If I only had two weeks in Granada with Escuela Delengua I would…

Posted on 15/10/2014 by admin | Permalink 2

While some students study with us at Escuela Delengua for months at a time, many students come for much shorter periods during their holidays. With so much to do in Granada, here is a quick guide to what you could pack into 2 weeks:

On the first Monday of your intensive Spanish course it is really worth getting to know not just the students in your class, but also those in the rest of the school. For that reason our weekly Monday night tapas is the first thing I would recommend. Even if you have been to Granada before, you are sure to discover new bars and find out more about your fellow students over a beer or two.

Visiting the Alhambra is, of course, a must. This staggering piece of architecture is one of the most visited monuments in Spain and it’s not hard to see why. From the beautiful gardens and panoramic views of the city to the intricately decorated walls and ceilings, the Alhambra is visually stunning. At the same time its history is fascinating and provides an insight into the development of Granada. Check our activities page to see if we’re going this week.

 

learning Spanish and visiting Granada with Delengua

Students at Delengua enjoy visiting the Alhambra

The Sierra Nevada and the Costa Tropical are both within an hour’s drive from the centre of Granada. Our weekend activities often include a trip to either of these great places but also to cities such as Seville and Córdoba. Winter in the Sierra Nevada means it’s time to get your skis on while the summer means hiking through spectacular scenery! However if lying on the beach is more your thing then definitely head to the Costa Tropical…

Discover Granada's surroundings and learn Spanish at the same time

Delengua students take a break from hiking in the Sierra Nevada

A favourite activity among our students, which I too would recommend, is visiting one of the local cafes during the morning break for a coffee and tostada (a typical breakfast in Granada!). There really is nothing better than soaking in the sun while practicing your Spanish with new friends!

Granada is full of historical and cultural monuments and during activities here at Escuela Delengua we make the most of them! Whether it’s visiting the Cathedral, the Capilla Real, The Parque de las Ciencas or a Flamenco show, check out our activities page to see what we’re up to over the next week.

Everyone has their own aims when it comes to doing a Spanish course with Escuela Delengua in Granada. Some come to improve their Spanish with an intensive Spanish course whilst on holiday, others to prepare for their DELE examination or as part of a school or university group. Whatever your reason, in just two weeks you can experience the very best of Granada and the surrounding region.

The Cathedral seen from Plaza Nueva, 1 minute from Escuela Delengua

Great and monumental view from a San Jerónimo street whilst learning Spanish

For more information about Escuela Delengua, our activities and excursions like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

 

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actividades de la escuela / out-of-school activities, Cursos de español / Spanish courses, Granada, Los alrededores de Granada/ The surrounding area of Gra, Monumentos/ Monuments , , ,

History, Art, and the Spanish language in Granada with Escuela Delengua

Posted on 17/09/2014 by admin | Permalink 0

The Escuela Delengua in Granada does not only offer an intensive course made up of grammar and conversation; we have a wide variety of courses that help students to improve and perfect their Spanish within a specific field, be it Tourism, Law or Economics. One of Delenguás specific courses in particular helps students to gain a wider understanding of Spain as a country and its national identity: The course for Spanish and Latin American History and Art. If you are currently learning Spanish and are interested in broadening your knowledge of history and art, this course is ideal for you.

Escuela Delengua

The entrance to Delengua, in the heart of the Albaicín

In terms of history, Delengua’s specific course is split into two main sections: Spain and Latin America. Spain is a country that has been greatly influenced by different cultures throughout its history, and Delengua’s specific course looks at how Roman, Jewish and Muslim cultures have shaped the country we see today. The last of these is of particular importance in the city of Granada, where the imposing Alhambra reminds us daily of a Muslim culture that is still very much alive in the winding streets of the Albaicín (the quarter where the school is situated). Granada was also the last Muslim stronghold in Spain before they were driven out in 1492, adding to the historical importance of this city and making it the ideal place to study Spanish and history.

With regards to Latin America’s rich and varied history, the students of Delengua’s specific course will take a look at the great civilizations of the continent, such as the Incas or the Aztecs, as well as the more recent political turbulence of the 20th century.

As you learn about different periods of history with Delengua’s specific course, you will also learn about the art of these periods and analyse what relation they have to the social and political landscape in which they were painted. We will focus on Spanish masters, such as Velázquez and Goya, as well more modern painters, for example Picasso, Dalí or Miró.

