Learn Spanish Language Fast

When you study Spanish in Chile, you have the benefit of being in an area that has widely varied activities that you can enjoy. Your week will be filled with classes, of course. However, on the weekends it only makes sense to visit some of the beautiful and geographically diverse areas outside of Santiago.

The weekdays themselves have plenty of activities, as the city is full of culture and energy. Students attending a Spanish school in Santiago take city tours of the different neighborhoods. These locations range from bohemian Bellavista to upscale Las Condes. Evenings are the perfect time to listen to live music in Providencia. This area also has many bars that are suitable for students.

Santiago also has its own outdoor activities that you can appreciate. The well-kept part system helps you keep fit while touring the city. For example, you can bike or jog along Rio Maipu.

However, on the weekends, students in a Spanish school in Santiago simply must take advantage of more extensive activities. Here are four possibilities for short weekend trips.

1.Enjoy a vineyard

A perfect day trip is to one of Chile’s vineyards. The country is one of the world’s biggest wine exporters, so why not learn how this famous wine is made? Vina Concho y Toro has a great hour-long tour with plenty of history. The wine tasting is also essential. After all, you need to understand firsthand why Chilean wine is so internationally renowned! There are many shuttles from the city to these wineries, so it is an easy trip.

2.Head to the mountains for snowboarding or rafting

Santiago, of course, is at the foot of the Andes. This means that there are ski resorts that are within a 90-minute drive. If you happen to be in Chile during the summer, you can go rafting in the mountains. Getting to the mountains is easy with Ski Total’s four shuttle vans per hour. Of all the ski resorts, Valle Nevado is perhaps the most well-known. The great skiing conditions attract off-season snowboarders from around the world. Because the Chilean winter is June-September, many snowboarders come to this country to partake in winter sports during their off-seasons.

3.Take a Weekend trip to the Coast

Don’t forget that the coast is only a 2-hour bus ride from Santiago. The ride is very safe and comfortable and only costs about $15 roundtrip. One suggestion is to stay in the ocean resort of Vi

If you want to learn the language, why not learn Spanish in Spain and do it properly? Learn how to speak Spanish like a Spaniard does? Most people learn languages from books or audio courses, and some attend courses once or twice a week. How long will that take you to learn and how well are you going to learn? Forget it, and do it the correct way where you won’t forget what you learn because you don’t have time to.

The problem most people have with learning a language is that they do it part time. They go to courses once a week and are given homework to do. They come back a week later and try to remember what they have learned while at the same time being given new lessons and more vocabulary to learn. You will not learn vocabulary that you are not using, and you certainly won’t understand what a Spanish person is saying to you unless you are used to hearing the words in his accent, and not in yours in your head!

Learn Spanish in Spain, and you will be speaking in Spanish all the time. You will be immersed in the language 24/7 and this is accepted by everybody as being the best way to learn a language – bar none! This is particularly true if you learn in a group: a group of like-minded people wanting to learn how to speak Spanish and prepared to talk in the language whenever they can and whenever they are forced to. It’s amazing how quickly you learn when everybody around you is speaking the same language and you can’t understand a word!

You can’t buy anything in the shops, you can’t order in a restaurant and you can’t even read the road signs let alone the newspapers. Believe me, you learn fast. By choosing to go to Spain to learn their language, you will give yourself a fabulous benefit that no school kids have when they learn at school. You will be speaking to your tutors, your classmates and everybody else using the same language, and if that doesn’t get you speaking Spanish quickly, then nothing will.

Not just schoolboy Spanish either, but how to speak Spanish like a Spaniard speaks it. You will learn how to converse in the language, using all the colloquialisms that confuse everybody learning in school or trying to teach themselves. But what if you have a specific reason for wanting to learn, such as if you are a professional having to be able to read Spanish texts or reports, or maybe you are getting work as a tourist rep or are buying a bar in Spain as many people do?

This is ideal for you, because you can combine your general Spanish lessons with tutoring in your specific specialty. Not only that, but you meet others with the same reason for learning as you have. There are courses that enable you to learn on a residential basis, so that not only are you truly learning on a 24/7 basis, but you can also immerse yourself in the Spanish culture: their food, history, architecture and entertainment. Once you begin to be able order from your own menu, speak to people in the shops and understand the jokes in the Spanish night clubs then you know you are getting there!

