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Certifying your Spanish language skills

October 8th, 2011 | Posted by jodiehop in Guiri Guest | Learning Spanish | Work and Employment - (2 Comments)

Guiri Guest Julie is ready for a change from being a project manager that works from home and has written about an element that is preparing her for the next step: Certifying her Spanish language skills. She is South African by birth and has lived in various European countries before settling in Madrid in early 2010 with her husband.

After almost two years of living in Madrid I have finally decided to put my Spanish language skills through their paces. For better of worse I am taking the 4-hour official Spanish government’s language test for foreigners, the DELE on November 18. The exam has a number of levels from basic/initial to superior so there is something for everyone.

Now you might be asking why bother take this exam, you are already in Spain and learning as you go, why spend the time and money (its not cheap, most levels are a bit over 100 euros) to take an official exam?

I have two main reasons for doing the DELE:

- Prove you ‘Habla the language’: If you don’t plan to settle in Spain forever, you will be able to take this internationally recognised certification with you to demonstrate your Spanish language skills wherever you might go next. It’s also a great way to add your new skills onto your CV in very professional way (as opposed to adding a line- lived in Spain, speak Spanish I promise).

- Learn Spanish faster: Lets be honest there is nothing like an exam to get us to work harder. I take regular Spanish lessons but if I don’t do my homework or forget the grammar from the week before, so what? This exam deadline is a way to motivate me to concentrate harder in class, make more effort to speak to locals and study all those complicated grammatical rules (imperfecto del subjonctivo anyone?)

You need to register by 14 October for the November exam but if this is a bit too soon then why not register for the May exam and give yourself a good couple of months to prepare?

There are Spanish examination centres all over the city where you can register and take the exam. Once I have taken the exam and received the results I’ll update you all on how it goes. I am taking Level B1 which I’m told is relatively easy for anyone who’s lived in Spain for a bit. For all those who speak Spanish fluently I’d suggest Level B2 or C1. And for anyone new to Spain and to Spanish, a couple of months of study should allow you to take A1 or A2 exams.

 

Two Years in Madrid

September 20th, 2011 | Posted by JLynch in Communications | Food and Restaurants | Jamie | Learning Spanish | Transit and Transport | Work and Employment - (2 Comments)

This past September 15th marked my two year anniversary in Madrid. This milestone (which came incredibly quickly by the way) prompted me to do some reflecting about life and learning since moving to Madrid:

  • Spanish food and wine have exceeded my expectations in every way. Neither my semester in Valencia in 2001 nor the emergence of Spanish cuisine in NYC exposed me enough to the diversity in the Spanish dining landscape.  From the fabadas and sidra in Asturias to the pescaito frito and Manzanilla in Seville, I have never before been so gastronomically stimulated.
  • Making friends was harder than I thought. Before I came here, I had visions of making loads of new friends at work, whether through happy hours, apartment parties, long nights at the office or what have you. That has not been the case. I learned that (at least at the company I work for) happy hours and apartment parties are not a big thing here (as compared to the States) and people, while extremely friendly, are generally not really looking to make new friends. While I have been greeted with nothing but kindness, the experience was more isolating than I expected. Luckily I was able to connect with some fellow expats (and the amigos of my Spanish novio) and have finally been able to expand my local network and feel much more at home.
  • Transportation in Madrid (and Spain for that matter) is world-class. The Madrid metro is spotless and efficient (albeit a bit overcrowded during rush hour), the bus lanes should be a model for other big cities (take note NYC), the roads seem to have been designed in hindsight (the way the traffic flows in certain parts of the city is genius) and the national AVE rail always manage to make the proverbial “journey” a pleasure.
  • Embarrassingly enough, I still cannot say “Hasta luego” and “Madrid” properly (despite my best efforts).  I feel like a poseur every time I try to pull it off like a native. I have no idea why these words are so hard for me, but they just do not and will not roll off my tongue. Anyone else have this problem?
  • Working in Spanish has been easier than I thought (but certainly not easy).  As I noted in an earlier post, I was initially terrified of working in Spanish, especially in the high-pressure corporate environment that I was thrust into upon arriving here. I am happy to report that my fears, while healthy, were mostly unfounded. My coworkers and clients have immeasurable patience with me, enough people know English to help me out when I stumble, and even when I make mistakes, people usually get the idea. Due to all of these factors, I was able to get by until I improved, which happened rather organically through the 10+ hour per day trial by fire.
  • I am finally (finally!) getting used to the vast difference in size of the unspoken “personal space sphere” in Spain versus the US.  Take the metro, walk down the street, see for yourself. I have never in my life stood so physically close to people when it is not mandated by a lack of space.  This elevator is huge – why are you so close to me?!  We are walking right at each other, why won’t you yield?! After two years I have finally come to accept this cultural difference and my daily anxiety levels have decreased as a result.  Serenity ahora.

