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Archive for February, 2009

Cultural Immersion in the Sport Capital of Latin America

Friday, February 27, 2009 10:20

Categories - Buenos Aires City Attractions - 0 Comments

boca game 300x225 Cultural Immersion in the Sport Capital of Latin America
Expanish’s language school in Buenos Aires puts an important emphasis on cultural immersion. A city as large and eclectic as Buenos Aires can be daunting for non-native Spanish speakers. It is too easy to fall into foreigner comfort zones and miss out on the rich history and culture of this vibrant capital city. Studying Spanish at our language school in the heart of downtown Buenos Aires, students are encouraged to participate in the community at large through activities, workshops and excursions, all organized by Expanish.

One important outlet for becoming immersed in Argentine culture is their passion for sport. It is an element of everyday life. Walking through a park on a Sunday afternoon you will see people carrying radios on their shoulders, hanging on every word of the soccer match broadcast. Argentina has 20 first-division soccer clubs and 8 are located right in Buenos Aires. River Plate and Boca Juniors are the most notable clubs world-wide, but each neighborhood has its own team of local heroes. Experiencing a live match at Boca Stadium surrounded by classmates, friends, and local fanatics is not only an educational immersion experience, but an unforgettable one as well.

While soccer is most definitely Argentina’s passion, tennis, golf, rugby, and polo all play an important role in the upper-crest of Argentine society. The International Open Tennis Tournament and the Polo Open take place in the city every year, and Argentines have won countless Davis Cups in the past. Argentina has a great sense of national pride, and portenos are known to worship their athletes who perform well on the international stage – most notably Argentine semi-god Diego Maradona.

Buenos Aires locals have a contagious passion for sport. Joining in on this aspect of Argentine life is a great way to become connected with city and culture. Our language school at Expanish provides weekly activities and workshops that encourage students to make these important connections with the community. Along with a dedication to academic quality, Expanish offers a total city, cultural and language immersion. Visit our website today, and customize your own Spanish immersion program in Buenos Aires!

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Vibrant Working Class Neighborhoods of San Telmo and La Boca

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 12:29

Categories - Uncategorized - 0 Comments

bombonera Vibrant Working Class Neighborhoods of San Telmo and La BocaWhen foreigners come to Buenos Aires, they cannot help but hear about the beautiful neighborhoods of La Boca and San Telmo. These neighborhoods are filled with vibrant colors, festivals, tango shows, and an overwhelming sense of tradition. There is no way to better immerse yourself into the Spanish culture of Buenos Aires than to take a stroll around El Caminito in La Boca or the weekend Feria in San Telmo.

El Caminito is the part of La Boca directly beside the port that used to be ghettos to house the heavy number of foreign immigrants coming in from Europe. Today it is known for colorful buildings, vibrant tango shows, art shops, and good outdoor restaurants. Only eight blocks away from El Caminito is the stadium of Boca, known as La Bombonera. This is one of if not the most famous sporting venue on the entire continent of South America.

Just one neighborhood away is San Telmo; the neighborhood where locals say Tango got its origin. Every weekend on Saturday and Sunday in-between the hours of 10 until 5pm, the street traffic is closed off to make room for the San Telmo Feria. The fair starts in Plaza Dorrega and continues straight through the neighborhood. Here, you will find store after store of arts, jewelry, crafts, clothing, and food. It is one of the most crowed festivals you will find in Buenos Aires full of tourists and locals alike. It is also a great place to practice your bargaining skills in Spanish!

With the fall rapidly approaching, do not miss out on a chance to study Spanish in Argentina with Expanish in a great time of year. Click here to cheek out www.expanish.com.

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Free Spanish Videos Available on Expanish’s New Website

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 10:06

Categories - Expanish News - 0 Comments

Expanish has launched its new interactive website with free online Spanish learning resources for everyone! Along with links to free Spanish tips and worksheets specifically designed for Expanish.com, our teaching staff has also compiled ten free Spanish video lessons that can be found on the website. This new multi-media feature is designed to provide a transparency to Expanish’s dedication to academic integrity and quality. The videos are a great way to brush up on some basic Spanish vocabulary and grammar points for free!

Learning a language is very systematical at first. There are important grammar structures that function as the foundation of the Spanish language. This is why formal instruction is so important in the beginning stages of Spanish immersion. The dedicated and experienced teaching staff at Expanish tailors their lessons for students living in a Spanish speaking country, and these new Spanish learning resources on Expanish.com are a window into this process.

As a student progresses through the Spanish language, the grammar points become less broad but much more numerous and complex. Again, even when living in a Spanish speaking country, it is important to learn these rules through formal instruction to truly gain a fluency in the language.

