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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Chinese New Year, COME AND CELEBRATE WITH US!

This week there is a special celebration on Friday the 31th of January ¡Chinese New Year! This festival is also known as the spring festival and is the most important festival in China. The 31th of January 2014 starts the year 4712, according to the Chinese calendar, which corresponds with the year of the Horse.

Horse people are active and energetic. They got plenty of sex-appeal and know how to dress. Horses love to be in the crowd, maybe that is why they can usually be seen in such occasions like concerts, theaters, meetings, sporting occasions, and of course, parties.

The horse is very quick-witted and is right in there with you before you have had the chance to finish what you are saying: he's on to the thought in your mind even before you've expressed it.
In general, the Horse is gifted. But in truth they are really more cunning than intelligent - and they know that. That is probably why, most of the horse people lack confidence.

Chinese believe that because horses are born to race or travel, all Horse people invariably leave home young. The Horse despises being pressured to act for the good of the group or made to feel guilty. No matter how integrated they seem to be, a Horse's inner self remains powerfully rebellious. Although they have boundless energy and ambition, Horses have a hard time belonging. The Horse is hot-blooded, hot-headed and impatient. Horse people are a bit of an egoist, well, selfish sometimes, that it is rare for them to interest themselves in any problems except their own. And though this egoist works only for themselves and for their own success, their work nevertheless benefits everybody.

The Horse is a worker, adepts at handling money and a good financier. But unfortunately, they are also famous for suddenly losing interest on something. In their relationship with the opposite sex, the Horse is weak. They will give up everything for love.


Being born a Horse, there are many contradictions in their character. Horses are proud yet sweet-natured, arrogant yet oddly modest in their approach to love, envious but tolerant, conceited yet humble. They want to belong, yet they are burdened by their need for independence. They need love and crave intimacy yet often feel cornered, pressured. But the truth is, the Horse is an individual, who depends only on their own wits and labour to get what they want.


It´s a period filled with a lot of celebrations and parties, which begins at new years day and ends with the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first month. The festival is celebrated with fireworks, special meals and family visits. Everyone celebrates this spring festival, during the first three days of the festival.


During this festival all families pay a lot of effort to be together and to share a big meal. During these dates, public transport is overcrowded.

As in all festivals in China, this festival is also accompanied by the traditional cuisine. The dishes that are prepared for this day symbolize good luck.

To receive the "spring festival", the people clean their homes with old brooms which are thrown away afterwards. They decorate their houses with red cards with verses on it, New Year paintings on the wall and red lanterns. Fireworks and firecrackers are chipped, hoping to ward off bad luck and bring prosperity. The children receive money from their relatives and additionally shut down all tasks before new year which include paying off all their debts.


We celebrate this festival in a slightly more modest way, which does indicate that the party is not special! We are looking forward to welcome you with a typical meal from your home country to share with us. Don´t let us miss it!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

A city in the sunlight - Salamanca


There  are things that can change your life, experiences that sometimes can take you in a world totally different from the life of all days.

I’m here to explain my  first experience abroad in a beautiful Spanish city: Salamanca.

When I arrived I understood that this is a city that will offer me so much and that it will improve my person because this is a  new culture for me.

After the plane trip from Italy I landed at the airport in Madrid. The journey to Salamanca by bus was wonderful. I could see endless landscapes illuminated by a radiant sun, the sun that all Spanish people carry in their hearts, with their ability to make you feel at home.

After I settled in my new home with my fellow travelers, our landlord invited us to eat a delicious homemade paella. It was great to find the table laden with good things, and so I felt  a very inviting smell in the air. After a welcome drink we sat around the table and we tasted this popular dish in Spain with fish and meat -in particular, shrimp, mussels and chicken-, combined with a refined wine.

The hospitality and the welcome made me feel right at home! 

Boys and girls, Salamanca is waiting for you!

Monday, January 27, 2014

Activities 27/01 - 31/01

Monday, 27th of January, 18:00: Table games. Let's play Parcheesi or Spanish card games at the bar Al Caraván Price: your drinking  Location: Tía Tula - Approximate duration: 1:30

Tuesday, 28th of January, 17:30: Cave of Salamanca. Get to know the story of the mystical cave of Salamanca Location: Tia Tula Approximate duration: 45 min.