After two years I can confidently say that I feel really at home here.  I found a network of people that I can trade stories and spend time with, I am in a good routine at work, I know my way around the city quite well, and I know almost everything on the menu when I go out to eat.  For those of you just arriving in Madrid, know that this level of comfort takes time and patience, and the trials and challenges along the way are those things that make you appreciate getting there even that much more in the end.

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Learning Spanish in Spain

May 17th, 2011 | Posted by allisonstendardi in Guiri Guest | Learning Spanish | Logistics - (3 Comments)

Guiri Guest Erin Ridley is a freelance writer who hails from the San Francisco Bay Area. Three years ago, she left her corporate life behind to live in Spain with a Spaniard she met in a Madrid bar. Since then, she’s gotten married and visited just about every corner of the Iberian Peninsula, and then some. You can follow her adventures via her blog, Twitter and Facebook.

10 hours of Spanish class a week, for four months, given by one of the most highly acclaimed language schools in Spain – for around 130 euros. Seriously, it’s not a joke. And no, the pot nor the clothespin have left me (a Spanish way of saying “you’ve lost your mind” - se te va la olla or se te va la pinza).

The Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (EOI) is the official language school of Spain, run by and subsidized by Spain. It started exactly 100 years ago, teaching only three languages in one school. Now it boasts 24 languages, over 300 schools, and up to some 60,000 students throughout the country – and I’m one of them!

What’s the catch, right? Ok, so there are a couple of teeny tiny catches. First – you need to be a legal resident and therefore have a NIE. Second – the admissions process is rigorous. Not rigorous like when you were trying-to-get-into-University rigorous – rigorous as in very Spanish. You know the drill – lots of running in seemingly useless circles, and heaps of often unclear requirements. The third catch is that the school is so coveted that usually they are beyond capacity, requiring a lottery just to secure a spot. One way to remedy catches two and three is to attend one of the EOI schools located outside of the city center – for example, the one in San Sebastián de los Reyes. With fewer students there is never a lottery (not that I’ve heard of anyway), and the process to get in is a lot more flexible.

EOI’s classes are designed to give students a well-rounded language education, focusing on comprehension, listening, speaking, and writing. They are not intensive courses, as they are modeled to teach at the rate which students can actually learn and apply curriculum to everyday life. Courses are provided by the semester (4-5 days a week) or by the year (2-3 days a week), for two hours a day, and at varying times depending on the school. Levels basic, intermediate, and advanced are offered, with each level split into two (six levels in total). After the completion of each of the six levels, students go through testing in order to proceed to the next level, with certificates being issued after the completion of one full level.

I’ve attended three levels at EOI and can never stop raving about the quality of my classes – so much so, in fact, that when I finish my last Spanish course this month, I’m planning to then start with Italian (at 130 euros, why the heck not?!). Obtaining fluency in a second language has been no easy task, so let’s see how I do the third time around! On that note – visit my blog, La Tortuga Viajera, to find out why I think learning a language is like going on a diet.

If you are interested in learning more about the school and its importance in Spain, check out the 100-year anniversary exhibition taking place in El Centro Cultural Galileo (C/Fernando El Católico 35, Madrid) until June 15th. Entrance is free!

For the list of EOI schools in Madrid and links to their websites, click here.

Spanish at AIL Madrid

February 24th, 2011 | Posted by AnneGA in Anne | Learning Spanish - (1 Comments)

For many of us, learning Spanish is one of the most overwhelming things about living in Spain.  The simple desire to communicate – whether it’s at the grocery store, a restaurant, or on the street – is so strong that we’re willing to go to great lengths to learn to speak and understand Spanish.

For me, learning Spanish was a top priority.  Something I knew I wanted to do in order for my time in Madrid to feel complete.  So…I began the search for a place to take classes.  I came across many good options, but ultimately decided on AIL Madrid.  I originally chose AIL Madrid because of the location, conveniently placed near Retiro and the Velazquez metro, and because I knew two other women who were planning to take courses there as well.  AIL Madrid gave us a 15% group discount and I’ve loved having friends in my class to keep me motivated and entertained!

A few of the things I like most about classes at AIL Madrid:

  • I go to class everyday for 2 hours – a significant amount of time, but realistic with my schedule – and they offer many options to fit the needs of their students
  • Ana – The incredible instructor I’ve had for many weeks at AIL Madrid and makes learning fun
  • Small classes
  • Only Spanish is spoken so we are immersed in the language and forced to learn more quickly
  • The price is reasonable and feels like a good investment

I’ve enjoyed my time at AIL Madrid and just signed up to continue for another 9 weeks.  I would certainly recommend AIL Madrid for anyone else interested in learning or improving their Spanish.

AIL Madrid
www.ailmadrid.com
C/Nunez de Balboa 17, 2D
917 256 350

World Lens iPhone/iPad app

December 30th, 2010 | Posted by Courtney in Learning Spanish - (0 Comments)
Not without some flaws, this augmented-reality translator is still stunning. Point the camera at a foreign language (on a menu, say) and it turns into English on the screen. Spanish-only at the moment; more languages promised.