Alhambra

Students at Delengua walk to the Alhambra

As well as improving your Spanish through the study of history and art in the classroom, Delengua’s specific course includes a number of visits around Granada, making your course much more interactive. There are many beautiful art galleries, as well as fantastic monuments such as the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel. And of course… there is the Alhambra, an impressive monument that provides a fascinating fusion between art and history.

If this course seems interesting to you, or you would like to know more about the courses we offer, visit our website or like us on Facebook.

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Activities at Delengua: different ways to improve your Spanish when taking an intensive course in Granada, Spain

Posted on 14/08/2014 by Delengua | Permalink 2

Although you have your Spanish classes in the morning when you take an intensive Spanish course at Escuela Delengua, the daily activities offering gives students an opportunity to improve their understanding in a fun, interesting and cultural environment. You find that each student has an activity that appeals to them the most. Therefore we are going to show you the different activities we offer…what appeals to you the most?

Each week, there will always be a visit to a site within Granada, as the city boasts some beautiful monuments such as its Cathedral, Sacromonte Abbey and of course, the Alhambra. A student here, Isabel regards it as “one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It looks so spectacular from el mirador de San Nicolas.” These expressive and historical buildings throughout Granada are talking points for students, which encourages lots of Spanish conversation!

 

Lets go visit Mirador San Nicolas with Delngua

Lets go visit Mirador San Nicolas with Delngua

 

“I loved the excursions!” says Simone, a former Delengua student. “It was a great activity to do during the weekends when we didn’t have class.” An excellent aspect of the activities program is getting to take part in the weekend excursions, as it gives you a chance to get to know other sites within the region of Andalusia, namely the beautiful cities of Córdoba and Seville. Additionally, we have our guide, Juan, who takes you to all the monuments and areas of interest during the excursion, giving a detailed historical background in Spanish. Many students are surprised that they can understand so much!

Film is part of the activities offering as a brilliant way to learn Spanish and to get used to Spanish conversation. We either watch films in the school or go out to the cinema to see the latest Spanish releases! “I have discovered Spanish cinema at the same time as improving my Spanish!” says Alex after completing her course.

Finally, probably the most popular activities are the leisure activities whether it is salsa, flamenco or even a game of pool! Nearly every student takes part in our tapas night every Monday. It gives us all the chance to practise our Spanish skills in a social and relaxed environment and to meet the new students. Furthermore, can anyone resist free tapas!

 

Actividad semanal:tapas

Weekly activity: on Monday we are going to taste Tapas and practise Spanish with Delengua

 

Whichever activities you participate in at Escuela Delengua, it is guaranteed you will find one that really suits you! We always encourage students to take photos of the activities and to upload them on our Facebook page because they are fond and unforgettable memories of their stay in Granada

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actividades de la escuela / out-of-school activities, Cursos de español / Spanish courses, Lugares míticos de Granada / Beautiful places in Granada, Monumentos/ Monuments , ,

A student experience: How an intensive Spanish course stands out from the crowd at Escuela Delengua in Granada, Spain!

Posted on 16/07/2014 by Delengua | Permalink 2

When it comes to studying a language, there is no doubt that the best place to learn it is the country where it’s spoken. Not only do you get the opportunity to fully immerse yourself into understanding the culture and the language, but above all, you get the chance to be able to speak it every day!

 

As a student studying Spanish at university, during the summer I wanted to spend the time to further improve my Spanish skills. After various recommendations, I travelled alone to Escuela Delengua to take an intensive 4 week course. I knew next to nothing about the city or the course content. Now, after completing my experience, I want to share with you why I think I studied at one of the best language schools in Spain:

 

Location:

From my experience, Granada has it all. It is an extremely historical city with world famous sites and monuments (namely the Alhambra). However it is also an extremely vibrant city, with an animated and exciting Spanish lifestyle. I loved the fact that I could experience both aspects of the city during my stay. The best thing was that Delengua was situated right at the heart of all the action! It resides in the Albayzín district, between the Cathedral with the city centre, and the Alhambra, so everything was accessible.

Furthermore, Granada as a city is not very expensive which meant my costs of living were kept relatively low during my stay (and admittedly, the free tapas helped with this a lot!).

