Steve's sandbox

Tag: Spain

  • Aarun Ilyas: Lost in Spain: First Month in Granada – September/October 2019

    En breve, mi nombre es Aarun Ilyas y estudio Estudias Hispánicas con Administración de negocios en Queen Mary University of London. Como parte de mi tercer año, estoy realizando prácticas profesionales en Badger Maps, una startup americana, en Granada, en el sur de España.

    Es difícil saber si este primer mes me ha pasado volando o no, de día a día cambia. La idea de trasladarme a un nuevo país siempre había sido una bastante abrumadora, puedo decir que ha sido un paso enorme para mí. Aunque llegando no conocía a nadie, pronto hice amigos con la plétora de estudiantes de Erasmus en UGR.

    Situado en la fascinante región de Andalucía, la provincia de Granada cuenta con una amplia gama de playas y pueblos. Hasta ahora, el viaje más interesante que he hecho fue al territorio británico de Gibraltar, la casa de los macacos. Es más Gibraltar está a solo 11 kilómetros de Marruecos, el norte de África. Desde el peñón de Gibraltar puedes ver los paisajes hermosos del norte del continente.

    Yo diría que en Granada ya me siento como si estuviera en mi casa. Estoy muy contento en mi trabajo, y la vida andaluza es de maravilla y la cultura de ir de tapas es un sueño. Ahora tengo muchas ganas de seguir explorando la apasionante historia de esta ciudad, con la famosa Alhambra siendo la joya de la corona. Desde cualquier punto en la ciudad se puede ver por ejemplo al Mirador de San Nicolás. Espero a entrarlo antes de irme de Granada.

    English:

    In brief, my name is Aarun Ilyas and I study Hispanic Studies with Business Management at Queen Mary University of London. As part of my third year, I’m doing a work placement at Badger Maps, an American startup, in Granada, in the south of Spain.

    It’s difficult to know if this first month has flown by or not, it varies from day to day. The idea of moving to a new country alone has always been quite a daunting thought and I can say that it has been a big step up for me. Although arriving not knowing anyone, I soon made friends with a lot of the Erasmus students at UGR.

    Situated in the fascinating region of Andalucía, the province of Granada has a wide range of beaches and towns. So far, the most interesting trip I have done was to the British territory of Gibraltar, the home of the macaques. Moreover Gibraltar is only 11 kilometres from Morocco, the north of Africa. From the Rock of Gibraltar, you can see beautiful landscapes of the north of the continent.

    I would say that in Granada I already feel like I am at home. I am very happy at work, Andalusian life is wonderful and the culture of going out for tapas is a dream. Now I look forward to continuing to explore the exciting history of this city, with the famous Alhambra being the jewel in the crown. It can be seen from anywhere in the city for example at the Mirador de San Nicolás. I hope to go inside it before leaving Granada.

     

  • Is learning a language through immersion as easy as people say? – Olivia Pettitt, Spain – September 2019

    Después de mi segundo mes viviendo en Madrid, y visitando otros lugares como Barcelona, creo que mi español ha mejorado mucho. Soy capaz de entender y responder las conversaciones que creo que no hubiera podido cuando llegué por primera vez. He sido capaz de comunicarme, expresarme en situaciones y lugares en los que hubiera tenido dificultades hace dos meses. Por ejemplo, cuando, desafortunadamente, “los carteristas” robaron mi teléfono, debí tener una entrevista con la policía para denunciarlo como robado. Sin embargo, las mejoras se producen gradualmente con el paso del tiempo, y por lo que a veces ni siquiera las noto. Aunque, por supuesto, hay momentos en los que me siento completamente perdida, especialmente en las conversaciones grupales, en las que la gente habla muy rápido, y normalmente al mismo tiempo. Esto me hizo pensar, ¿es tan fácil aprender un idioma a través de la inmersión como la gente dice?, quizás, yo diría que es probablemente la forma más eficaz y eficiente de aprender un idioma, me he dado cuenta de que también tienes que dedicarte a ello, no es algo a lo que puedas sentarte y esperar a que suceda. Siendo un hablante nativo de inglés, puede ser fácil recurrir al inglés si alguna vez tienes problemas, ya que muchas personas tienen al menos un conocimiento básico del inglés. Pero esto también puede ralentizar el aprendizaje de su segunda lengua. Por lo tanto, para tener éxito en el aprendizaje de un idioma a través de la inmersión, tienes que dedicarte y resistir la tentación de recurrir al inglés.

