Study Abroad Programs Blog

Come to Venezuela, learn Spanish and discover the Amazon forest

A BIT ABOUT THE COUNTRY…

• Language

Although Venezuela is mainly monolingual, there are approximately thirty other languages spoken in the country. Immigrants speak their own languages and there are large communities of Portuguese and German people too. English is the most widely spoken foreign language and there are a number of private Italian institutions. Other languages spoken my large areas of people are Chinese and Galician.

• Miss Venezuela

Dayana Mendoza won the title of Miss Venezuela 2007 and Miss Universe 2008. Mendoza had to outshine 27 other contestants in order to win Miss Venezuela on the 13^th September 2007 and on the 13^th July 2008, she was crowned Miss Universe at a pageant in Vietnam. Mendoza was the first Venezuelan woman to win the pageant since Alicia Machado in 1996. The 2007 winner crowned Miss Mendoza with a tiara, $120,000 worth of prize money, world travel, a luxury New York City apartment and a lot of designer dresses, shoes and beauty products. Mendoza was a contestant on the 2012 season of Celebrity Apprentice.

• Biodiversity

Venezuela is one of 17 Mega Diverse Countries. These are a group of countries considered to be extremely bio-diverse since they accommodate most of the world’s species. Venezuelan animals include anteaters and jaguars, dolphins and crocodiles. The latter have been reported to reach up to 22 feet in length (that’s almost 7 meters!) Venezuela is home to almost 1500 different species of bird including kingfishers and ospreys (fish-eating birds of prey).

WHY STUDY SPANISH IN VENEZUELA?

Over the years, Venezuela has transformed into a popular learning destination and it’s hardly surprising… with its lively, spirited people, beautiful scenery and delicious food – what’s not to like about this country? If you are interested in studying in South America, then you should know that Venezuela offers some of the lowest accommodation and course fees on the continent.

Venezuela attracts tourists from Germany, Italy, Spain and North America with its year-round tropical climate. Approximately half of the country is covered by rainforest. Venezuela has numerous paradisiacal islands located along its coastline. Additionally, the country boasts 35 National Parks and Angel Falls (the highest waterfall in the world).

CARACAS

Santiago de León de Caracas in Venezuela was founded in the 16^th century. Surrounded by forested uplands, the city of Caracas is located under the Avila (a 7800 foot mountain). The Humboldt Hotel is located on top of the Avila and can be reached by cable car. This is a popular activity for tourists because of the stunning views from the top and the cool breeze offered by the swift ride. If you’re the adventurous type, then you can dedicate 3 or 4 hours to climbing up the mountain and then return by cable car. Caracas is the largest, most highly populated zone in Venezuela. Additionally, it is the capital city with many restaurants, theatres, museums and shopping centers. In Caracas, the majority of the city revolves around the Plaza Bolivar, named after Simon Bolivar, a Venezuelan military and political leader.

The major airport of all Venezuela is located in Caracas. The airport is named after Simon Bolivar and offers the only route into Venezuela from abroad. The rest of Venezuela is connected by buses and trains. No trip to Caracas would be complete without sampling the local cuisine. The capital city of Venezuela is famous for a savory snack called Reina Pepiada which consists of a corn meal bun filled with avocado, chicken, mayonnaise and spring onions. Pabellon Criollo is another Caracas classic. It comprises a plate of shredded beef with a fried egg on top, served with white rice and a black bean stew.

Feel at home learning Spanish in San Juan

Amerispan is offering you the once in a lifetime opportunity to study Spanish in San Juan, the second oldest city in the Americas and the capital city of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a small Caribbean island (only 100 miles long by 35 miles wide), characterized by sparkling white, sandy beaches, tropical rainforests and long coastal plains. Puerto Rico’s four major exports are coffee, sugar, tobacco and tropical fruits. Of all the economies in Latin America, Puerto Rico’s is the most stable. San Juan’s tourism industry is booming as a result of, beautiful beaches, a vibrant array of nightlife and entertainment choices and an average annual temperature of 26°C.