This is not to infer that you will not be learning the academic side of the language. You would also learn the grammar and proper sentence construction that makes the language what it is, but you will not get bogged down in that as you would in many class-based courses in your own country. A language is a living thing and changes with time. Just consider the way that your own grammar and vocabulary have changed over the years, and even the use of vocabulary. Certain words have changed in accepted meaning over the years, ranging in English, for example, from ’sophisticated’ that once meant ‘corrupted’ or the current meaning of the word ‘gay’. It is no longer used to mean ‘happy and carefree’. These are things you learn when you learn Spanish in Spain.

It is well accepted that to immerse yourself in a language of any country, and in the customs and culture of that country, then you will learn to speak fluently very much quicker than if you learned any other way. It is almost impossible to speak like a resident of Barcelona, for example, unless you live in Barcelona while learning.

In fact, you can generally choose from a number of Spanish cities in which to learn the language. If you are moving to Spain, you are advised to learn in the nearest city to your new home. That way you will be able to learn Spanish in Spain using a dialect that you are most liable to hear and to use. If your want to speak Spanish like a Spaniard, then you have got to understand what others are saying to you and also enable others to understand you. It is more than just being able to read a language, so learn the right way and learn to speak Spanish the only way to enable you to speak it correctly.More information on how to learn Spanish in Spain is available on http://www.languagesinaction.com/learn-spanish/ where you also find a range of other languages that you can learn in their own country.

If you want to learn the language, why not learn Spanish in Spain and do it properly? Learn how to speak Spanish like a Spaniard does? Most people learn languages from books or audio courses, and some attend courses once or twice a week. How long will that take you to learn and how well are you going to learn? Forget it, and do it the correct way where you won’t forget what you learn because you don’t have time to.

The problem most people have with learning a language is that they do it part time. They go to courses once a week and are given homework to do. They come back a week later and try to remember what they have learned while at the same time being given new lessons and more vocabulary to learn. You will not learn vocabulary that you are not using, and you certainly won’t understand what a Spanish person is saying to you unless you are used to hearing the words in his accent, and not in yours in your head!

Learn Spanish in Spain, and you will be speaking in Spanish all the time. You will be immersed in the language 24/7 and this is accepted by everybody as being the best way to learn a language – bar none! This is particularly true if you learn in a group: a group of like-minded people wanting to learn how to speak Spanish and prepared to talk in the language whenever they can and whenever they are forced to. It’s amazing how quickly you learn when everybody around you is speaking the same language and you can’t understand a word!

You can’t buy anything in the shops, you can’t order in a restaurant and you can’t even read the road signs let alone the newspapers. Believe me, you learn fast. By choosing to go to Spain to learn their language, you will give yourself a fabulous benefit that no school kids have when they learn at school. You will be speaking to your tutors, your classmates and everybody else using the same language, and if that doesn’t get you speaking Spanish quickly, then nothing will.

Not just schoolboy Spanish either, but how to speak Spanish like a Spaniard speaks it. You will learn how to converse in the language, using all the colloquialisms that confuse everybody learning in school or trying to teach themselves. But what if you have a specific reason for wanting to learn, such as if you are a professional having to be able to read Spanish texts or reports, or maybe you are getting work as a tourist rep or are buying a bar in Spain as many people do?

This is ideal for you, because you can combine your general Spanish lessons with tutoring in your specific specialty. Not only that, but you meet others with the same reason for learning as you have. There are courses that enable you to learn on a residential basis, so that not only are you truly learning on a 24/7 basis, but you can also immerse yourself in the Spanish culture: their food, history, architecture and entertainment. Once you begin to be able order from your own menu, speak to people in the shops and understand the jokes in the Spanish night clubs then you know you are getting there!

