Recommendations on Language Courses?

[peregrina2000]

A Camino pal of mine is hoping to return to Spain for a 2-4 week language course. The choices are overwhelming, and he was hoping that someone on the forum would have specific recommendations. He would like to be in a coastal place, daily lessons, not sure what other features he should pay attention to.

I have tried searching on the forum, because I know there have been posts on this. I have been unable to focus in on the precise question he has asked, so I am hoping someone will have recommendations. Many thanks, buen camino, Laurie

 

[Sparrow in Texas]

Last year I took a two week course at Don Quijote in Salamanca. I choose to stay in a residencia. What I liked was being in one city for longer than just a day or two which allowed me to become more familiar with the sights and comfortable with how to function in that city. I was in class for 5 hours a day ( next time I will do just 4 hours a day) switched among three teachers. I liked being able to ask my specific questions in class. I believe that Don Quijote is "affiliated" (right now I do not know of a better word) with Exforex, but I do not know how they differ even though they have schools in the same cities.

So, while I am not answering your specific questions, I would be interested in the replies. I am considering two weeks in Granada come spring.

 

[Former member 49149]

I know that Phil W has spent time in Spain learning/improving his Spanish, perhaps you might pm him in case he is not on the forum at the moment...

 

[alexwalker]

@peregrina2000 : Easy. www.enforex.com 4-5 hours/day, depending on your wish, Monday-Friday. Intensive and very educational. Professional and friendly. I can now survive in Spain and even have fun with the locals, in Spanish.

I took a 4-week course in Alicante; it gave me A1 skill. A1-A2-B1-B2-C1-C2 is the ladder of language skill. So as you can understand, my Spanish is just basic, but it is surprising how well i can manage getting around now. Directions, politeness, questions, dialogues, and so much more.

I stayed private, arranged by the school. Total cost for school+accomodation with half board: ca. 1.300 Euros for the whole deal. A bargain.

Edit: Alicante is a not too big city, but still a city, by the sea on the south-east coast of Spain. A very long, popular beach with all you need. Great climate and facilities. A very nice place, popular amongst Scandinavians, but of course, during a longer stay, you'll blend in with the locals in a positive way. The advantage of letting the school find you a place to stay (they have a selected group of places/families), is that you will be forced to speak Spanish also after school time. It really enhances your skills rapidly. And you get to eat exactly as the locals. A value in itself.

OTOH: They have schools in many places in Spain, Latin- and South America, so it's all up to your friend to pick.

 

[alexwalker]

I am considering two weeks in Granada come spring.

To my knowledge, www.enforex.com has a school in Granada too.

Edit: He, he, I know I sound like a sales person here. But the fact is, I was so surprised with their professionality and friendliness, as well as how they pressed my learning curve. It was also great being part of a Spanish household, living & eating like a Spaniard. I feel so much more confident in Spain now. All for a very affordable price. It was a very rewarding month, in all aspects.

 

[amocatnerak]

A few years ago I took a two-week French language course in Paris. I booked with CESA languages and I know they offer a lot of options for courses in different cities all over the world. I wouldn’t hesitate to book with them again. I loved staying in my French host’s home. It was a great experience.

 

[peregrina2000]

@peregrina2000 : Easy. www.enforex.com 4-5 hours/day, depending on your wish, Monday-Friday. Intensive and very educational. Professional and friendly. I can now survive in Spain and even have fun with the locals, in Spanish.

I took a 4-week course in Alicante; it gave me A1 skill. A1-A2-B1-B2-C1-C2 is the ladder of language skill. So as you can understand, my Spanish is just basic, but it is surprising how well i can manage getting around now. Directions, politeness, questions, dialogues, and so much more.

I stayed private, arranged by the school. Total cost for school+accomodation with half board: ca. 1.300 Euros for the whole deal. A bargain.

Edit: Alicante is a not too big city, but still a city, by the sea on the south-east coast of Spain. A very long, popular beach with all you need. Great climate and facilities. A very nice place, popular amongst Scandinavians, but of course, during a longer stay, you'll blend in with the locals in a positive way. The advantage of letting the school find you a place to stay (they have a selected group of places/families), is that you will be forced to speak Spanish also after school time. It really enhances your skills rapidly. And you get to eat exactly as the locals. A value in itself.

OTOH: They have schools in many places in Spain, Latin- and South America, so it's all up to your friend to pick.

Great suggestion, thanks. And the added bonus is that since I hope he will join me as I start from Alicante on the Lana next year, this would be a great destination!

 

[alexwalker]

Great suggestion, thanks. And the added bonus is that since I hope he will join me as I start from Alicante on the Lana next year, this would be a great destination!

!!! GREAT!

The way out of Alicante is nice and easy: I have walked the first 2-3 hours. Very well marked. The Camino friends office is on the route out, just after you pass the railway station.This Camino is definitely on my bucket list.

