce de leche are sooooo yummy!!! I ate enough for a whole lifetime my last week, because I knew I wouldn't have another one for a long time!!!  I definitely recomend those foods, they are incredible!!

 It was sad to leave everyone at the school, my new friends and my family, they were all so great, but now I just have another place to visit for vacation!  And I recommend everyone check it out too!!!

 Thank you AMERISPAN!!!!

Click for more information on AmeriSpan's Spanish school in Uruguay.

Click for more information on how to become an AmeriSpan Delegate.

Read all of Angela's blogs from Uruguay.