    After my second month living in Madrid, and visiting other places such as Barcelona, I think my Spanish has improved a lot. I am able to understand and respond to things which I don´t think I would have been able to when I first arrived. I have been able to communicate and express myself in situations and places where I would have struggled 2 months ago. For example, when unfortunately, my phone was stolen by pickpockets, and I had to have an interview at the police station to report it as stolen. However, the improvements happen gradually overtime so you perhaps may not notice them. Although, of course, there are times when I feel completely lost, especially in group conversations, where people are talking very fast, and often over the top of each other. This got me thinking, is learning a language through immersion alone as easy as people say? Whilst I would say it’s probably the most effective and efficient way to learn a language, I have realised that you do also have to dedicate yourself to it, it´s not just something you can sit back and wait to happen. Being a native English speaker it can be easy to fall back on English if you are ever struggling as many people have at least a basic understanding of English. But this can also slow down your learning of your second language. Therefore to really succeed at learning a language through immersion, you have to dedicate yourself, and resist the temptation to fall back on English.

  • Olivia Pettitt: My first month in Madrid – August 2019

    En primer lugar, voy a empezar por presentarme, así que me llamo Olivia Pettitt y estudio idiomas (español y francés) con negocios internacionales en la Universidad de Sheffield Hallam. Como parte de mi carrera, estoy haciendo unas prácticas de un año en BT en Madrid.
    Mi primer mes en Madrid ha tenido muchos altibajos. Como era de esperar, trasladarse de un país a un otro conlleva mucho estrés, pero también muchas experiencias emocionantes y nuevas oportunidades. A mi llegada había muchas cosas que tenía que hacer, por ejemplo, solicitar la residencia, obtener una cuenta bancaria española, un número de seguro social y, por supuesto, encontrar un lugar para vivir. Después de la primera semana, cuando lo había arreglado todo, finalmente tuve la oportunidad de explorar la ciudad. Aunque no hay ninguna playa cerca, y alcanza los 35 grados la mayoría de los días, a veces puede ser difícil soportar el calor. Sin embargo, Madrid tiene una gran cantidad de hermosos parques donde se puede encontrar un lugar sombreado para relajarse, así como muchas piscinas al aire libre. El fin de semana pasado fui a ‘la playa de Madrid o ‘el pantano de Juan Carlos’ que es un lago a las afueras de Madrid con similar a una playa. No es lo mismo, pero hay hermosos paisajes a su alrededor, y el agua también es bonita, por lo que es una buena alternativa. Uno de mis otros lugares favoritos de Madrid es El Templo de Debod, que afortunadamente está a pocos pasos de mi piso, y aquí se puede ver el templo histórico donado a Madrid desde Egipto, que es especialmente impresionante al atardecer, cuando también se puede ver la puesta de sol sobre toda la ciudad. Los jueves hay un evento de intercambio de idiomas en un bar, donde se reúnen un montón de gente internacional. ¡Es un gran lugar para conocer gente de todo el mundo y practicar el idioma que quieras! En el trabajo, ya he aprendido mucho, y poco a poco me estoy acostumbrando a la velocidad a la que hablan los españoles, aunque a veces puede ser muy difícil de entender, cada día mejoro. En general, mi primer mes en Madrid ha sido muy divertido y gratificante.

    Monument to Alfonso XII

    First of all, I´ll start by introducing myself, so, my name is Olivia Pettitt and I study languages (Spanish and French) with International Business at Sheffield Hallam University. As part of my degree, I am doing a placement for one year at BT in Madrid.

    My first month in Madrid has had many ups and downs. As expected, moving countries comes with a lot of stress, but also a lot of exciting experiences and new opportunities. On arrival, there were a lot of things I had to do, for example applying for residency, getting a Spanish bank account, social security number, and of course actually finding somewhere to live. After the first week, when I had everything sorted, I finally got the chance to explore the city. Although there is no beach close, and it reaches 35 degrees most days, it can sometimes be hard to cope with the heat. However, Madrid has an abundance of beautiful parks where you can find a shady spot to relax in, as well as many outdoor pools. Last weekend I went to ‘madrid beach’ or el pontano de juan carlos’ which is a lake outside of madrid with a beach. It´s not quite the same but there is beautiful scenary all around, and the water is nice too, so it is a good alternative. One of my other favourite places in Madrid is El Templo de Debod, which is luckily only a short walk from my flat, and here you can see the historic temple donated to Madrid from Egypt, which is particularly impressive at sunset, when you can also see the sun set over the entire city. On Thursdays there is a language exchange event in a bar, where loads of international people meet. It is a great place to meet people from all over the world and practice whichever language you want!