Expanish has been providing quality Spanish immersion programs in Buenos Aires since it was founded, and is now an accredited language institute in Argentina. The new Expanish website is designed to highlight the academic focus of our school.

Located in the heart of downtown Buenos Aires, the Expanish language school is outfitted with spacious classrooms, multi-media equipment, and a first-class teaching staff. We have gained our credibility by being student-oriented and providing a home-base to travelers from all reaches of the world. Begin planning your Spanish immersion program today, and join the ranks of Expanish students and alums that have benefited from the educational, cultural and social excellence of our language institution.

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Expanish Offers Homestays to Expedite the Latin Immersion Experience!

Monday, February 23, 2009 11:15

Categories - Accommodation in Buenos Aires - 0 Comments

homestay 300x225 Expanish Offers Homestays to Expedite the Latin Immersion Experience!
For students seeking full Latin immersion experiences in Argentina, the living situation can be significant. Many students find that living with an Argentine family provides a perfect outlet for practicing their Spanish and learning the local culture. Family homestays with Expanish in Buenos Aires give students the chance to activate what they have learnt in class whilst engaging in the daily lifestyle and customs of a true porteño. Expanish offers the homestay accommodation option for students who want maximal interaction with local Argentines. At our language school in downtown Buenos Aires, Expanish students learn Spanish from an accredited and experienced teaching staff. At a homestay, students LIVE the Spanish they have learnt.

Expanish only works with hospitable families who are well acquainted with Buenos Aires. These families are steeped in Argentine tradition, but also aware of the wants and needs of students traveling from all around the world. Although Expanish is selective to make sure the families will be accommodating for our students, they are indeed authentic Argentine families. Because of this, there is no one model family; students may live with a señora or a married couple with kids in college.

With the additional option to share family meals, students can really take advantage of every opportunity to learn Spanish. These important experiences activate what students have learnt in class, and many find that it accelerates the immersion process. When studying a foreign language abroad, having an outlet to practice the language in everyday situations, as well as a liaison to the city, is priceless.

Expanish offers a variety of affordable immersion programs to students of all ages, skill levels and nationalities. Some desire a homestay to expedite their immersion process, while some choose shared housing. Visit the Expanish website and build your ideal Latin immersion program in Buenos Aires today!

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Take Tango and Polo Lessons in Buenos Aires with Expanish!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:03

Categories - Argentine Customs and Culture - 0 Comments

tango san telmo1 225x300 Take Tango and Polo Lessons in Buenos Aires with Expanish!
Expanish offers a total Spanish immersion experience in Buenos Aires, complete with activities, excursion and workshops. Many Expanish students complement their studies with Tango and Polo lessons in this vibrant capital of Argentina. Tango has always been the most famous form of creative expression in Buenos Aires. Polo is similarly embedded in Argentine history, a “game of kings” played among Argentina’s elite throughout its history. These workshops give students a chance to practice what they learn outside of the classroom and become fully immersed in the language and culture.

The dance and corresponding music of Tango began in the working-class port towns of Buenos Aires. As the dance evolved and spread to Europe the upper-class embraced it as its own, and today it is an icon of all of Argentina. Expanish’s Tango classes in Buenos Aires are taught by experienced instructors, schooled in all aspects of this art form. The formal instruction covers dance floor practice of both the traditional steps and the newest improvisational styles. There are a variety of courses available for students of all ages and skill levels, from first-timers to the best of the best.

Argentina prides itself in having some of the finest horses in the world. Variations of Polo have been played in Argentina for centuries. This mounted game of strategy and skill has earned itself a place in Argentina’s history as the game of choice among the rich and famous. With Expanish, students can take Polo lessons in Buenos Aires with some of the most-experienced instructors in the world – and if you ask an Argentinean, the best horses too!

Expanish offers a combination of individual and group lessons starting every week. We are dedicated to academic integrity and quality customer service, helping students choose the most-fitting immersion experience for their likes and interests. With affordable prices and many options for different excursions and cultural workshops, there is a Spanish immersion experience for everyone at Expanish!

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Stroll Through Recoleta

Monday, February 16, 2009 11:39

Categories - Uncategorized - 0 Comments

cemetary1 300x224 Stroll Through RecoletaRecoleta, a neighborhood of elegance, art, leisure, and nightlife, is one of the most definitive neighborhoods of Porteño culture. Its architectural elegance on the streets of Callao and Arenales combined with multiple museums, fabulous restaurants, hopping nightlife, and the infamous Recoleta cemetery make it the most upscale neighborhood in all of Buenos Aires.

