Study Abroad Programs Blog

Latest Newsletter & Offers

Save 11-30% on programs in Spain, Europe, Jordan & Guatemala. Win a Free week in Costa Rica. Go here: www.amerispan.com/newsletters/2012_05_25.htm

Learn Arabic in Rabat: Developing a Learning Philosophy

By Cameron R., Guest Blogger working to learn Arabic in Rabat

I just took the final exam.  Well, the final exam is really just an assessment exam that tells you whether or not you will be able to move up to the next level.  Like I mentioned earlier, it is all about feeling out how things work, except that I found out today that we had this exam.  I was just getting adjusted to my class' operation.  I had been in the class for a little over one week.  I realized that there is a difference between just having words that are unknown, but are necessary to understand the whole idea, and words in questions that require the student to think, but are feasible.  I guess it is good for the student to not know the material entirely sometimes.

Teenager Study Abroad: New Vocabulary and Fun Activities

By Guest Blogger Garrett F., Teenager Study Abroad student in Quito, Ecuador

Que pasa!                                                                                                                      It is the end of my second week in Quito, and it has been quite an experience so far. I´m learning a lot of Spanish. In class this week, with my new teacher (we switch teachers every week) we did irregular verbs and I leaned a bunch more vocabulary. For the first two hours of class we did worksheets and practiced the irregular verbs. Then for the beginning of the second half of class we did activities or games using the irregular verbs and vocab for practice. For the last hour of class we would have group discussion in Spanish. These were very helpful because I could use the vocab I learned and incorporate it into the discussions.

Alajuela Spanish School: A Teen's Perspective

By Erin K., Teen Delegate Scholar and AmeriSpan Blogger studying at AmeriSpan's Alajuela Spanish school

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a school as beautiful as this one. Nestled in a valley between coffee and sugarcane plantations, it’s not at all unusual to see a family of cows wander by the classroom window.  The classrooms are simple but comfortable; one even replaces chairs with hammocks.

Volunteer in Honduras: Work with Children in Need - Video

Those who opt to volunteer in Honduras will have a life-changing and soul-nourishing experience. There are many children in need and many placements that need volunteers. By participating in one of these programs, you will be doing a service to these incredible organizations and making a difference in these childrens' lives. See the video after the jump to hear from a volunteer and to learn more about the volunteer programs in Honduras.

Learn Spanish in Guanajuato: First Week

By Laura K., Guest Blogger who wants to learn Spanish in Guanajuato, Mexico

Hola. It has now been one week since I arrived in Guanajuato. I feel much more at home now as I am in a routine. Every day I wake up at 745am and eat breakfast at 830 with my house mom and my roommate from Japan. We eat a plate of fruit covered in yogurt, usually melon, papaya and mango. I never liked papaya before, but now I love it! It's supposed to be very healthy for your stomach too. We also eat toast with jelly. One thing I found is that peanut butter is incredibly expensive here compared to the US, but it's one of those things that makes you feel more at home.

Peru Study Abroad: My Great Homestay Family

By Courtney C., Guest Blogger and Peru study abroad participant

¡Hola!

Now for a little bit about my family…..

When I arrived at the airport, my host parents, Belinda and Cesar, were there to pick me up with great big smiles on their faces.  I explained to them that I don´t speak much Spanish yet, but that I wanted to try to speak as much as possible.  They were very understanding and they have been very welcoming.  That first day they explained to me that to avoid a bad  case of altitude sickness, I needed to drink some coca tea and go straight to bed for a few hours, and so I did.  That evening their family had a huge family gathering because one of their nephews, who now lives in New York City, was coming in for a couple of days, so when I woke up I had a lot of friendly faces to meet.  The food was fantastic—lots of vegetables and some grilled meats such as chicken, sausage, and even slivers of cow heart of a stick.  It was all really tasty especially when dipped in a special sauce that they made with various herbs and spices.

Learn Spanish in Sevilla Spain – Bella’s Spain Tour, Part 2 – Video

Last week we posted the first of four great videos by Bella L., AmeriSpan Guest Blogger. After her Madrid Spanish immersion, Bella moved on to learn Spanish in Sevilla Spain. Check out her video below for some great perspective on the school and city!

Chile Study Abroad: Feeling Comfortable Speaking Spanish

By William P., Chile study abroad participant studying Spanish and skiing in Santiago

Today was my second day and I was still very frustrated that I was having trouble understanding even the basic words that I know I should remember from high school or that I know on paper.  However, at least I was starting to understand most of what the teacher was saying today as she spoke to us in phrases that an intermediate beginner would know.  I know that learning a language does not occur overnight but because I know I am not very good yet I realized I was getting very nervous in front of people and ultimately too scared to talk.  My nervousness would make me forget simple verbs and phrases that I easily remembered later but was stuck without words at the time.  It also is very difficult to conjugate verbs on the spot and while I may know it on paper, speaking them efficiently will take many hours of practice.  Therefore, I did not have a lot of confidence in my abilities at all today.

New York Times: "Old Montreal, Newly Hip"

Want to study French in a posh city closer to home? Many major cities feature an "old town" or "old city" that undergoes the occasional renaissance period, and Old Montreal is currently experiencing a very fashionable period, so says New York Times Travel writer Michael Kaminer.

Spanish Study Abroad: The Dogs of Honduras

By Guest Blogger Liz L., Spanish study abroad participant blogging from La Ceiba, Honduras

In every third world country I've visited, dogs have been a large part of life. Dogs guard houses, dogs offer companionship and sometimes, dogs even provide food. Honduras is no different - every house has at least one guard dog and at any given time one can find a dog or two roaming the nearby streets.

Learn Spanish in Madrid Spain: Bella's Spain Tour - Part 1 - Video

Guest blogger Bella L. recently returned from an incredible AmeriSpan trip to four different locations after deciding she wanted to learn Spanish in Madrid and expand on her immersion with a multi-site program. Check out her first video after the jump to see part of her experience in Madrid!

Learn Spanish in Cusco: Visit Machu Picchu - Video

You simply cannot learn Spanish in Cusco without a trip to one of the world's most prized cultural and archaelogical sites: Machu Picchu. These ancient ruins were one of the most important discoveries in history, and shed light on the lives and customs of the Incan people - not to mention the views are unreal!

Learning Spanish in Heredia: Final Thoughts

By Jennie M., guest blogger learning Spanish in Heredia

The first adjustment:  nearly everyone spoke English to me at the San José airport.  Like some of the more tourist-oriented towns, the prices switched to dollars.  While I understood when the airport staff converted to the prices to colones, I still wondered why they said "thousand" instead of "mil" for the amount.