The Spanish School in San Juan is located in the business district of Hato Rey. The school is air-conditioned throughout with a computer room and free Wi-Fi access. There are bus stops and train stations within a short-walking distance of the school so downtown San Juan is easily accessible. The school is situated within close-proximity to a warm sandy beach, the perfect place to watch a sunset with new friends.

Class size never exceeds 8 students per teacher to enable a personal learning experience. Teachers are native speakers and experienced in the field of teaching Spanish as a foreign language. There is 3 hours worth of classes each day, so students have plenty of free time to explore the magnificent and unique island of Puerto Rico. The school organizes a guided tour of the city to enable the new arrivals to familiarize themselves with essential amenities such as supermarkets, restaurants, banks, doctors etc. The school also organizes activities for the students to get to know each other, a great opportunity to make friends from other cultures. Optional added extras include: a pick-up service from San Juan International Airport, one-to-one language lessons and weekend breaks to places of interest. 

Students have the option to stay with a host family. This is by far the best way to immerse oneself in the Puerto Rican language and culture. You'll experience the wonderful array of food, music, and family customs. Students who choose this option will have a private bedroom and shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Puerto Rico is one of the most densely populated islands in the world and one-third of the population is concentrated in the San Juan area. Puerto Ricans speak using hand gestures and facial expressions. This is useful for foreign language students who may have trouble understanding spoken Spanish when they first arrive. Puerto Ricans are renowned for being friendly, warm-natured people. They are famous for their hospitality and make visitors feel at home.

St. Petersburg in the summertime

Summer is a lovely time to visit St. Petersburg in Russia. Some people call it the “Venice of the North” due to its network of canals. Arguably, the best time to visit is in May/June before the tourists start pouring in. Besides being busy, the months of July and August tend to be the wettest. Having said that, the weather in St Petersburg tends to be varied, combining elements from all four seasons: even in May/June, many wise locals still carry their umbrellas. Don’t let the temperamental weather put you off though, St Petersburg is home to the Hermitage, the oldest and largest museum in the world, which is a great rainy day activity. Its complete art collection (comprised of 3 million pieces) is displayed in a number of historic buildings along the river including the Winter Palace, a former home of the emperors of Russia.

The city maintains a certain level of humidity at all times due to its location on the Baltic Sea. High winds are not uncommon either. Not to worry though: the warmth of the St Petersburg people more than makes up for the lukewarm temperatures outside. On another positive note, a day in St Petersburg during the summertime is virtually everlasting as night hardly falls. During the seemingly ceaseless days, known locally as White Nights, a warm glow transcends upon the city energizing the people with a zeal and zest for life. The White Nights festival is renowned as one of the best classical music festivals in the world. If you are among the millions of people worldwide who suffer from the “winter blues”, a trip to St Petersburg may be just what the doctor ordered.

Although experts are not sure what the causes of the disorder are, they believe that a lack of sunlight has something to do with it. Insufficient sunshine has been scientifically proven to reduce serotonin levels in the brain, a chemical thought to be a contributor to feelings of happiness and well-being. If you are planning a visit to St Petersburg in the summertime, it is necessary to book flights and accommodation in advance given that this is by far the busiest time of year tourist-wise. Plenty of low-priced activities such as picnicking in the park or engaging in a white night walk mean that St Petersburg isn’t an expensive place to visit. However, as mentioned above, the months of July and August can be extremely busy. Therefore, if you are hoping to take part in some slightly more sophisticated activity such as the ballet at Mariinsky Theatre or a guided tour of the Hermitage, you must be prepared to deal with crowds. 