Wednesday, 29th of January, 17:00: Sport. BASKETBALL Come play a game of basketball Location: Tia Tula Approximate duration: 1H30

Thursday, 30th of January, 19:30: Cooking Class. Paella You're going to learn how to make paella and then eat Price: € 7 Location: Tía Tula - Approximate duration: 1h

Friday, 31th of January, 19:00 FIESTA INTERNATIONAL we celebrate the Chinese new year. Every student prepares a typical meal from his/her country. We organize a karaoke afterwards. Location: Tia Tula – Approximate duration: 1h30

Remember to sign up for the activity at the 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 that our students 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.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Activities 20/01 - 24/01

Monday, 20th of January, 18:00: High tea - Snack CAKES, JUICES, TEA
There are a variety of sweets and drinks to have a good snack at The Mandala
Price: your consumption Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1h

Tuesday, 21th of January, 20:00: Exposition. "Breaking the mold"

The twentieth century in Spain was lavish in artists and artistic movements that emerged to break styles and create new forms of expression. A trend that came from other countries social becomings of a turbulent century that led to a wealth of artistic and creative expressions. (Showroom San Boal) Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1h

Wednesday,22th of January, 19:15: Literary encounter. Come and see the works and the works of THOMAS SON Writer and illustrator Salmantino Location: Integrated Municipal Center "Julian Sanchez Charro" - Place de la Concorde (Front El Corte Ingles) Approximate duration: 1h30

Thursday, 23th of January, 17:30: Dancing class/ Jazz dance. You are going to learn the first steps in jazz dance academy Raquel Gomez (Suitable clothes: leggings - Short Sleeve and socks) Price: 6€ Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1:30

Friday, 24th of January, 11:00 or 17:00: Movie. Agustín Díaz Yanes ALATRISTE (2006) Imperial Spain, seventeenth century. Diego Alatriste, brave soldier in the service of his majesty, combat in the war in Flanders. In an ambush by the Dutch, Balboa, his friend and fellow soldier, falls mortally wounded and makes a request Alatriste will fulfill his promises: to care for his son Inigo. Location: Tia Tula - Film Duration: 140 min.


Remember to sign up for the activity at the 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 that our students 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.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Huerto de Calixto y Melibea.

Huerto de Calixto y Melibea. Love, passion, life and death. The complexity and greatness of the human soul and its relations. The well, the walk, the garden are images that make you speak with a low voice, to meet the messages.

If it is true that we are living to be happy, I want to be forever
by your side. 
The story
The story is about Calisto, who is an employee of Pleberio, the father of Melibea. Calisto is deeply in love with Melibea and enlists the help of a matchmaker. The matchmaker, Celestina, is also the owner of a brothel. Celestina links Malisto and Melibea by saying her that a man is seriously ill and may recover only by the attention of Melibea. Celestina arranges a meeting between the two in the garden of Pleberio.

Two servants of Calisto do not trust Celestina and therefore try to convince Calisto to not accept her help. If the servants, however, find out that Calisto is not changing his mind, they decide to create a pact with Celestina. They decided to help Celestina in exchange for a share of the money, received from Calisto. However, the two servants find out that Celestina does not intend to share the money with them. The servants go therefore to the brothel of Celestina and murder her, however, they are caught and also the two servants were executed by one of the prostitutes.

In the meantime, another drama takes place in the garden of Pleberio. Out of desperation Calisto tries to climb a ladder to get to the window of Melibea, when he falls from the ladder and dies. Melibea can not live without him and tells her father about the love story between her and Calisto. After telling him, she jumps from the tower. 

The garden
It is the garden of the house where Melibea lived in the story called La Celestina. La Celestina is a love story with a tragic end, the spanish version of Romeo and Juliet.