Locals and tourists alike enjoy all this neighborhood has to offer. While studying at Expanish, taking a late afternoon stroll after class to Recoleta is within a few blocks walking distance. The Recoleta cemetery, founded in 1822, is amongst if not the most famous cemetery in the world. It is home to presidents, heroes, famous writers and scientists, and most notably Evá Peron. Also known as “Evita”, Evá Peron was the first female vice President of Argentina, the only women who had a political say in Argentina, and a woman who came from nothing to something. For that, she is beloved by the whole of Latin America.

Surrounded by cafes and a vibrant sellers market every weekend, simply walking around outside the gates of the Recoleta cemetery is an invaluable Spanish immersion experience in itself. The stroll though the actual cemetery is a pleasant walk through a labyrinth of immaculate tombstones with graveyard cats around every corner. Not to be afraid because this is not a typical creepy or frightening cemetery; it is actually quite impressive and always full of visitors from around the world.

For these reasons and more, Recoleta is a must see for anyone visiting or studying Spanish in Buenos Aires. To find out more about the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and taking Spanish classes with Expanish, click here!

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Free Spanish Worksheets Now Available on Expanish.com!

Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:49

Categories - Expanish News - 0 Comments

freeworksheetverbirreg1 Free Spanish Worksheets Now Available on Expanish.com!
Learning a foreign language takes practice and discipline. Before one can truly improve in any foreign language, they need to have a solid foundation of vocabulary and grammar. This is why Expanish has added a new Free Spanish Worksheets section to our website. This collection of free worksheets, put together by Expanish’s experienced teaching staff, gives you the chance to practice your Spanish skills on your own time, outside of the classroom.

All of these language worksheets can be downloaded and printed from the website free of charge. They are in an easy-to-use adobe format, compatible with all computers. The worksheets are specifically designed to be practical for all Spanish speakers in the Beginner and Intermediate range. Several of the exercises focus on basic grammar construction and common Spanish verbs. Others are more focused on helpful vocabulary for anyone who is hoping to travel or study abroad, with a mix of “fill in the blank” and picture identification questions.

Anyone can access these Free Spanish Worksheets to improve their language skills. For students studying with Expanish in Buenos Aires, the materials can be used to compliment and assist what they have learnt in class. These Spanish language resources are designed to drill and activate the necessary grammar constructions and vocabulary to become a fluent Spanish speaker.

The Expanish language school in Buenos Aires is dedicated to quality customer service and academic integrity. The international support team and experienced teaching staff have helped the school become an accredited Spanish language institution in Argentina. These Free Spanish Worksheets now available at Expanish.com are an attempt to make the school’s educational resources more accessible, and bring a level of transparency to Expanish’s academic objective. Please don’t hesitate to contact us through the Expanish language school website, and begin planning your own Spanish Immersion experience!

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Spanish Immersion Experiences are Increasingly Important in Today’s World

Monday, February 2, 2009 11:26

Categories - Spanish - 0 Comments

6290188 orig 300x199 Spanish Immersion Experiences are Increasingly Important in Todays World
It can be hard to explain the appeal of traveling to certain people. Those who have been abroad, however, know how exciting it is to live in a foreign country, meet the people, and learn their culture and language. In fact, these immersion experiences are becoming an important pre-requisite to responsible citizenship in our increasingly global community. This is why many people are now electing to travel to Latin America and study Spanish, some already years into their professional careers.

Studying with Expanish in Buenos Aires, students are provided with all of the tools to get the most out of their immersion experiences. The Spanish classes are complimented with weekly excursions, activities and workshops organized by Expanish, encouraging the students to participate in the rich local culture whilst learning the language.

One reason so many students decide to study in Buenos Aires is the strong spirit and imagination of Argentina. These traits are reflected in the works of the nation’s greatest writers. Jorge Borges is perhaps Argentina’s most well-known literary figure, author to some of the best short stories, essays, and poetry in the Spanish language. Borge’s writing has influenced generation after generation of Spanish writers throughout the Americas. Ernesto Sabato is a similarly renowned author to have emerged from the rich, intellectual setting of Buenos Aires. Borge and Sabato are just two of the many prominent South American authors to have called Buenos Aires home – not to mention musicians, athletes, playwrights, etc. The city is, in many respects, a cultural hub to all of Latin America.

Studying with Expanish in Buenos Aires, students will find an important balance of in-and-out of the classroom experiences. The language school is dedicated to providing quality education and costumer support. Buenos Aires will provide everything else, a perfect setting to become immersed in Spanish language and join the international community. Don’t hesitate to visit our website, and begin planning your adventure to Buenos Aires today!

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