Alicante is a very nice place: Plan to stay there and enjoy/relax for 3-4 days before starting out. The castle on the hillltop over the city is well worth a visit. I advice to take the lift up and walk down.

Santa Bárbara Castle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

castle alicante - Google Search

www.google.com

Buen Camino!

 

[alexwalker]

Great suggestion, thanks. And the added bonus is that since I hope he will join me as I start from Alicante on the Lana next year, this would be a great destination!

Ask your friend to study this veery carefully: It is a very good bargain.

 

[IngridF]

Thank you Alex for the detailed description. I have eyed Salamanca but also Alicante... almost signed up this year.

 

[Carolethecatlover]

Whatever language you study, staying with a family, eating demi-pension is a must, it doubles the value of your language learning. 4 or 5 hours a day in class 5 days a week and usually there are classes in something else, like cooking or dancing or archeology...worth the bit extra.

 

[thepacman]

Hi folks,

I have looked at enrolling in a 4/5-week intensive programme for a little while now, and had researched Don Quixote, the University of Salamanca, and a couple of others. The Enforex offering does look similar to Don Quixote, as others have said, and it's good to have @alexwalker's recommendation. Like you, my interest also lies in taking the homestay option. I would probably study in Salamanca and then head south to Sevilla to start the VDLP. Even though I have been studying on and off for years, my current Spanish is probably still at the A1 level, in part because I just don't practice enough, and in part because the old brain has difficulty retaining very new and different knowledge.

Which brings me to a question of @alexwalker or anyone else who has done such a course. All the brochures and websites focus on bright young things in their 20s and 30s having fun (oh, and learning Spanish). I'm in my late 60s. In your view do the courses and teachers accommodate an older person? (I see that they do also offer 50+ courses, but these seem very restricted in terms of timings, and I'm not drawn to that structure.)

Thanks in advance ...

 

[Sparrow in Texas]

Hello pac1952 and anyone else,
Two years ago at the bright young age of 65 I enrolled for two weeks in a Don Quijote course in Salamanca. Being stubbornly independent I stayed in a residencia. I was at the 1B level mainly because I am a lazy student, as someone once said, I was one of the unsung heros who made the upper half of the class possible. It was an opportunity to ask all my stupid questions, prowl a beautiful city, and practice functioning in an everyday non-pilgrim way. I believe that Don Quijote and Enforex, someone please correct me if I am wrong, are two "brands" under the same corporation. My instructor was a Spanish woman who writes cowboy novels.

Currently I am doing an online course from 1001 Ways to Learn Spanish - Espanol Con Juan. The course is Colloquial Spanish. I tell people that during Covid I am learning how to swear in Spanish, well not really but there are a few words included as part of the vocabulary. I am enjoying this course tremendously. Juan speaks slow enough to follow and repeats often enough to let the language soak into your brain. I highly recommend this course, and at a price you can afford. He also has lots of videos on YouTube.

Yes there were bright young things at Don Quijote in Salamanca along with a few of us cool older people, but they included me is some of their socializing, after all I was cool enough to be off to walk the Aragones solo after my two weeks.

 

[peregrino99]

I can recommend UIMP (Universidad Internacional Melendez Pelayo) Santander campus. On the coast and el Norte.

 

[alexwalker]

Hi folks,

I have looked at enrolling in a 4/5-week intensive programme for a little while now, and had researched Don Quixote, the University of Salamanca, and a couple of others. The Enforex offering does look similar to Don Quixote, as others have said, and it's good to have @alexwalker's recommendation. Like you, my interest also lies in taking the homestay option. I would probably study in Salamanca and then head south to Sevilla to start the VDLP. Even though I have been studying on and off for years, my current Spanish is probably still at the A1 level, in part because I just don't practice enough, and in part because the old brain has difficulty retaining very new and different knowledge.

Which brings me to a question of @alexwalker or anyone else who has done such a course. All the brochures and websites focus on bright young things in their 20s and 30s having fun (oh, and learning Spanish). I'm in my late 60s. In your view do the courses and teachers accommodate an older person? (I see that they do also offer 50+ courses, but these seem very restricted in terms of timings, and I'm not drawn to that structure.)

Thanks in advance ...

I was 62 at the time. Many young people and a few older than me. All were accepted as a group, so it was nice.

 

[OZAJ]

I spent 4 weeks here in 2008, starting from scratch:

Carmen de las Cuevas School

We are a Center accredited by the Cervantes Institute with more than 40 years of experience. We offer unforgettable experiences through teaching.

www.carmencuevas.com

They teach Spanish language but the principal focus is flamenco. The school is in an attractive location in the Albaicin, Granada. The photos on the website are not enhanced, it really is that good.

The Spanish I learned during these 4 weeks enabled me to survive the Camino Mozarabe/VdlP/Sanabres.

I returned in 2009 for another 4 weeks. There are probably better language courses, but this school gave me what I needed at a reasonable cost (I stayed in their accommodation) and was most enjoyable.