El mirador de San Nicolas

Mirador de San Nicolas

 

Escuela Delengua

Escuela Delengua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accommodation:

Finding accommodation was a daunting prospect for me. However the school helped me out in this process by offering accommodation options: shared apartments or a stay with a Spanish family. All of the apartments were no more than 10 minutes walk from the school and were offered at competitive prices (which were ideal for a university student like myself!)

 

Cultural immersion:

Our classes at Delengua would take place in the morning which meant in the afternoon fellow students and I could devote our time to a variety of activities. This meant we could really experience everything that Granada has to offer! This included trips to the tourist sites such as the Alhambra and weekend excursions to other cities in Andalusia such as Córdoba and Seville. However, I really enjoyed the culture activities such as tapas evenings, flamenco shows. It was a brilliant opportunity to completely immerse myself into the Spanish culture and I could practise my Spanish outside of class.

 

Las tapas en Granada

Tapas

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family atmosphere:

Delengua is a small language school so I found it much easier to interact with other students and meet new people during my stay in Granada. I was placed in a class which suited my ability level which only contained around 5 students. This meant I could spend much more time speaking Spanish and it was a brilliant challenge which raised my level quickly and effectively. Furthermore, I loved the fact that we were students from a multitude of cultural backgrounds (Italian, American, German to name a few) but that we all had the common goal to learn Spanish!

Delengua classes

Feel like home in Delengua

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I finished my course, I had a greater understanding, and more importantly, a greater confidence to speak Spanish. I had met so many friends from all over the world and I felt that I had really made the most of what Granada had to offer. I wish I could have extended my stay further!

 

Isabel, 20, UK

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actividades de la escuela / out-of-school activities, Cursos de español / Spanish courses, Spanish Courses Blog (english-spanish), Uncategorized , , , ,

Discover the wonders of Hispanic literature by taking a specific Spanish course at Escuela Delengua, Granada

Posted on 19/06/2014 by admin | Permalink 6
Students of the Escuela Delengua learning Spanish in the classroom

Spanish courses with Delengua are always fun

There are many facets to learning a language, and maybe one of the most important is understanding the culture and history of the countries where it is spoken. A great way to do this is by studying an essential part of any country´s heritage: its literature. Reading literature in a foreign language can be a daunting prospect – some texts in our own language are difficult enough as it is – but here at Escuela Delengua we make it more manageable with our specific Spanish literature course. The course consists of 2 classes per day, and it enables students to study and improve their Spanish whilst expanding their knowledge of literature at the same time. It is also possible to combine this course with our Intensive Spanish Course, enabling you to make the most of your stay in Granada with Escuela Delengua.

Delengua´s specific course in Spanish and Latin American literature starts off with an introduction to literary theory, and you will be taught how to use literary terminology in Spanish. You will then take the dive into the world of Hispanic literature, specifically taking a look at how historical events helped to shape the literature of the Spanish language. The course includes the study of the most important literary movements, such as the Renaissance, Romanticism, and arguably the most significant period in all of Spanish literature: the Golden Age, a period which contains some of Spain´s most well-known writers, such as Lope de Vega, Calderón, Quevedo, and of course Miguel de Cervantes. You will have the chance to read and discuss some extracts from the works of these writers: You could learn about Don Quijote´s epic battle with the windmills, or analyse the opening line that every Spaniard knows off by heart: “en un lugar de La Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme…” (Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember…).

After having looked at some older movements, Delengua´s specific course will bring you forward to the 20th century, where you will study some modern and contemporary literature, first by examining the movements within the period, and then by focusing on some of the figureheads of Spanish and Latin American literature. Some of the writers you may study include Pablo Neruda, Gabriel García Márquez, and Antonio Machado. You will also have the unique opportunity to study the life and works of Federico García Lorca in Granada, the city of his birth.

Make use of Delengua's library and expand your knowledge of Spanish literature

Delengua’s library is filled with great Spanish books

All of the above are examples of what a specific course for Spanish and Latin American literature at Delengua can include, but you also have a lot of freedom. The great thing about this course is that the classes are small (max 5 people), so if there are specific areas of Hispanic literature that interest you more than others, you will be able to focus on these. We also have a wide selection of books in our library if you would like to do some extra reading!

So if you´re learning Spanish and have a passion for literature, Escuela Delengua is the place to be! For more information you can visit our website or like our Facebook page.

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Cultura española y andaluza, Cursos de español / Spanish courses, Historia/ History, Literatura/ Literature, Uncategorized , , , ,