    At work, I have already learnt a lot, and I am slowly getting used to the speed Spanish people talk at, although sometimes it can be difficult to understand, every day I feel myself improving.

    Overall my first month in Madrid has been really fun and rewarding, and I am looking forward to spending the year here!

  • Case Study: Rebekah Willett, Spain & France – 2016 to 2017

    After having spent over a year abroad now as part of my French and Spanish with international business studies, I can honestly say it has been one of the most incredible and unforgettable experiences of my life.

    It all began a year ago, in January 2016 when I began my studies at the University of León in the north of Spain.  It was in this beautiful city that I really improved the basis of my Spanish skills, whilst at the same time meeting people from all different cultures from around the world.  It was also the place where I gained more confidence in my Spanish skills and my ability to communicate with native speakers.  All of my classes were in Spanish and I had to carry out several business presentations in the language, which although at the time were terrifying, really helped me in my studies.

    After my time at the university in León, it was time to start my placement year.  This was split between Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Paris, France (where I am currently living and working). During my time here I worked for a tourism company as part of their reconfirmation team. This involved me contacting the hotels which the company had partnerships with and checking that they had received our reservations.  This was a whole new experience for me because I had never worked for an international tourism company and did not know that much about tourism but I learnt so much at the company that will definitely help me in later life.

    My Spanish level also progressed when working here as the majority of my team were Spanish so I would try to speak Spanish with them whenever possible. I also helped to train the new members of the team towards the end of my placement which I tried to do in Spanish where I could.

    When I was living there I also had the opportunity to explore several places scattered across the island.  This included the village of Valldemossa hidden away in the mountains, Port de Sóller, an interesting seaside town and the city of Palma itself with its many historic buildings.

    Through my time spent in Spain I have grown so much more confident in my abilities and have learnt so many new skills.  I am very grateful for this amazing opportunity and I can’t wait for my next adventure.

    Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank the John Speak Language Trust for giving me the opportunity to live and work abroad and to improve on my Spanish.

    It is an amazing program and would recommend any language students wanting to live abroad to apply.

  • Nathan Randerson, Case Study: Spain 2016-2017

    John Speak Trust Report – 2017

    Its been an incredible last 18 months, my experience in Spain has surpassed all my expectations and is something which I will never forget. I’ve spent six months studying in Córdoba and one year working in the Corporate Procurement Department of NH Hotel Group in Madrid. Both experiences have been very different but equally as rewarding on both a personal and professional level.

    When I heard about the opportunity of the John Speak Language Trust Scholarship, I jumped at the chance to participate. The scholarship has given me the financial ability to fully embrace the Spanish culture, something which can’t be replicated in a classroom. From big, well-known cities to villages in the middle of nowhere, I’ve discovered many amazing places that Spain has to offer. When I started my time abroad 18 months ago my objective was to improve my Spanish, I never expected to make so many memories, visit so many places, meet so many people and learn so much about myself. My experiences have made me fall in love with the country and when I finish university next year, I’ll have no hesitation in returning to start the next stage of my life.

    One phrase which I will take from my time abroad is ‘No viajamos para escapar de la vida, viajamos para que la vida no nos escape.’ This translates to, ‘We don’t travel to escape life, we travel so that life doesn’t escape us.’ I’ve been really lucky to visit so many places in Spain and with thanks to some friends I met there, I’ve been able to visit other countries too. 18 months ago I never imagined that I’d have a trip planned to visit some friends who live on the other side of the world, in fact, I’d never even heard of the place where they live, Reunion Island!

    bty

    My advice to anyone who is thinking about a study period or work placement abroad is to go out there and throw yourself in at the deep end.