This is not to infer that you will not be learning the academic side of the language. You would also learn the grammar and proper sentence construction that makes the language what it is, but you will not get bogged down in that as you would in many class-based courses in your own country. A language is a living thing and changes with time. Just consider the way that your own grammar and vocabulary have changed over the years, and even the use of vocabulary. Certain words have changed in accepted meaning over the years, ranging in English, for example, from ’sophisticated’ that once meant ‘corrupted’ or the current meaning of the word ‘gay’. It is no longer used to mean ‘happy and carefree’. These are things you learn when you learn Spanish in Spain.

It is well accepted that to immerse yourself in a language of any country, and in the customs and culture of that country, then you will learn to speak fluently very much quicker than if you learned any other way. It is almost impossible to speak like a resident of Barcelona, for example, unless you live in Barcelona while learning.

In fact, you can generally choose from a number of Spanish cities in which to learn the language. If you are moving to Spain, you are advised to learn in the nearest city to your new home. That way you will be able to learn Spanish in Spain using a dialect that you are most liable to hear and to use. If your want to speak Spanish like a Spaniard, then you have got to understand what others are saying to you and also enable others to understand you. It is more than just being able to read a language, so learn the right way and learn to speak Spanish the only way to enable you to speak it correctly.More information on how to learn Spanish in Spain is available on http://www.languagesinaction.com/learn-spanish/ where you also find a range of other languages that you can learn in their own country.

With a growing Hispanic population, it is becoming more important to know the Spanish language if you want to have the edge socially as well as in business. It should come as no surprise that South America is a frequent destination to learn the language. There are a wide variety of schools set up to teach Spanish to people from around the globe.

First, let’s take a look at some of the countries that are likely to be your last picks when you are looking to learn Spanish in South America.

Venezuela is a fascinating country, but it’s probably off the table as a location for your studies. Although this used to be a good tourist destination, it is now dangerous and quite unstable. In fact, the government tends to be hostile towards Americans.

Because of some of Hollywood’s unflattering depictions of Colombia, this country has a bad reputation, one that does not accurately represent its charming people, modern cities, and exotic beaches. Although there are currently no established Spanish schools in this country, it likely will not be long before they exist and flourish as more and more people are waking up to the wonderful travel opportunities of this hidden gem.

Ecuador hosts many Spanish schools and is a cheap place to live and study. If you are on a very tight budget, you may want to consider this country. However, on the other hand, when it comes to educational standards, Ecuador is not very regulated.

On the other hand, a country that is a great choice when you are comparing Spanish schools in Latin America is Argentina. This part of Latin Ameiica’s “southern cone” is very popular with global students. There are some key reasons why this is true. Argentina used to be expensive, but since the currency was devalued in 2002, it has been a very inexpensive place to visit. In fact, thanks to the weak peso, this country is likely one of the best travel bargains in the world.

Students in Argentina can enjoy many world-renowned activities, such as attending a soccer game or learning the tango. Because this country is packed with nightlife and culture, it is a top destination for Spanish schools in Latin America.

Bolivia is another potential travel destination that offers very cheap language classes. The country has gorgeous natural parks as well as local festivals full of culture. However, if you choose to study in this country, it is important to note that safety can be a concern. There have been reports of assaults on tourists, and this country is considered to be politically unstable. You will probably want to wait for the security to improve.

Although Chile is the furthest travel destination, it is one that can be ideal for students. This country boasts a unique geography with serene lakes in the south, deserts in the north and a long coastline. With the Andes a prominent feature, you can even go snowboarding. Modern Santiago is a comfortable city to spend a few weeks or months of study. Although Chile tends to be slightly more expensive than Peru or Ecuador, the quality of life is also much higher and you will be comfortable most anywhere.

Peru, Chile’s neighbor to the north, is quickly gaining in popularity. This country has something for everyone with great food, famous archaeological sites, surfing and jungles to explore. With a clear and easy to understand Spanish dialect, Peru is good for beginners. In Peru, you can consider studying in the cosmopolitan, ocean side city of Lima. You can also head to Cusco for an experience in the mountains. In fact, you can study in both cities if you desire. Barbara Misland, a recent student in Peru stated, “Cusco is a perfect sized city which is very touristy, but still retains a lot of its cultural heritage and charm.”

