Learn Spanish in Spain

Extracurricular activities 30th January-3rd Febraury.

2012-01-27T15:43:00.000Z

Monday 30th, 6.00pm: Film. A brilliant opportunity to immerse yourself in Spanish cinema. Meeting place: Tia Tula.

Tuesday 31st, 7.00pm: Salamanca by night. Accompanied by a member of the school, you will be taken to a not very well know view point in Salamanca where you can take photos of the spectacular view! On the way we will call by a shop to buy some warm snacks to enjoy on our walk to the view point. Meeting place: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1hour

Wednesday 1st, 7.00pm: Card games. We will go to a café to play chinchón a typical Spanish game. Price: your drinks. Meeting place: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1hour

Thursday 2nd, 7.00pm: Cookery class: Tapas vascas. We are going to learn how to cook Spanish Tapas vascas then we will eat it. Price: 8 euros. Meeting place: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour

Friday 3rd, 8.45pm: Theatre - Vecinos. It is a show based on the way 3 people act and their different responses to the same situations in life. Price: 9-15 euros. (depending on places available) It is essential to reserve your place before Tuesday at 14.00pm if you are interested. Meeting place: The entrance to Teatro Liceo . Approximate duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.

Remember to sign up for the activity at reception beforehand (the minimum number of people needed for each activity is 3). If the cost is not stated then the activity is free. We recommend our students to participate in the activities so they can get to know other students in the school, so they can broaden their knowledge of Spanish culture and to practice and improve their Spanish in a fun way.

Chinese New Year: The year of the Dragon

2012-01-25T09:57:00.001Z

Happy New Year! Again?! Yup,although more than 3 weeks have passed by since the largest part of the worldcelebrated New Year (based on the Christian calendar), enough other religionsand cultures celebrate New Year a complete different date (i.e. according tothe Buddhist calendar, it’s already 2055!) Last Sunday, it was China’s turn. Theyear of the Dragon that follows the Rabbit has started and has been a massive celebration,at various places in the world. It is said that the Dragon brings prosperity,being a symbol for good fortune and great power.

For the Chinese, celebrating New Year means a longperiod full of festivities with friends and family. It is one of the few periodsthat the Chinese have some days off; public transport is packed as everyonetravels through their huge country to spend the new year together with family.This results in the largest annual human migration in the world. Given the factthat there is quite a few Chinese students in Salamanca, the year of the Dragonhas been celebrated here as well. Sunday night became an evening full ofdelicacies, where traditional Chinese courses such as dumplings were presentednext to the western pancakes and pasta. Preparing dumplings (cooked ball of doughfilled with minced meat and cabbage) is quite an art itself. It’s possible tocreate different shapes with symbolic meanings – but only if you got the rightskills… Well, it tastes the same anyways J Talented or not, the empty plates at the end ofthe evening speaks to its success. A new and interesting experience of onceagain, a new year.

Extracurricular activities 23rd-27th January

2012-01-20T13:54:00.002Z

The second week of activities was a brilliant success with many students signing up to participate in the activities. The students especially enjoed the modern art exhibiton held in the historic prison in Salamanca. Here is the new timetable of extracurricular activities for this coming week:

Monday 23rd, 6.00pm: Merienda. We are going to have a cup of tea or milkshake with a slice fo cake in the ´El Mandala´ cafe. Price: what you order. Meeting place: Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour.

Tuesday 24th, 7.00pm: Exhibition. Iberian exhibition about civilisation before the Roman Empire. In the ´Carpa de exposición´ in the Plaza de la Concordia. Meeting place: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1hour 30 mintues.

Wednesday 25th, 6.30pm: Film. A brilliant opportunity to immerse yourself in Spanish cinema. Meeting place: Tia Tula.

Thursday 26th, 6.30pm: Cookery class: Spanish potato omelette. We are going to learn how to cook Spanish omelette then we will eat it. Price: 7 euros. Meeting place: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour

Friday 27th, 8.00pm: Ruta de tapas. In the centre of Salamanca. Accompanied by a memeber of staff form the school. We will try different taps dishes in some bars in the centre. Price: +- 6 euros Meeting place: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.

Salamanca´s short film festival.

2012-01-20T11:50:00.000Z

Are you interested in film or even making films??? Salamanca has it´s own short film festival where you can go and watch short films that people have made; you can even make your own!