    It is difficult at first, when I arrived in Córdoba, I was without a flat, living in a city I didn’t know and left to fend for myself for the first time. It wasn’t nice at all. However, you start to meet people, places become familiar and in a matter of weeks, this new place you didn’t know anything about feels like home. I’m really glad I took the opportunity of going abroad, and with the help of the John Speak Trust, I have been able to embrace the experience even more.

    Nathan Randerson

  • Matt Hattam: Case Study – Madrid, Spain 2016

    For the final four months of 2016 I worked for a translation company in Madrid. The scholarship from the John Speak Trust really enabled me to maximise the experience in the Spanish capital as well as providing me the chance to explore other cities in the region.

    As a city, Madrid is unique in many ways. Very few European capital cities are surrounded by such vast green spaces. In fact, the Royal Palace directly overlooks miles of mountainous rural area, fantastic if you like to get a break from city life from time to time! Moreover, with an expansive Metro system in a relatively small city, Madrid is very easy to travel around: if you are visiting and plan ahead, you’d be surprised how much you can see in a day or a weekend!

    Madrid Skyline

    Working in another country is challenging but very rewarding. Initially, it took me some time to get to grips with the translation software and responsibilities at the company, however once I had familiarised myself with the main tasks of the role, I really felt myself making progress, both in my spoken and written Spanish. During the internship, I was able to translate a series of documents from both Spanish and German into English, liaising with translators in numerous languages and promoting the company’s online profile through social media blogs.

    Toledo

    A benefit of the job was that it allowed me time in the late afternoon to make the most of other opportunities in Madrid. One activity I became involved in was teaching German at an after-school club in a northern suburb of Madrid. The German classes provided the unique chance to combine two foreign languages and also apply my Spanish in a different setting. As the school was about an hour-long journey from central Madrid, I was really grateful for the John Speak grant which covered some of the travelling costs to the classes and enabled me to attend these classes.

    Regional Park Cuenca Alta del Manzanares

    Thanks to the John Speak Language Trust, I was also able to visit other Spanish cities during my free time and broaden my appreciation of Spanish history and culture. I was fortunate to visit Zaragoza during the famous Fiestas del Pilar, which consisted of lots of music, face paints and fireworks! Toledo, the former Spanish capital, had a series of stunning cathedrals hidden along enchanting winding roads and alleys. Finally, Segovia, whose 2000 year-old aqueduct is considered one of the most impressive pieces of engineering in the world, was a fascinating city easily accessible from Madrid.

     

    It goes without saying that without the John Speak scholarship I would not have been able to replicate the experiences I enjoyed during my time in Madrid. I am now spending several months working in Barcelona and I am relishing the chance to continue developing my understanding of the language in a business setting. As with many students living abroad, I certainly found it difficult to take advantage of everything that a foreign country offers without breaking the bank, but I am really thankful for the support of John Speak in this regard and for their interest in my development throughout my time in Madrid.

    Bernabeu

    Regards,
    Matt Hattam

  • Matt Hattam: Spain – January 2017

     

    El regreso económico milagroso de España

    Como estudiante de alemán, conozco muy bien la llamada Wirtschaftswunder (‘El milagro económico’) en Alemania Occidental después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Fue una época durante la cual Alemania aparecía de los escombros, literal y figurativamente, hasta tal punto que pudo pagar la totalidad del préstamo de $1 billón de los Estados Unidos antes del año 1971. En 2016, la economía española está en auge, y mientras que esto no será tan ampliamente documentado en los libros de historia como la Wirtschaftswunder, no cabe duda de que es extraordinario de todas formas.

     

    El crecimiento estable en una clima inestable

    Una razón principal por la que el retumbe español se debe considerar asombroso es el hecho de que haya sucedido durante de la era política más tumultuosa del país desde el final de la dictadura franquista, hace unos 40 años. Mientras los partidos políticos de España se han enfrentado acusaciones de la corrupción, la impopularidad creciente y temores de una tercera elección general, la economía está haciendo caso omiso a todo esto, creciendo paulatinamente tres años después de la doble recesión entre 2008 y 2013. Con un aumento estimado del 3.2% en 2016, España ha observado un recobro más fuerte que incluso Alemania, y que también ha eclipsado la zona euro (el 1.6%).

