While in Spain - Take Language Courses
By: Jill Arcaro-Gordon
Posted on: Spain, While you're there
Language Courses
If you are serious about learning Spanish, try one of the private language schools where you are placed to your level and you will learn grammar and practice speaking in a small class (4 to 10 students) with a minimum number of holidays. All the experts recommend the intensive language courses. This means 4 hours of classes daily for a period of 2 weeks, minimum. The logic behind it is that it will give you a boost of confidence and a vocabulary basis to build on.
The classes are comprised of Europeans students which is a great way to meet people. There are often arranged excursions and other activities, like Thursday night discos, which are cheap and a compliment to the strictly academic.
Sign up for an interchange with a Spanish speaker. Arrange for more than one so that if you don't hit it off with one of them you'll have someone else.
Greetings
Spaniards are big on greetings and farewells. They place a lot of emphasis on physical contact. When men greet men, they shake hands, when men greet women or vice versa, they apply a light kiss on both sides of the person's face. Conversations occur at a much closer physical distance than you might be accustomed to and it is considered rude to step back.
Catalan language
Catalan is its own language and therefore it is incorrect to say to Catalans that it is a dialect of Spanish. Some feel so strongly about their identity that they don't consider themselves Spaniards.
Body Language
It is considered bad manners to point with your finger.
In store lines
Expect to encounter very informal lines with people pushing their way to the front. Many times, a person will enter the shop where there is a crowd and say, "¿Quien es la última?", they want to know who is the last in line and you need to say, "Yo" (me).
Compiled by Jill Arcaro, using feedback from the participants in BEST Language Services
Work- Study and Study- Intern Programs in Spain
This is a collaborative effort.
More language schools can be found in GoAbroad.com's Spanish Language Study Programs in Spain.
photo by: 2dmanjon
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