Spring or autumn would be the optimum time to visit for culturally minded visitors given that most museums close from the end of June onwards. As cultural season draws to a close, the festival season begins with the White Nights festival running from May to June. The International Music Olympus Festival takes place simultaneously, providing young musicians with unique opportunities to perform alongside big name bands and artists. The famous Peterhof fountains, comprised of over 200 bronze statues, are turned on at the beginning of June. They are one of St Petersburg’s main tourist attractions, drawing millions of visitors annually. At the end of July, there is nothing of particular interest going on since the majority of the locals tend to leave for their holidays. It may be advised to dress conservatively when visiting St Petersburg in the summertime, avoiding shorts and skimpy t-shirts. If not, you will a) be eaten alive by mosquitoes and b) mark yourself out as a tourist.

The growth of Spanish Language in America

More than 400 million people in 21 different countries in the world speak Spanish – that’s more than any other Latin language. Despite the fact that pronunciation varies somewhat between countries and regions, the differences are not so significant as to make the language incomprehensible. People in the know anticipate that there will be 530 million Spanish speakers by 2050 – 100 million of which will be living in the U.S. Currently, there are more Spanish speakers in the U.S. than Chinese speakers.

Recently, the Latino population has grown to encompass more of the country making it the largest minority group in the U.S. Spanish is not a foreign language anymore; it's the second language of the United States. The demand for having communications and documents in Spanish is growing at an alarming rate. It's becoming impossible to ignore the expansion of the Spanish language in the U.S. with ATM’s offering instructions in Spanish and even the phone book coming with a Spanish insert.

Spanish-speaking employees are in demand because they offer companies unique growth opportunities. If you have Spanish on your curriculum vitae you will have more job opportunities than your monolingual counterpart. Spanish is becoming a bigger part of everyday life so that it is a necessity these days rather than a “nice to know”. Not only have Latinos become an influential group with regards to buying power; but the U.S. Latino vote can shift the results of a presidential election.

Spanish is becoming increasingly important in terms of business and politics. Learning Spanish will allow you to converse with Spanish speaking colleagues and/or employees. Furthermore, you will be empowered to offer your product or service to 400 million Spanish-speakers worldwide.

Diversity has a name - Spanish language

We’ve already heard it a million times before...and it´s true: Spanish is one of the most important languages in the world and it’s even on its way to be as well the most spoken language worldwide. In consideration of these facts, we are constrained to become aware of the diversity of the Spanish language, which is the mother-tongue of around 370 million inhabitants of almost all Latin American countries, Spain, the Caribbean islands and some parts of Africa.

If we regard the situation in Spain, we soon discover the huge range of predominant language varieties in this country. Beside the official language, el castellano or español, there actually exist 5 further co-official languages spoken in some of the Spanish autonomous communities. Hence, bilingualism is considered as normal and common practice of everyday life in some parts of Spain.

Taking on the other hand a look at the diversity concerning the Spanish language spoken in Latin America, it seems like entering in a new world of different conventional expressions in Spanish, vocalisms and phrases. The Latin American Spanish derives from the Spanish conqueror’s language, spread among the citizens of the so called “New World” from the 15th century onwards. Due to this influence, the Spanish language evolved in different ways, according to the cultural level of each Latin American region.

In general, we can distinguish between the linguistic features of the castellano spoken in Spain and the Spanish of Latin America. Especially in the field of translation it is usual to differentiate three types of Spanish language: Spanish of Spain, Spanish of Latin America and Neutral or Standard Spanish. Thus, the South Americans are rather used to the Indefinido to describe recent actions, while the Spaniards prefer the Pretérito Perfecto for this kind of purpose. In addition to the grammar facts, we notice a diversity regarding phonetic aspects, like accents and pronunciation of words. Furthermore, the vocabulary used in South America tends to be more archaistic than the Spanish in Spain, mostly due to the fact, that historical worlds were replaced by new expressions, which are more appropriate to the modern castellano of Spain.

Another significant difference between the two “Spanish Worlds” is the use of the 2^nd person plural (vosotros). This grammatical form doesn´t exist in Latin America and is therefore substituted by the 3^rd person plural (ustedes), without distinguishing between familiar and formal forms. Moreover, it’s very common in Latin America to use the so called voseo between family members (use of “vos” instead of “tu” and “ti”). As a consequence, it wouldn’t be surprising to hear a sentence like “vos te debés lavar mejor”.