    Es posible que la inseguridad causada por el gobierno de las reformas del Primer Ministro Rajoy signifiquen un decremento pequeño en la tasa de crecimiento, dado que se estima que la tasa de España será del 2.5% en 2017. No obstante son días felices para un país que está aprovechando la política de tipos de interés bajos del Banco Central Europeo, los precios de petróleo bajos, y un año turística con resultados récord.

     

    Finalmente el desempleo se disminuye

    Otro récord establecido durante esta recuperación es la rapidez de la disminución del paro español. Según las cifras de la semana pasada, la cantidad de la gente española sin trabajo se ha reducido en más de 390,000 personas en el año pasado, el descenso más drástico nunca grabado. Eso indica que España ha recuperado 1,7 millón de más de 3,5 millón puestos de trabajo perdidos durante la recesión. Por supuesto, el país aún tiene mucho camino por recorrer (el paro está al 19,2%, comparado con el promedio del 9,8% en la zona euro), pero representa un paso en la buena dirección.

    No es halagüeño todo en el país mediterráneo: el presupuesto español alcanzó alrededor del 4,6% del PIB en el año 2016, mucho mayor del umbral ‘aceptable’ del 3%. Pero a pesar de esto, España se está convirtiendo en la historia de éxito verdadero de la zone euro: en medio del estancamiento político y la crisis de los países vecinos, han registrado altos niveles de crecimiento y el paro se disminuye al nivel inédita. ¡Quizás deba pasar más tiempo sin gobierno!

    Madrid Skyline

    ENGLISH:

    Spain’s miraculous economic comeback

    As a German student, I am very familiar with the Wirtschaftswunder (literally ‘Economic Miracle’)  in West Germany following World War II. It was a time during which Germany came out of the rubble, both literally and figuratively, to such an extent that it had successfully repaid the entirety of its $1bn from the US by 1971. In 2016, Spain’s economy is on the rise, and whilst it will not be as well-documented in the history books as the Wirtschaftswunder, it certainly is remarkable. Here are the two main reasons why.

     

    Stable growth in an unstable climate

    One reason why Spain’s economic upturn should be considered wondrous is the fact that it has occurred during the country’s most tumultuous political era since the end of the Franco era, some forty years ago. Whilst Spain’s political parties have faced accusations of corruption, increasing unpopularity and the fear of a third general election in a year, the economy has been taking no notice, growing steadily for over three years following the extended double-dip recession between 2008 and 2013. With a reported 3.2% growth in 2016, Spain has seen a stronger recovery than even Germany, also eclipsing the Eurozone (1.6%).

     

    The insecurity caused by the government of Prime Minister Rajoy’s reforms may well mean a slight decrease in the level of growth, with Spain’s expected rate among experts at 2.5% for 2017. But it is still happy days for a country that is benefiting from the European Central Bank’s low interest policy, low price of oil, and record tourism.

     

    Unemployment finally dropping

    Another record set by this impressive recovery is the speed of decrease in Spain’s unemployment. According to figures last week, the number of Spaniards without work fell by over 390,000 in the past year, the steepest fall on record. This means that Spain has recovered 1.7m of more than 3.5m jobs lost during the recession. Obviously, this signals a long way to go (unemployment stands at 19.2%, compared to an average of 9.8% in the Eurozone), but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

    It is not all rosy in the Mediterranean nation: Spain’s budget deficit reached around 4.6% of GDP in 2016, way above the ‘acceptable’ threshold of 3%. But despite this, Spain is becoming the real success story in the Eurozone: amid political deadlock and crisis of neighbouring countries, they have registered high levels of growth and unemployment is falling at an unprecedented rate. Maybe they should spend more 10-month periods without a government!

     

  • Hasta Luego España: Rebekah Willett, Spain – January 2017

    Durante los últimos seis meses he trabajado en una empresa de turismo en Palma de Mallorca, España y porque este tiempo ha casi terminado, quiero reflexionar sobre mi tiempo aquí y las cosas que he aprendido.

    Cuando llegué, ya tenía una opinión sobre la vida en la isla. Sabía que es un destino de vacaciones para muchos turistas británicos, así que me pareció que la isla sería muy turístico y comercializado. Es cierto que en el centro de las grandes ciudades este es el caso, sin embargo, no tiene que viajar muy lejos para encontrar algunos pequeños pueblos que son menos turísticos. También pensaba que no sería la oportunidad de practicar mi español, a causa de la cantidad de turistas, pero no fue el caso. La gente estaba impresionada cuando intentaba a hablar en español y me alentaba a seguir hablando y practicando el idioma.