Many students find success in visiting a combination of countries while they learn Spanish in South America. After all, there is an entire continent to explore with a wide range of activities and cultural events. Why limit yourself to one location? If you want to have an experience that will provide you with amazing memories for years and years, be flexible combine multiple desinations.ECELA helps you learn Spanish in South America at its schools in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Beyond the classroom, cultural activities and family homestays add to your Spanish language experience. For course details => http://www.ecela.com/services_classes.php

After a week full of classes, you may be ready to hit the road! By taking day-trips and overnight voyages on the weekends when you attend a Spanish language school in Argentina, you can make your trip even more memorable

Of course, there is plenty to do right in your backyard. Your classes will be about 20 hours a week, so there is considerable downtime to enjoy the city. Buenos Aires has famously active nightlife, with tango dancing the obvious example.

Another popular activity is to attend a soccer match. Many people don’t realize that Buenos Aires has more professional teams than any city in the world. This world-class location also has some of Latin America’s best art museums. You don’t want to miss MALBA, which is visited by more than one million people each year.

Here are four ideas for some of the best trips to take on weekends while you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires:

1. Visit Colonia, Uruguay

Why not add another stamp to your passport? Take the ferry to the neighboring country of Uruguay. This trip only takes about an hour each way. A ferry trip across Rio de la Plata will cost about $50.

Colonia is a UNESCO heritage city. It is refreshingly uncrowded and has excellent beaches. Uruguayans speak a similar kind of Spanish as Argentines. and are typically more relaxed and welcoming.

2. Check out Tigre Delta

You can also take a day trip to Tigre delta. It is easy to get to this part of Argentina, which will amaze you with its many islands, water channels, and inlets. Just take a 70-minute train from Buenos Aires and the cost will be less than $1.

Once you are in the area, select an island to visit and a boat will drop you off. You can enjoy a variety of recreational activities including kayaking, swimming and volleyball. Also don’t forget to take a time-out to eat some world-renowned Argentine steak!

3. Experience Gaucho life at an Estancia

If you want to feel as though you have entered a completely different world, check out an estancia. This word is Spanish for “ranch.” You can experience the gaucho culture that rural Argentina is so famous for.

We recommend going to San Antonio de Areco, which is about 90 minutes from Buenos Aires. You can easily find tours from the city that take you on an excursion to and from an authentic estancia.

4. Take a weekend trip to Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata is one of South America’s oceanside resorts. This area is about a 6-hour $50 bus ride from Buenos Aires. Or you can opt for a 1-hour flight for approximately $150 roundtrip.

Be sure to enjoy the water at Mar del Plata during the day. At night you can stay out late at an endless array of clubs. If you want to stay out until 5am, this is the place to do so!

The four trips listed above give you an escape every other week. This way an 8-week program of school would be accompanied by active sightseeing.

One of the great things about taking trips on the weekends when you attend Spanish school in Argentina is that is a great way to spend time with the new friends you will be making. You will meet many solo traveler looking for partners. Almost all students who learn Spanish in Buenos Aires find that they easily make new friends.

These weekend trips will make your trip to Argentina even more memorable. Just because you are studying during the week, doesn’t mean that you can’t relax and have fun on the weekends. You will also have great photos to share when you return home.To learn Spanish in Buenos Aires, book a course through Latin Immersion. It’s Spanish school in Argentina is located in Recoleta and provides a full calendar of cultural activities. Find out more => http://www.latinimmersion.com/learn-spanish-argentina.html

There can be little doubt that learning Spanish is a necessity for all those involved in the health care profession. Often caring for patients is a matter of effective communication. This means that if you can’t communicate with your patients, important factors about their illnesses, concerns and issues may very well not be addressed. In just a few years, the United States will have the second largest Spanish speaking population in the world. In fact, only Mexico will have more Spanish speakers. These statistics have obvious implications for all American health care workers.

Hospital administrators are quickly realizing that they must have their organizations prepared for this new and emerging reality. More and more, hospitals are requiring their staff to speak some Spanish. This type of requirement is increasing common for health care workers who are working in the emergency room. The logic behind this push to have health care workers speak Spanish is pretty clear. Imagine you are working in an emergency room and you have a seriously injured accident victim arrive who only speaks Spanish. Not being able to effectively communicate could quite literally be the difference between life and death.

