Study Abroad Blog

Study Abroad Spain: Homestay in Sevilla

By Kris B., Guest Blogger from Sevilla, Granada and Barcelona, Spain

As I headed for Sevilla, where I was planning to stay for three weeks, I was a little nervous. Initially I had chosen an apartment stay, but had changed to a homestay as an afterthought, as I thought that it would provide me a chance to interact with a family and make the immersion experience more authentic. However as a person who is not exactly an extrovert, I was worried that the experience might not work out as planned. I was not sure what to expect. What if I did not like the family or vice versa and I was stuck with them?

Top 5 Reasons to Volunteer in India

 1. Variety, variety, variety. Experience medical projects in small clinics of Jaipur, orphanages and day care centers, women empowerment programs teaching sewing and computers to adolescents and housewives, domestic violence shelters, environment projects working with sea turtles on the beautiful beaches of Goa or volunteer at a school for children of local fisherman families. You name it, India’s volunteer program has something for everyone; challenge yourself in one of our amazing projects while making an impact. 

2. Visit a country with little language barrier. English, while it’s not India’s official language, is widely spoken and written on many street signs, restaurant menus, etc. This makes for an easy adjustment into a new, very different culture. Where English is not widely spoken, like in the volunteer project sites, you have the opportunity gain experience teaching ESL, which helps locals become more valuable in India’s job market. It also gives you some teaching experience to add to your resume.  

Study Abroad Spain: An International New Year’s Eve

By Kris B., Guest Blogger from Sevilla, Granada and Barcelona, Spain

I have traveled to Spain before on business, but this time it was different. I was unemployed and on a budget, but the flip side was that I was the master of my own schedule and had the luxury of time. I decided to fly into Madrid, spend a few days there before heading to Sevilla where I would start my Spanish study. I was landing on 31st evening in Madrid and looked forward to spending New Year’s Eve the traditional Madrid way; in Puerta del Sol with everybody else, eating a grape with each strike of the clock and ushering in the New Year. I was looking forward to an interesting international experience.

French Songs & Bands

So with all the buzz regarding Phoenix, a French band, we decided it is a good time to list some of our favorite French Bands and songs. Feel free to send us your comments and suggestions. Some of these aren't available for MP3 download so if you like the song, you'll need to buy a CD or get creative. 

Volunteer & Internship Update & Catalog Updated

We have updated our Volunteer/Intern Catalog and sent a update to volunteer/Intern subscribers. Also, we have a handy 3 page 2010 Fees & Dates for the Volunteer & Internship programs.

If you aren't subscribed to the Volunteer & Internship update list, go here: www.amerispan.com/newsletter.asp

Guatemala Volunteer Opportunity

by Alexa Boyce, AmeriSpan Director of Volunteer/Internship Programs

When I was in Guatemala a couple of years ago, I was lucky enough to visit one of the community day care centers in Antigua where we send dozens of volunteers each year. There were about 25 children and two teachers on a playground with an indoor/outdoor classroom setting. The kids were small, generally aged about 5-7.

I walked in with the volunteer coordinator, and noticed that the children were playing independently while the two teachers fixed a healthy lunch. Several of the children immediately ran up to me and wanted to play, hug me, touch my hair or generally get attention. I recognized that they probably don’t get much individual attention at home or in the day care.

Spain on My Mind

by Wanda Mann, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of The Black Dress Traveler

 As a little girl growing up in New York City I would pretend that I could speak Spanish and spent countless hours prancing around the house like a flamenco dancer. Surely, my Southern born parents must have found my fixation on a language that was not spoken by a single person in my family a bit strange. In elementary and middle school I was able to learn a few words of Spanish from my friends but my daydreams were still filled with visions of Spanish castles and handsome bullfighters set to a score by Andrés Segovia. Corny, perhaps, but the truth.

Homestay & Spanish Classes, Samara Costa Rica

By Joey F., Guest Video Blogger: Heredia & Samara Beach, Costa Rica

Watch a video of our guest blogger, Joey F., at his new homestay in Samara Beach, Costa Rica, go with him on his bike ride to school, and see AmeriSpan's Spanish school in Samara Beach, Costa Rica. Click for more information about studying abroad in Costa Rica.

New Online Newsletter

Our January 2010 online newsletter has been sent.  If you didn't receive it, go here: www.amerispan.com/newsletters.  Subscribe here.

Spanish DELE Exam Prep Courses

Spanish Dele Exam preparation courses are available. The DELE (Diploma de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera,) or “Spanish as a Foreign Language Diploma,” is the only certificate for non-native Spanish-speakers that is officially recognized worldwide as proof of Spanish skills. Anyone taking a long tern Spanish immersion course should consider sitting for the exam. It can be taken at multiple levels from elementary level to superior proficiency. The best way to prepare for the exam is with one of AmeriSpan’s DELE Exam Preparation courses in Spain, Mexico, or Costa Rica. 

AmeriSpan offers preparation courses for the DELE Exam through our Spanish schools in Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, and Sevilla, Spain, as well as at our schools in Guanajuato, Mexico and Coronado, Costa Rica. Courses can be taken for anywhere from 2 – 8 weeks, depending on the exam level and location. The program dates coincide with the official exam date so that students are at their most prepared. The prep courses will reinforce the necessary skills to perform well in every exam section: grammar-vocabulary, reading, writing, listening and speaking. 

Study Abroad Spain: The Urge for a Foreign Language

By Kris B., Guest Blogger from Sevilla, Granada and Barcelona, Spain

I have always been fascinated by the idea traveling and have spent the initial part of my life dreaming about it and then the latter part of it actually having it come true. It’s an addiction and no matter how much I travel, it never seems to be enough. However, it is one thing to go for a vacation and completely another thing to really travel. A vacation is just a temporary break from our regular life, with an emphasis on leisure and entertainment. Traveling, on the other hand, means letting go of all our comfort zones, our embedded habits and ingrained prejudices; it means stepping out of our cocoons and opening our mind and heart to new perspectives about the world and ourselves. Real traveling requires interaction with people, the society and its culture. Otherwise, in my experience, we come back feeling that we have not been able to breach an imaginary wall between the place and ourselves. We remain an outsider.