Blogs from Salamanca, Castile & León, Spain, Europe - page 7

Teen Pueblo Ingles I came across Pueblo Ingles whilst browsing the internet for a volunteer program abroad for teenagers. The programmes are run by the ‘More than English’ English language teaching company and bring together Spaniards and native English speakers (from the USA, the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand etc) between 13 and 18 years old in residential camps to improve the Spaniard’s English through conversation with people of their own age. The programmes take place in hotels throughout Spain but the only language spoken throughout the week is English to ensure maximum exposure for the Spaniards. Spanish is forbidden! Pueblo Ingles has teen venues in La Alberca (Salamanca), Aldeaduero (Salamanca), Cazorla (Andalusia), Els Avets (Pyrenees), Campus el Sabio (Andalusia), Priego (Cordoba) and Pinar de La Vidriera (Andalusia) It appealed to me as ... read more

September 25, 2011: Okay, I'm not very good at travel blogs. I wonder how people do it. At first, it's nice and then, it kinda becomes a hassle. It's unfortunate that I've probably forgotten so many things since I took these photos, but I guess you could say that this means the really good stuff stuck. Anyway, these were taken during my last full day in Salamanca; only days after I'd returned from Vila-real. We had class as normal, went to break at a local bar, and finished up the school day. Later that afternoon, we decided to go to the river and rent those little paddle boats. It was fun for the first 5 minutes then, it was just torture! Oof! It was a nice day, though. I just hate that the river was so ... read more

"The Whores Are Back! Let's RAGE!" Lunes de Aguas This past Monday was a holiday in Salamanca, meaning classes were cancelled and stores were closed! There was not a sole to be found in the city, because everyone was heading down to the river to celebrate Lunes de Aguas! This is a curious holiday completely unique to Salamanca. It started back in medieval times when prostitutes were banished from the city during Lent. A week after Easter, students and townsfolk would gather on the banks of the river to welcome the girls back into the city. The rest of the day would be spent eating, drinking, and celebrating by the river. (Hence the name, which literally means “Water Monday”). Alas, only the last part of the celebration continues today. It has essentially become a day dedicated ... read more

English Workshops Every Tuesday, Marisa, Emily and I teach an English class at a public school here in Salamanca. Most of the other groups have kids ranging from 8-12, but not us. No, we were blessed with a classroom full of four-year-olds. Why do these little tykes need to learn English so early? Beats me. Regardless, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to make their transition into bilingualness as smooth as possible. But let’s be honest, smooth sailing with four-year-olds is like taking a dinghy out into a storm. A loud storm, filled with crayons and high-pitched yelling in Spanish words you often don’t understand...isn’t teaching fun? In all seriousness though, I do love it. It just gets crazy sometimes. If you have ever babysat or substituted for a class, you know that the biggest obstacle is ... read more

Dear all I have just been told that i have been given an award from the Tierno Galvan Association in recognition of my humanitarian work in Tanzania together with a group of great women of our province who have excelled in their careers both professional and private in different ways. The awards ceremony will take place on March 4. Thanks from the bottom of my heart. I am very touched!!!! Thanks to everyone... read more