There are a few ways one can go about learning Spanish, such as taking Spanish night classes, for example. However, this option does come with some pretty substantial drawbacks for many people. The time frame for learning Spanish through your typical Spanish class can be rather slow. This is especially true if you are trying to take Spanish on the side while working full time. Immersion programs have long been popular for those looking to learn a foreign language. The pace can be fast and intense, but so are the results. Those who need to learn Spanish quickly will be well served in considering such a program. Such programs at Spanish schools are a solution for health care workers who are looking to learn the language quickly.

Many people looking to learn Spanish are opting for these types of Spanish immersion programs. Besides learning the language, cultural experiences and activities are an integral part of the course. Such programs are offered in a variety of countries including Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile or Peru. While Mexico is convenient for North Americans, recent events and security concerns cause many to look further. For example, Mexico’s current crime wave is a sad fact of life. This factor unfortunately makes Mexico less than an ideal spot for traveling students. Due to this factor, many people choosing to learn Spanish abroad are opting for other countries.

Further down in South America, Argentina, Chile and Peru tend to be far safer than Mexico and can be the ideal choice for health care workers. Visiting Inca ruins in Peru or dancing tango in Buenos Aires will surely be remembered. The cultural perks that go along with an immersion program as you learn Spanish in Argentina, Chile or Peru make your trip most memorable.

In fact, some study abroad programs even have programs specifically designed to tackle the specific needs of health care workers who are learning Spanish. With a little investigation you can learn Spanish abroad while also conducting role-playing and clinical shadowing. Some study abroad programs also offer instruction geared towards health care workers like the teaching of medical terminology in Spanish. In the case of clinical shadowing, students are assigned to a doctor or nurse and then follow them as they work with a country’s health care system. There are even Spanish immersion programs that allow health care workers to reach out to the community through the means of heath fairs, which provide much needed tests and screenings to impoverished locals in South American.

One recent American student, Lori Hendrickson from Milwaukee, studied Spanish abroad and shadowed in a public health hospital in Buenos Aires. As she was already a nurse, she was able to practice her newly learned Spanish medical terminology with real patients. Hendrickson stated that, “the friendly staff in the E.R. and Obstetrics Unit not only allowed me to participate in direct patient care, but also gave me great insight into the structure of the Argentine health care system.”Latin Immersion provides clinical shadowing programs at its Spanish language schools in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. For more information => http://www.latinimmersion.com/medical-spanish.html

Have you long wanted to learn Spanish but can’t fit it into your busy life? Now might be an opportune time to consider a career break. Many people do not realize how possible it is to learn Spanish in Chile, for example, at one of the country’s Spanish schools. One of the great aspects of these programs is that there are no set time periods. Additionally, Spanish schools can last from a couple of weeks to up to six months. Therefore, there is some flexibility as to how to fit your career break into your schedule.

The bottom line is that there has probably never been a better time to go and acquire new skills for a resume. With high unemployment and a bleak job market, a few months in Latin America learning Spanish and interning can certainly make resumes stand out from the crowd. Besides working an internship or volunteering can also give you a new perspective and time to access goals from afar.

Spanish immersion schools take place world-class cities such as Buenos Aires and Santiago. There is also a great deal of fun to be had in these locations as well. Those in Spanish immersion schools are able to do things like go snowboarding in the Andes Mountains while in Santiago or learn the tango in Argentina. Spending a few months in South America visiting and learning in these three countries will definitely change your perspective and will likely even alter your perceptions about what it is you “need” to have in your life to be happy.

With a very low cost of living, the dollar goes far in South America. Visitors are always happy to ride the Buenos Aires subway for a mere 30 cents. But that is only the tip of the cost savings iceberg, as you generally won’t need a car. An added plus is that Internet cafes are everywhere. All of these factors add up to make it so a person can learn Spanish in Argentina, Chile or Peru without having to spend a lot of money in the process.

