Salamanca celebrates the Chinese New Year

Salamanca will celebrate the Year of Pigs with a wide and interesting range of activities. The renowned sculptor Xu Hongfei, president of the Guangzhou Academy of Sculpture and director of the Chinese Association of Artists, is going to bring some of the sculptures from his collection "gorditas", for the first time in Spain, which keep happiness as a common thread.

Thirteen sculptures will be installed in Salamanca until 3 March and can be seen in: Plaza Mayor, Parque de Colón, Plaza Concilio de Trento, Plaza de Anaya, Patio de Escuelas, Plaza de las Úrsulas, Plaza de Santa Eulalia and Parque de La Alamedilla.In addition of the great exhibition of Xu Hongfei in the programming we will find: parades, dance, music, children's workshops and gastronomic demonstrations.

All activities are free of charge and, except for the sculptor's exhibition, will take place between 1 and 3 February.

There will be a gastronomic meeting in which four Chinese chefs with a Michelin star will go to the city of Charra. And, together with Víctor Gutiérrez, they will offer a gastronomic day dedicated to professionals in the sector, at the Chamber of Commerce, on Friday 1 February at 13:30h.

And on 2 February at 12 noon at the Central Market, they will give a live gastronomic demonstration of charra food with Chinese food, open to the public.

The students and teachers of the Center for Foreign Languages and Arts of Guangdong (Canton) will take part in an activity of dance and music on Friday 1 February at 9 pm in the Centre for Performing Arts and Music.

On the other hand, the San Blas auditorium will host a concert starring Chinese guitarists Su Erxun and Huang Chen, on 2 February at 8 pm.

The celebration will end with a show that will take place at the Teatro Liceo, on 3 February at 6:00 pm.

On the other hand, two workshops on calligraphy, traditional painting and papyroflexia have been organised at the DA2 (contemporary art centre), aimed at children between the ages of 6 and 12. They will take place on 2 and 3 February from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm.

And three parades of the dance group Leones y Dragones (Lions and Dragons) have been programmed, which will run through the streets of the centre of Salamanca.

Happy Chinese New Year! Kung hé fat tsoi!

Extracurricular Activities 30.03.15 - 04.04.15

This week is Semana Santa and here at Tía Tula we want to give you the chance to experience Easter with a distinctly Spanish flavour. Come and learn about the different Spanish and regional customs in a fun and engaging way!

Remember, Tia Tula will be closed on Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd April. We will re-open Monday 6th April.

Monday 30th, 17.00 : Film. We start the week with Tapas, a film written and directed by José Corbacho and Juan Cruz. Set in a working-class neighbourhood on the outskirts of Barcelona, Tapas tells the story of a group of ordinary people going about their daily lives. Intelligently written, funny and profoundly moving, this is a film not be missed!

Approximate duration - 1hr 30.

Tuesday 31st, 16.50: Game. Know and Win! Beatriz will be hosting a quickfire quiz that will test your general knowledge skills and at the same time help you practise your Spanish.

Where: Tia Tula

Approximate duration - 1hr

Wednesday 1st, 22:15: Procession Come and watch the procession of  La Hermandad de nuestro padre Jesús Flagelado y de Nuestra Señora de las Lágrimas from the balconies of Tía Tula School, whilst enjoying a glass of sweet wine and tasting the traditional obleas (wafers).

Approximate duration - 1hr

Thursday 2nd April: Jueves Santo. Public Holiday. School Closed

Friday 3rd April: Viernes Santo. Public Holiday. School Closed

Saturday 4th April: One or two-day trips. We offer a wide range of weekend trips and activities.
If you would like to participate in a weekend trip, please ask our secretary for more information. Remember to sign up before 2pm Tuesday 31st March

Please don't forget that you need to sign up for each activity at the reception desk (in order to reserve your place). The minimum number of participants required for each activity is usually three. Unless otherwise stated, the meeting point is Tía Tula school. If no price is mentioned in the above description, the activity is free of charge.

Try to participate in as many activities as you can; they are designed not just for you to have fun, but also to improve your knowledge of Salamanca and Spanish culture, and to put into practice the Spanish you have learnt in class.

Activities 16.03.2015 - 21.03.2015

This week we have organised activities for every taste. Check them out and sign up for those you don't want to miss.

Monday 16, 6:50 pm: Conversation workshop – A great opportunity to improve your Spanish speaking skills while you have fun. With teacher Cristina. Approximate duration: 1 h.

Tuesday 17, 5:45 pm: Indoor swimming pool – Let's take a deep in the indoor swimming pool at La Alamedilla. Don't forget to bring your swimsuit, swimming cap, flip flops and towel. Approximate duration: 1 h 30 min.

Wednesday 18, 6:00 pm: Plaza Mayor – Come learn about the history of Plaza Mayor. Approximate duration. 40 min.

Thursday 19, 7:45 pm: Microtheatre – We love the microtheatre plays that show in
La Malhablada.We'll go see one today. Approximate duration: 30 min.
A different option: go on a trip to Valencia's Fallas. Further information at the reception desk.

Friday 20, 4:30: Film – Watching films in Spanish is a great way to improve your language skills. Join us for one today.

Saturday 21: Excursions – Segovia, Ávila, Oporto... Check out the destinations available at the reception desk and start planning your weekend trip. Don't forget to sign up by Wednesday.

Please don't forget that you need to sign up for each activity at the reception desk (to reserve your place, the minimum number of participants required is usually three). Also, unless stated otherwise, the meeting point is always the same, Tía Tula school. Lastly, if there's no price mentioned with the activity, it means it is for free.

And don't hesitate to participate in as many activities as you can; they are designed not just for you to have fun (that is guaranteed) but also to improve your knowledge of Salamanca and Spanish culture, and to put into practice the Spanish you learn in class.

A ski resort less than one hour from Salamanca

Yes, you read that right: there is a ski resort less than one hour from Salamanca. So all of you ski and snowboard lovers and adrenaline seekers, check it out.

La Covatilla –that’s how the resort is called- is located in the beautiful Sierra de Béjar and it is best characterized by its wide slopes and by the quality and quantity of snow. Safe and attractive for beginners, it is also a good option for experienced skiers; it even has a high-altitude area.

Don’t worry if you haven’t brought your ski or snowboard gear and apparel with you, you can rent it there at a reasonable price. 

Also, if you are new to skiing or snowboard, you may want to have a look at Escuela Bejarana de Esquí, a school where experienced teachers assist you on your first steps or help you perfect your technique, following the RFEDI (Royal Spanish Winter Sports Federation) rules.

You can check all the information regarding the ski resort on its website: fees, calendar and timetables, accommodation… You can even download the slopes map or check out the webcams installed in several spots. 

Even if you are not into skiing, La Covatilla and its surroundings are definitely worth a visit. Beautiful villages and a breathtaking natural landscape await you.

* In the pictures, students at Tía Tula having fun at La Covatilla.