If you´d like to make your own short movie to be shown, you have until the 12/03/2012 to hand them in. The maximum length of the film is 20 minutes and it can be about whatever you like. You could even win a prize!!

If you want to watch somebody else´s film or your own, they will be shown in the Granero bar and in the Casa de las Conchas during the months of April, May and June.

If you like to know more about the short film festival, please visit the website: http://festivalcinecortosalamanca.blogspot.com

iTapas!

2012-01-20T09:20:00.001Z

Comida. Although it is just one simple Spanish word,its value should not be underestimated. Spanish people & food = passion. Desayuno,almuerzo, comida, merienda, tapas, cenar…enough words to express differentmeals – each with its own uses and times. For instance, if you would walk intoa tapas bar at 4PM, you would be without a doubt the only one whom is having ameal, accompanied by the bartender and the TV. However, if you wait for acouple of hours and enter the bar around 7ish, you will experience a completedifferent setting. Lots of Spanish people talking, eating and drinking. Napkinsspread around over the floor and the sound of good talks and laughs.

After a first tasty tapas, all ready to go to the next tapas bar!

Last Friday, a group of students from Tía Tula joined the tapas tourorganized by the school for having some tapas together. A great success – dueto the size of the group (about 20), the students didn’t even manage to visit thelast bar! At each bar, the students tried different tapas dishes and had a drink(or two). A great start for the weekend, not only by making new friends butalso to taste a bit more of the Spanish culture. Can’t wait for the nextdelicious activity!

Visit to the cave - 12/1/2012

2012-01-13T11:57:00.001Z

Yesterday students from Tía Tula visited the mysterious cave of Salamanca. Thankfully all returned safe and sound and were not affected by the black magic of the cave.

The legend goes that students used to be taught black magic in the cave. At one point in history the cave used to be as famous as the university.

One student who went on the tour said the view was the best and that it´s a brilliant way to get to know other students and the staff at Tía Tula. She also said that if she hadn´t have signed up to the tour, she would never have known about the cave, which is hidden in a small corner of Salamanca.

So, if the cave of Salamanca has caught your attention, don´t forget to sign up to the next tour or any of the other activities that take your fancy!

Sales!!!!

2012-01-12T13:01:00.000Z

If you haven´t seen already, most shops in Salamanca have their sales. They started at the beginning of January and they last until March. These sales are definitely worth having a look at as the products are genuine products that have been reduced, sometimes by half!

There are plenty of bargains to be had. Like most sales, it´s best that you get out there shopping now if you want to pick up a bargain as once it´s gone, it´s gone.

If for whatever reason you can´t go, don´t worry as there will be more sales just after the summer.

Happy shopping!

Extracurricular activities from 9th – 13th January

2012-01-09T08:44:00.000Z

Life returns to normality this week. Christmas is over, Christmas carols, lights, Turrón, presents…ahead of us we have the start of the year which is full of classes, Spanish courses and as always extracurricular activities.

Below are the extracurricular activities organised for this week:

Monday 9th, 6pm: Spanish film in Spanish(1) - We will watch a contempory spanish film that will help us to learn Spanish in other contexts and also witness talented film making such as the Spanish film industry, which is unknown in many foreign countries.

Tuesday 10th, 6pm: Spanish film in Spanish (and 2)- The second dose of Spanish culture with another Spanish film.

Wednesday 11th, 6pm: Guided tour of Salamanca- Accompanied by someone from the school, Tía Tula students will go on a tour of the main monuments in Salamanca, where the stories of some of them will be revealed! It´s not one to be missed!

Approximate duration: 1 hour

Thursday 12th, 6pm: Visit to the cave of Salamanca- Discover one of the darkest and most mysterious corners of the city: la antigua Cueva de Salamanca, where history and black magic fuse into a tale like no other. Once again someone from Tía Tula will be your guide.

Approximate duration: 1 hour

Friday 13, 8pm: Tapas route – Accompanied by someone from the school, students will get to know some of the most famous bars in the city centre, taste some of the best pinchos and decide which are the best and which you´d recommend afterwards.

Approximate duration: 1 hour 30 minutes Approximate price: 6 euros

Remember to sign up for the activity at reception beforehand (the minimum number of people needed for each activity is 3). If the cost is not stated then the activity is free. The meeting place will always be Tía tula unless it is stated otherwise.