The experience of a new culture brings benefits far beyond the classroom. While you attend Spanish immersion schools, it is possible to live with a local host family, which is a great way to experience the culture. Further, you will have wonderful experiences with your classmates as you learn Spanish in Argentina, Chile or Peru. Students from around globe attend these international programs. This gives students the experience to spend a great deal of time with people from other countries. Meeting people from all over the world can be very beneficial to those on a career break who are looking for new perspectives.

As Ann Glotzbach former Spanish immersion student from New York City stated, “I would highly recommend the school to anyone who is seeking an enriching, comprehensive and fun language learning experience. Each school offered engaging professors, well organized teaching materials…and diverse and dynamic classmates.” Anyone looking for a way to boost their resume and broaden their horizons would be well served by studying Spanish in South America in a Spanish immersion program. Who knows? You might even stay in South America and open up a business or become an English teacher. One thing is for sure, after taking a career break to learn Spanish in Argentina. Chile or Peru, you will have new options and new perspectives.ECELA operates Spanish language schools in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. More details are at => http://www.ecela.com

Have you long wanted to learn Spanish but can’t fit it into your busy life? Now might be an opportune time to consider a career break. Many people do not realize how possible it is to learn Spanish in Chile, for example, at one of the country’s Spanish schools. One of the great aspects of these programs is that there are no set time periods. Additionally, Spanish schools can last from a couple of weeks to up to six months. Therefore, there is some flexibility as to how to fit your career break into your schedule.

The bottom line is that there has probably never been a better time to go and acquire new skills for a resume. With high unemployment and a bleak job market, a few months in Latin America learning Spanish and interning can certainly make resumes stand out from the crowd. Besides working an internship or volunteering can also give you a new perspective and time to access goals from afar.

Spanish immersion schools take place world-class cities such as Buenos Aires and Santiago. There is also a great deal of fun to be had in these locations as well. Those in Spanish immersion schools are able to do things like go snowboarding in the Andes Mountains while in Santiago or learn the tango in Argentina. Spending a few months in South America visiting and learning in these three countries will definitely change your perspective and will likely even alter your perceptions about what it is you “need” to have in your life to be happy.

With a very low cost of living, the dollar goes far in South America. Visitors are always happy to ride the Buenos Aires subway for a mere 30 cents. But that is only the tip of the cost savings iceberg, as you generally won’t need a car. An added plus is that Internet cafes are everywhere. All of these factors add up to make it so a person can learn Spanish in Argentina, Chile or Peru without having to spend a lot of money in the process.

The experience of a new culture brings benefits far beyond the classroom. While you attend Spanish immersion schools, it is possible to live with a local host family, which is a great way to experience the culture. Further, you will have wonderful experiences with your classmates as you learn Spanish in Argentina, Chile or Peru. Students from around globe attend these international programs. This gives students the experience to spend a great deal of time with people from other countries. Meeting people from all over the world can be very beneficial to those on a career break who are looking for new perspectives.

As Ann Glotzbach former Spanish immersion student from New York City stated, “I would highly recommend the school to anyone who is seeking an enriching, comprehensive and fun language learning experience. Each school offered engaging professors, well organized teaching materials…and diverse and dynamic classmates.” Anyone looking for a way to boost their resume and broaden their horizons would be well served by studying Spanish in South America in a Spanish immersion program. Who knows? You might even stay in South America and open up a business or become an English teacher. One thing is for sure, after taking a career break to learn Spanish in Argentina. Chile or Peru, you will have new options and new perspectives.ECELA operates Spanish language schools in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. More details are at => http://www.ecela.com

Savvy college grads have really begun to see their bridge year, the year after graduation but before work begins, as a great time to enhance the resume. If you can increase your fluency in a foreign language and gain some valuable work experience at the same time, you really cannot go wrong. When you start applying for jobs you really want to stand out from the crowd, and this kind of experience can give you the edge.

Increasingly, people are seeing real benefit by attending Spanish schools in South America. If you are looking to learn Spanish quickly, you can definitely benefit from choosing to study Spanish abroad. Spanish schools in South America are an immersion experience and provide their students with a great deal of cultural exposure. These are world-class opportunities that you are unlikely to find elsewhere.

