Review

We spent the week from 19^thto 26^thof May 2012 in Conil de la Frontera in southern Spain. This was a language trip, so we had four hours of tuition in the Academia Andaluza per day. The course turned out to be very different from our everyday learning in Germany, because our teacher could not speak German, and so we had to describe everything in Spanish without knowing the German translation. We therefore had a very practical experience of the Spanish language. The school had organized the entire trip, including our accommodation. We were housed in small two-bedroom apartments and had to prepare our own breakfast and usually dinner as well. Having to take care of ourselves was a lot of fun and a very good experience. A three course lunch was served every day in a restaurant which was usually delicious. Day trips to Cadiz and Seville were very well organized and were guided by Isabel, director of the Academia Andaluza, who informed us very extensively about the history and other interesting aspects of these cities. In addition, our guide Carlos took us to the beach a few times. This was a nice idea, and we especially enjoyed the beach volleyball games and the dips in the sea.

All in all it was a very nice trip and we were all quite sad when it was over, but I’m sure we will be back one day.

Arne

Language trip to Conil de la Frontera

After 2 years of learning Spanish at home it was high time to put our language skills to the test. I flew with my class to the Costa de la Luz. Our daily programme was structured so that we had Spanish classes in the mornings at the Academia Andaluza, and in the afternoon had free time for ourselves or went to explore the area (Sevilla and Cádiz). Our teacher Jesús was very motivated to help us improve our Spanish, and so we had fun learning new things and repeating what we already knew. The excursions were very interesting and were enriched by plenty of information (in Spanish) from our guide Isabel (director of the school).

This trip showed me that there is a lot to see in the world and that my Spanish skills are already sufficient to make myself understood!

Doris

Review Academia Andaluza 19th to 26^thMay 2012

The week in Conil de la Frontera at the Academia Andaluza was something I will remember for a long time, because it was a positive experience throughout. The warm welcome by Isabel and Carlos made me feel at home right from the start, and this feeling lasted the whole week. Both Isabel and Carlos took us on excursions and spent the evenings with us, always present with heart and soul, thus bringing us the Spanish culture quite a bit closer. In class with Jesús, we freshened up what we already knew and also learned a lot of new things. In his open and friendly manner, he taught us the basics of the Spanish language and at the same time showed us how we can apply them in the real world. Especially the trips to the local market and the Ruta del Atúnwere very interesting and instructive. The beautiful accommodation and friendly service in the nearby Spanish restaurant also helped to make this week a very nice experience in southern Andalusia.

I think that if I had the chance, then I would definitely go to Conil de la Frontera again to attend another Spanish course at the Academia Andaluza.

Franziska

I really enjoyed the week in the Academia Andaluza. It was fantastic! It was a mix of different activities, so it was really a bit of everything: a tour around the town including the food market, beach volleyball in bright sunshine and pleasant water temperatures, trips with plenty of information about Spain and, of course, the most important thing: the Spanish lessons which we enjoyed in the mornings in small groups at the school. During these hours we had a lot of fun and have deepened our knowledge.

It was a very memorable experience to learn with you at the school, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Spanish culture and history and wants to learn the language. Thank you for a beautiful and eventful week!

Jessica

I think our week in Spain was both educational and eventful. In the language course at the Academia Andaluza we improved our basic knowledge and gained new insights into the Spanish language. Our teacher Jesús showed us that lessons can be fun even during the holidays, when you normally would not want to go to school. His refreshing and fun way of teaching made the lessons very enjoyable for us. The direct interaction with people in Conil helped a lot to improve our language skills. In our free time we walked to the beach, equipped with sun cream and towel. The beach itself was absolutely stunning. The excursions to the nearby cities such as Seville and Cádiz, where we learned a lot about the culture and history of Spain were extremely interesting and also memorable, especially because we were given some time on our own there.

In summary it was a successful, varied and exciting week in Spain. I would not hesitate to spend another magnificent week there again!

Katharina

We spent the week from 19th to 26th of May 2012 in Conil de La Frontera, a beautiful town on the Atlantic coast. I really liked our accommodation, because we had a wonderful roof terrace with sea views and spacious apartments where we cooked some nice meals. However, this was actually not necessary since we were fed huge portions at lunchtime which left us full for the rest of the day. In my opinion, I would prefer to reduce the amount of food served at lunch and rather have the students decide what and when they want to eat. The Spanish tuition was very helpful in improving our language skills, although it may have been even more efficient if the groups had been divided according to the students’ entry test results. The absolute highlights were of course the very interesting guided tours to Seville and Cádiz, but too little time for personal exploration.

All in all, I enjoyed the trip very much and I think it helped the solidarity and social cohesion within our group and gave us a feeling of independence. I would participate in such a trip at any time again, as it has enriched my experience.