In the presence of such diversity, it turns out to be really difficult for students to master the Spanish language and to know about all its particularities. The Spanish language school don Quijote offers Spanish classes in 12 cities all over Spain and disposes of several destinations in 10 Latin American countries. With don Quijote you’ll have the chance not only to increase your Spanish skills, but also to experience Spanish or Latin American culture and to get to know its tradition and lifestyle!

Watch the video: Qué difícil es hablar el español

New York Times: 36 Hours in San Sebastian

San Sebastian, home of AmeriSpan's San Sebastian Spanish school, is a secret getaway for many Europeans, but now tourists from North America are catching on! The New York Times is, of course, at the forefront of travel trends, and highlighted San Sebastian recently, in their feature entitled 36 Hours in San Sebastian.

Reflections on Coronado

By La' India S., a Teen Delegate participating in AmeriSpan's Coronado Independent Teen program

My experience in Costa Rica is ending. This is my third week and the opportunity to come to this country was more than words can describe. Today I went to a wonderful cafe with a friend that we adore. The food is great and the service is excellent. I had the best hot chocolate I ever tasted and we shared a dish. I can`t quite remember what the dish was called, but there are no words to described the delicious taste. It was asparragus wrapped in ham with cheese all over the top. On the side there were the best vegetables I ever tasted. A three year old that would not dare touch a piece of broccoli would love them! Afterwards, for dessert, we ordered and shared a strawberry crepe. It had ice cream and whipped topping with fresh strawberries. Again, delicious beyond compare. Here, in Costa Rica, they continue to surprise me with their foods. None of the foods that I have had so far had been what I expected and they are always amazing.We have already made plans to come back to Costa Rica in 3 years. Puerto Viejo and Coronado will be our first stops.

Meet the Student: Cusco Spanish School

Meet Craig T.Z., a student at AmeriSpan's Cusco Spanish School (Budget Friendly)

What is your background?
Ethnicity: American
Age: 21
Education: International School Bangkok, Thailand (2001-2008)
Binghamton University, New York (2008- )
Current Address: Wakefield, Rhode Island, USA  
Civil Status: Single

Preparations for Semana Santa

By Bradley R., guest blogger studying Spanish in Heredia and Samara Beach, two of AmeriSpan's most popular Costa Rica Spanish schools

To the best of my knowledge, every Spanish-speaking country is officially Catholic, and Costa Rica is no exception.  Unlike my experience in the United States, Latin countries celebrate Semana Santa, or Holy Week, as the most important event on the church’s calendar.  I have experienced Semana Santa in Spain a number of years back, so I have a vague idea of the processions and community events
to be expected.  This year, however, I am getting a more up close look at what is going on.

AmeriSpan's New Budget Spanish School in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Last week, we blogged about our fabulous new Spanish School in Cusco, Peru. This week, we invite you to discover our other new budget location - our Buenos Aires Spanish school!

The school's beautiful building boasts a great location and many sought after amenities, including large bay windows, free Wi-fi, a tango room, a lounge, cafe, full kitchen, and more - not to mention the truly brilliant and attentive faculty! One student loved his experience here so much, he used his multimedia expertise to make a "mini-documentary" about this school for future students!

Study Portuguese in Salvador

Considering studying Portuguese in Salvador? We don't blame you! For many people, Portguese study abroad in Salvador, Brazil is a rewarding experience in a truly unique location just buzzing with energy. Salvador's rich cultural offerings like museums and galleries, nightlife, and African-influenced food give the location an edge on other schools and will give you the experience of a lifetime!

 

The school, just 5 minutes from the beach, is a relaxing, quiet getaway with plenty of room to unwind and study. There are so many great things about this location, you'll never want to leave!

Check out more about AmeriSpan's Salvador Portuguese school