Soon America will be home to more Spanish speakers than anywhere in the world other than Mexico. With the trend toward multilingual population, an ability to speak fluent Spanish will become increasingly important in the workplace. Additional benefits of spending one’s bridge year at Spanish schools in South America include networking opportunities. In today’s competitive job market any advantage can be a big advantage.

There are organizations available that specialize in bridge year programs geared towards students looking to study Spanish abroad. Such programs include a 16 week adventure in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Yet, it is not all studying and course work in Spanish schools in South America. These beautiful countries, of course, have a considerable amount to offer in culture rich activities and just good old-fashion fun. Tango dancing in Buenos Aires is only the tip of what you can do in this fast-paced cosmopolitan city. Likewise, Chile is loaded with natural wonders to explore and such fun activities as wine tasting, which will never get old.

When you are choosing a Spanish school in South America be sure to find one that seeks to make sure that students have amazing travel experiences while they study Spanish abroad. As Jerry Wang of Texas expressed, “The social component of the trip is the best part of the whole experience. In 5 months, I’ve met about 200 people, ranging from 19-65 yrs old. There were students, pilots, dean’s of universities, teachers, VPs of companies, small business owners, tons of lawyers, etc. from all over the world. The relationships I’ve built are lifelong and we continue to keep in touch.”

Another important factor to look for in Spanish language schools in South America is whether or not internships are offered. The bridge year is the opportune time to boost the resume with an internship. Internships in South America can vary considerably. They can range from marketing internships to internships in social work to everything in between. You could find a six-month program where three months are spent learning Spanish and three months are spent working on an internship. Generally, programs begin in mid-June and end in mid-December. If you can gain an internship experience and Spanish fluency, your time abroad can provide lifelong dividends.

While it is true that the internships don’t come with any pay, the upside is that the cost of living is very low in Peru, Argentina and Chile when compared to the cost of living in the United States. You will have no need for a car while other expenses such as housing, food and expenses such as nights out are a fraction of what they are in the States.

Approaching your bridge year, as a time to increase your r

If you’re looking for a fast and easy way to learn enough Spanish so that you carry on basic conversations, here are some tips to get you started.

When first learning to speak, expect to make plenty of mistakes. If you are afraid to open your mouth and make mistakes, you will never learn to speak Spanish. Think about little kids learning English and all the funny mispronunciations they come up with. But they don’t wait until they think they can speak perfectly, they just go for it! Just remember, the more mistakes you make, the more you are learning when starting beginners Spanish.

Find something or someone to keep you motivated. Would planning a trip to Mexico motivate you? If you can’t swing that, find a fellow Spanish student or encourage someone you know to learn with you. Then hold each other accountable. That can help you through the rough patches when you are feeling discouraged or unmotivated.

If you want to learn “speed Spanish”, get a Spanish course designed to teach you conversational Spanish with as few words as possible, a “Spanish for dummies” type of program. There is one popular online program that claims by learning only 138 Spanish words, you will be conversational enough to get by in many situations. There is another that guarantees you will be conversation in 30 days or less.

The best way to learn Spanish is the same way a child first learns to speak, by first listening and then repeating, with emphasis on the word “listen”. Don’t try to learn from books alone. Don’t get hung up learning a lot of grammar rules or memorizing long vocabulary lists, either. Not only is this way boring, but it doesn’t work.

Find either some online Spanish lessons or learn Spanish audio CDs or CD-ROMs that are interactive. Or get a downloadable course and put it in your iPod. Spend 15 – 20 minutes each day and you’ll soon have some basic conversational phrases under your belt. If you spend a fair amount of time commuting, you can learn Spanish rapidly while driving to and from work or doing errands.

If your goal is to master the language, that obviously will take more time and effort than a simple beginner’s course can offer. But if you just want to learn some basic Spanish so you can hold basic conversations, you can be well on your way to learning “rapid Spanish”.Want to learn to speak Spanish? At SpanishLessons101.com, we give you unbiased, honest reports on the best, most popular online and audio Spanish courses that making learning Spanish fun and easy. You can find the perfect “learn Spanish” program for you…and some great articles, too…Just check out http://SpanishLessons101.com .