Laura

Spain 2012 – review

From Berlin to Malaga to Conil and back again. One week Spain: five days language training, excursions to Cádiz and Seville, accommodation, food, travel and school – incredible! On a scale of 1 – 10 I‘d give it a 17. The four of us guys had a spacious 3 bedroom apartment with private bathroom, TV and kitchen for ourselves. Each day we were served lunch with appetizer and dessert. We spent one and a half days on the road exploring the area and its people, and we enjoyed first-class tuition with teacher Maty. All of this has made this trip unforgettable. Once we were south of the Pyrenees it was, above all, the people, the Spanish mentality and the entire ambience which accompanied us and shaped our journey. Whether we came to meet complete strangers on the street or were greeted by the school’s director Isabel, we were always received with a smile. The weather played along as well; except for a brief rain shower the sun was shining throughout the whole week. After all, it wasn’t a holiday, but a language trip, so I would like to say a few words about the tuition. In just one week we repeated and consolidated nearly all the material from one and a half years of learning at home. We used our basic knowledge to communicate with Maty who did not speak German and urged us not to use dictionaries. This wasn’t always easy but it worked and made the lessons unique and very efficient.

In summary, I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this incredible journey. Thank you!

Louis

Review

Before or our trip to Conil I had never taken part in a language course and therefore was anxiously looking forward to this week. Upon arrival I was already impressed by the roof terrace of our apartment with very nice sea views. Also, courtesy of the school, we were given a stack of postcards and a supply of bottled water for the first few days. The trip to Seville on Sunday was very interesting thanks to the guided tour by Isabel who explained everything in Spanish so we would understand. It was a bit unfortunate that we didn’t have enough time to visit the city’s famous cathedral. I also really enjoyed the other recreational activities organized by the school, my favourite being a flamenco dance show and the time we had on the beach, but also the visit to the “Cámara Oscura” in Cadiz and the paella evening on our last day. The tapas tour was a good opportunity to try something typical from the local cuisine, although I would have preferred to choose the tapas myself. The Spanish lessons were very clear and well designed. For me it was good to go over the material we had already studied at home, and I also lot of new vocabulary. The lessons flew by. During our visit to a typical market in Conil we were able to apply what we had learned.

Overall, the language trip was well worth it. I enjoyed my time in Conil very much and the week was over far too quickly.

Maren

I really enjoyed the time at the Academia Andaluza very much. Our stay was well organized and I had a lot of fun on the trips and during leisure time. I think the Spanish lessons were very helpful for my understanding of the language. The best thing was that everybody was so friendly and helpful and that we managed to communicate in Spanish. I felt very comfortable and would like to come again.

Marie

Review

In May 2012 I attended a Spanish course with my class at the Academia Andaluza in Conil. I liked it very much, because the classes were informative and fun and the excursions were interesting. After class we were served delicious food in a restaurant. We had a great time in Conil and the Academia had really made a huge effort to make it as interesting as possible for us. I have to say that the week was quite stressful because there were so many activities, but it was worth it. My only complaint is that we didn’t have enough time in Cádiz and in Seville to explore the cities on your own. But with Isabel we had an excellent tour guide. She explained everything in Spanish to us and showed us the most important and beautiful sights in both cities (such as the Cámara Oscura in Cádiz and the Queen Maria Luisa Park in Seville). The Spanish classes were simply terrific. It was fun and relaxed and we were only allowed to speak Spanish. This improved our language skills enormously. Our apartments were clean, spacious and beautiful.

Kudos for the Academia Andaluza and greetings from the less relaxed Germany.

Michelle

Dear employees of the Academia Andaluza, First of all, a big thank you! During our stay in Conil we learnt a whole lot and gained practical experience. Our teacher Jesús showed us that learning a foreign language can be a lot of fun. His kind and open nature helped to create a very positive learning environment. Our accommodation was also very good. The programme of activities the school had organized for us was varied and highly commendable. Especially the trips to Seville and Cadiz were fascinating. Conil itself offers all possibilities to spend a wonderful holiday, and in combination with the language lessons this was a total success.

For us as a group it was a great opportunity to work together and to experience many wonderful moments. This trip will always be a good memory to me. Thank you!

Sophia

The Academia Andaluza – My first language course

I had never attended a language course or participated in such a programme before, because I wasn’t quite sure what exactly I would be able to take away from it. Until I took a Spanish language course at the Academia Andaluza in Conil. From day one, we were looked after as if we were old friends; the staff was always friendly and ready to answer typical German tourist questions and explain some very practical and useful things to us. The lessons were never boring, often spiced up with little jokes from the teacher. I liked the Spanish mentality and lifestyle (siesta, fiesta and not so much work) and would have loved to take some of it home with me. The excursions with Isabel were very well organized, including packed lunches and some free time to spend our money.

To anyone who is interested in a language school and wants to get to know both the language and the traditions of the people of Andalusia, I can highly recommend a visit to the Academia Andaluza.

Sophie

On the first day after the flight to Malaga we took a bus to the small tourist town of Conil and were welcomed by the manager of the school. The first evening I went with a couple of girlfriends to explore the beach and the town. On Sunday we took a bus to Seville, and after a guided tour were given some time to explore the city in small groups on our own. The Spanish lessons started on Monday, and the interesting thing was that our teachers did not speak German, so we were forced to speak Spanish. We worked through everything we had learned in the past few years at home and practised speaking and expressing ourselves. We spent two afternoons on the beach, went on a tapa tour with the director of the school and on Wednesday took a trip to Cádiz. On the last night we went to a restaurant and had paella.

All in all it was a beautiful language trip with plenty of different activities and good weather.

Theresa