Study Abroad

España Madrid The capital of the Spanish Empire Spanish language spoken in Spain, while Toledo, since 1562, Madrid is located at the geo- “Spanish” is often used for the Spanish lan- Salamanca, graphic center of the Iberian Peninsula along guage spoken in other parts of the world. etc., and the Manzanares River. Madrid is a rich, thriv- Castilian first emerged as a dialect spoken in two half-day ing cosmopolitan city that combines tradition northern Spain, later becoming the official lan- trips to Madrid; and modernity to make it one of the most guage of the country. Even when traveling visits to the Zoo, Aqua exciting cities in Europe. Its art galleries, through the different regions of Spain, one Park, and Amusement park; arrival and museums, and spectacular nightlife attract can expect some variation in pronunciation departure transfers; and full board accommo- people from all over the world year after year. and accent, but most schools will teach dations inside the wonderful Monastery- Madrid was not documented until the late Castilian in its purest form. Palace of El Escorial. Students have the 10th century. Today, the city is marked with Juventud y Cultura offers a program dur- opportunity of practicing all kinds of sports in the contributions and signs of past inhabitants ing the month of July at The Real Colegio the Bosquecillo — the sports facility of the and historical events. From the Romans to the Alfonso XII, inside the famous Monastery- school. They even have professional magi- Reconquista (when Spain was reclaimed from Palace of El Escorial (about 25 miles north- cians giving magic lessons, once or twice a the North African Moors), through the reigns west of Madrid), constructed by the Spanish week. of various monarchs, the city is a visual face Emperor Philip II in the 16th century. It is often OISE Madrid specializes in intensive of the rich culture and history that has accu- called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” and Spanish language training in the heart of the mulated through the ages. Madrid is the place has been declared a World Heritage Site by city’s business district. The school’s aim is to for anyone looking for mouth-watering tapas, UNESCO. provide a full-immersion experience in which historic architecture, and passionate expression The program includes 15 lessons of students gain the maximum possible lan- for all for forms of art right at their fingertips. Spanish per week; school materials; a guage exposure. Students can choose Students who go to Madrid will learn Diploma at the end of the program; day trips between individual programs, group training Castilian, or “Castellano,” which refers to the on Saturdays to places of interest such as with a maximum of just four students per 44 www.languagemagazine.com March 2008 Study Abroad

group, or a combination of the two. choice of an intensive or super-intensive course Cathedral, which was named a UNESCO site A typical day combines press review ses- in small groups or a one-to-one program. in 1984. In the center of the region is the cap- sions, classroom time, guided self study, and Paraninfo is an “Accredited Instituto ital, Valladolid, where thousands of visitors a program of social activities to make the Cervantes School.” Upon completion of the flock each year to see the city’s array of his- learning process as varied and dynamic as course, students receive recognized diplo- toric castles. possible. Whether students are relaxing over mas. Accommodation is available in shared Castilla y León is also famous for the full- coffee, discussing the morning’s news, or flats or with Spanish families. bodied wines of its vineyards and its natural working on a complex language structure, landscapes. Known as the birthplace of the tutors are on hand to encourage them to Castilian language, Castilla y León is suppos- express themselves in clear, confident Spanish. edly the place to learn Castilian in its most OISE Madrid focuses on communicative Castilla y León traditional form. skills within a small group and an individual Castilla y León is not only the largest region in framework, which gives students both the time Spain, but it is also the largest region in the and the space to develop the confidence that European Union. Formed when the Kingdoms Ávila leads to greater accuracy and greater fluency. of Castilla and León united, the area is covered Letras Castellanas is located in Ávila at the Paraninfo, in central Madrid, has invested with the royal monuments of past monarchs. foot of the Central Mountain Range, and is in the development of a program to easily, Located to the northwest of Madrid, the highest city on the Iberian Peninsula. The enjoyably, and effectively learn Spanish. Castilla y León is divided into nine provinces: school was founded with a new concept of Thanks to its ideal location in the cultural and Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, teaching Spanish to foreigners, which is to commercial center of the city, easy access to Segovia, Soria, Vallodolid, and Zamora, each provide instruction in the purity and clarity of public transport, vast knowledge and experi- of which has its own unique characteristics the language, without variations in dialect and ence, the school has built an enviable reputa- and specialties. For example, Salamanca, a pronunciation. tion over 35 years. university town in western Spain, is best The school offers a variety of classes, Students enjoy a multicultural atmosphere, known for the University of Salamanca, which including a course for teachers and private high quality teaching, and an excellent learn- is the oldest university in Spain. Burgos, lessons. They also offer cultural Spanish ing environment. They can take classes from which is located in the north, is often visited courses, which provide instruction in Spanish two weeks to nine months, and have the for its massive cathedrals, such as the Burgos business, gastronomy, history, and more. March 2008 www.languagemagazine.com 45