A lot of couples and also friends immortalize themselves
by locking a padlock to a wrought-iron well in the garden
The garden is located in the old town of Salamanca and is 2500 square meters. The garden was opened on June 12, 1981. The garden is built on part of the old city wall and offers a beautiful view over the Río Tormes with its Roman bridge. 

On the other side, the garden offers a view of the old town and the beautiful old cathedral. The garden has in summertimes a large diversity of colorful flowers. It´s an ideal place to unwind and enjoy the tranquility, the views and the romantic atmosphere in the garden.

When you haven´t been there yet, you should definitely visit this beautiful place!


Activities 13/01 - 17/01

Monday, 13th of January, 17:30: Movie: EL ORFANATO /THE ORPHANAGE Guillermo del Toro (2007) A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, which used to be an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend. Location: Tía Tula - Film Duration: 100 min

Tuesday, 14th of January, 19:30: Night walk. We will walk through the beautiful streets of Salamanca to observe the stunning pictures that the monuments in the dark will give us. Location: Tia Tula - Approximate Length: 45 min. 

Wednesday,15th of January, 16:45: SCALA COELI. Climb the towers: a unique Stairway to Heaven, you can enjoy spectacular views of the city from the top. Price: 3,75€ Location: Tia Tula - Approximate Length: 45 min.

Thursday, 16th of January, 9:00: Breakfast: CHOCOLATE CHURROS We are gonna have breakfast in the cafetaria: El valor, the typical chocolate with churros Price: 4€ Location: Tía Tula - Approximate duration: 1h

Friday, 17th of January, 20:30: TAPAS route. We'll go to different bars in the centre where we enjoy the Spanish custom of eating tapas Price: + - € 6 Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1h30

Remember to sign up for the activity at the 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 that our students 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.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Los Reyes Magos

On the 6th of January, in Spain the day: Three Kings is celebrated extensively. The festival starts on the 5th of January at 19 pm, when the three kings arrive in their carriages and make their rounds through the city. During this round, they throw thousands of pounds of ' Caramelos ' sweets.

During this holiday, the biblical event is celebrated in which the three kings (Caspar , Melchior and Balthasar) saw a rising star and started looking for the king of the Jews. They reached Bethlehem and found the newborn Jesus.

The kings arrived with a gift for the newborn king (frankincense, myrrh and gold), the tradition of giving presents is kept in Spain, this day is very excited for the kids.

In addition, there is also a special cake eaten on this day, in this cake a toy is hidden. The one that affects this toy can expect a lucky year. In some cases there are other symbols hidden in the cake, such as a coin, if you´ll find this one you should provide and / or pay the evening meal.

The 5th of January in the evening I went with some fellow students to Plaza Mayor, to watch the arrival of the Three Kings. The whole square was full of children who were anxiously waiting for the three heroes. We all managed to catch a ' caramelo ' , which according to some people also represents a period of happiness. We continued the party in some of the many bars of Salamanca .

Monday, January 6, 2014

Activities 06/01 - 10/01

Monday, 6th of January, Holiday: The Day of the Three Kings
One of the most anticipated days for children, as in Spain and many Latin American countries, it´s a day of giving presents to the children.

Tuesday, 7th of January, 17:30: Movie: VOLVER Raimunda is from Manchega, but lives in Madrid. She is married to an unemployed laborer and has a teenage daughter. Her sister Sole is hairdresser. Both miss their mother, who died in a fire. But, unexpectedly, the mother is going to visit her sister. Location: Tia Tula - Movie length: 122min.

Wednesday, 8th of January, 19:30: Futbolín/ Billar. PASS A GOOD TIME WITH YOUR MATES PLAYING A GAME OF BILLIARDS OR FOOSBALL
Price: your consumption + your participation to each play (± 1 €) Location: Tía Tula - Approximate duration: 1:30

Thursday, 9th of January, 19:30: Guided tour: TOURIST WALK SALAMANCA Someone from the school will tell the story of the main sights of the city. Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1h

Friday, 10th of January, 20:30: TAPAS route. We'll go to different bars where we enjoy the Spanish custom of eating tapas. ¡CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR! Price: + - € 6 Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1:30
Remember to sign up for the activity at the 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 that our students 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.