Have a good start to the beginning of the year! We recommend our students to participate in the activities so they can get to know other students in the school and so they can broaden their knowledge of the culture and identity of Salamanca and of Spain. So, what are you waiting for!

Extracurricular Activities 19 - 23 December 2011

2011-12-19T08:46:00.000Z

We are now in the last week of term before the Christmas holidays. Here is the timetable of extracurricular activities for this week:

Monday 19th, 5.30pm: Spanish film ´Amador´ directed by Fernando León de Aranoa (2010). Viewing in Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 110 minutes.

Tuesday 20th, 6.45pm: Theatre: ´Cuatro corazones con freno y marcha atrás´ by Jardiel Poncela. Price: 3€. Meeting place: Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour.

Wednesday 21th, 6.00pm: Guide. Ana (a teacher) will take the group to the Patio de Escuela Menores and talk about the history of this place. Meeting place: Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour.

Thursday 22nd, 12.15pm: Christmas party. Classes: 9.00am - 11.45am. 12.15pm: Prizes, stories. Christmas carols: performed by the students and the teachers. Distribution of a magazine created for the students of Tia Tula. Secret Santa. 1.30pm: Snacks and the party will commence.

University New Year´s Eve, Salamanca 2012

2011-12-13T17:51:00.000Z

University New Year´s Eve is nearly upon us. Staying true to tradition this year it is happening two weeks before the 31st December on the night of Thursday 15th.


Nochevieja Universitaria- University New Year´s Eve

What is University New Year´s Eve? In the Spanish blog there are several references to this event: "Nochevieja Universitaria de Salamanca", "Nochevieja Universitaria de Salamanca, huérfana", and "Vuelve la Nochevieja Universitaria". This tradition is relatively new, the first one took place about 10 years ago. Officially this year it is the seventh University New Year´s Eve but it had started some years before 2004 without official event organisation. It all originated from the minds of a group of party loving students who always sought new ways to enjoy themselves. They spontaneously decided to celebrate new year on the last Thursday of term before the Christmas holidays commenced. It was a way in which they could celebrate the end of the year together given that many students that study here are from different parts of Spain and therefore would not be together for celebrations on the 31st. And so that´s how it all began... the students´ idea to celebrate with their friends on a small scale caught on and a new tradition was born. Now this event constitutes an unmissable celebration in the University social calendar.

It all kicks off at 10.30pm in the Plaza Mayor with live music from DJ Javi Reina and the house violinist Miguel Lara before the clock strikes 12. On each strike we will eat a marshmallow (instead of a grape which is the tradicion in Spain). Afterwards we will follow the crowds to the bars to continue the celebration. Excited much?

Extracurrricular activities from 12th-16th December

2011-12-12T08:03:00.001Z

We are now in mid December and preparations for Christmas are in full force. This week Salamanca is preparing itself for ´nochevieja universitaria´ (New Year´s Eve for students´ on Thursday 15th December.

Below are the extracurricular activities organised for this week:

Monday 12th, 8pm: Visit to a photography exhibition - "Love, loss and laughter" by Cathy Greenblat in the Garcigrande Palace. Meeting place: Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 1 hour.

Tuesday 13th, 6pm: Spanish film in Spanish. We will watch a modern Spanish film. Approximate duration: 2 hours.

Wednesday 14th, 6pm: Ice skating - We will go ice skating in the rink in la Plaza de la Concordia. Approximate duration: 1 hour. Cost: 5€ (price might be lower depending on the number of students).

Thursday 15th, 11.45pm: New Year´s Eve for students - mass celebration in the Plaza Mayor where the students say goodbye to 2011 together with their coursemates. Meeting place: Plaza Mayor. (A free activity without an accompanying person from the school.)

Friday 16th, 8pm: Tapas route - lead by a person from the school. We will eat in the Van Dyck area which is a popular area with the students. Approximate duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes. Approximate cost: 6€

School Group from United States

2011-12-05T09:53:00.001Z

Last month a group of students on a school trip from the United States took a Spanish course in Tia Tula for one week. During their stay here they kept a blog of their experiences and uploaded photos on to it. This blog is a fabulous testimony of life in Salamanca as a student that we would like to share. The blog is about their trip, about the classes in our school, about their stay and the extracurricular activities. They write very positively about their stay as they really enjoyed their trip and it had been a great benefit to their Spanish. They were lovely students and it was a pleasure to welcome them into our school.

Here you can access the blog: CA Students' trip to Salamanca, Spain.