    También he aprendido mucho en la empresa donde trabajo. Cuando empecé a trabajar allí me pareció muy difícil de hablar español porque me faltaba la confianza, pero cuando pasé más tiempo allí, encontré que mi confianza aumentaba y ahora intento hablar más en español con mis colegas. También he aprendido mucho sobre la manera en que una empresa multinacional trabaja en el sector del turismo y mejoré mis habilidades de computación y comunicación.

    En mi tiempo libre tuve la oportunidad de visitar diferentes partes de la isla, incluyendo Soller, Alcudia y Valdemossa. Estos pueblos tienen muchas atracciones fascinantes, incluyendo el tranvía tradicional en Soller y el monasterio en Valdemossa. También tuve la oportunidad de visitar Barcelona para un fin de semana y vi muchos de los edificios increíbles de Gaudí. Fue genial a ver estas ciudades interesantes y ver las muchas atracciones únicas.

    He tenido un momento increíble aquí en España, tanto en Mallorca como en León, y todo el mundo me ha hecho sentir bienvenido en este país. He tenido la oportunidad de aprender español, conocer gente nueva, viajar, y trabajar en una empresa multinacional. Quiero terminar esta entrada del blog con un enorme agradecimiento a John Speak Trust por ayudarme a tener esta oportunidad de experimentar este país y su cultura diversa. Espero volver en el futuro y ver mucho más del país.

    ENGLISH VERSION

    For the past six months I have been working in a tourism company in Palma de Mallorca, Spain and as this time has nearly ended, I wanted to reflect on my time here and the things I have learnt.

    When I arrived, I already had an opinion of what life on the island would be like. I knew that it is a holiday destination for many British tourists so I felt that the island would be very touristy and commercialised. Admittedly, in the centre of the big cities this is the case, however you don’t have to travel very far to find some little villages which are far less touristy.  I also thought that I wouldn’t have the opportunity, because of the amount of tourists, this was not the case. People were impressed when I spoke Spanish and would encourage me to continue speaking and practising the language.

    I have also learnt a lot at the company where I work. When I started working there I found it very difficult to speak Spanish because I lacked the confidence, but as I spent more time there I found my confidence increasing and now I try to speak more in Spanish with my colleagues. I have also learnt a lot about the way a multinational enterprise works in the tourism sector and improved on my computing and communication skills.

    In my free time I had the opportunity to visit different parts of the island, including Soller, Alcudia and Valdemossa. These villages have many fascinating attractions, including the old-fashioned tram in Soller and the monastery in Valdemossa. I even had the chance to visit Barcelona for a weekend and saw many of Gaudi’s incredible buildings. It was great to see these interesting cities and see the many unique attractions.

    I’ve had an amazing time here in Spain, both in Mallorca and in León, and everyone has made me feel so welcome in this country. I’ve had the opportunities to learn Spanish, meet new people, travel and work in a multinational enterprise. I want to finish this blog post with a huge thank you to the John Speak trust for helping me to have this opportunity to experience this country and its diverse culture.

    I hope to return in the future and see much more of the country.

  • Aprender alemán, en español! Matt Hattam, Spain – November 2016

    Durante mi estancia en Madrid, doy clases de alemán los lunes y los miércoles como actividad extra-escolar a un grupo de niños españoles. Mientras que cada lección implica una nueva serie de retos, la experiencia me resulta muy gratificante.

    Uno de los mayores desafíos de estas actividades extra-escolares es el hecho de que nunca puedo recurrir al inglés para ayudarme a explicar una cosa en más detalle, puesto que ninguno de los dos idiomas en los que doy las clases son mi idioma materno, y esto ha sido un acontecimiento sin precedentes para mí.

    A causa de la amplia brecha de edad en mi clase (algunos niños aún saben leer, mientras que los mayores están en sus últimos años de la escuela primaria), hace falta estar dispuesto a cambiar la estructura de la lección para asegurar que es interesante, informativa y asequible para todas las edades y los niveles. Vale agregar que, después de un día largo en la escuela, cuando me toca mi el turno de enseñar a los niños, tienen una baja capacidad de concentración, así que hace falta que estas clases faciliten una manera de aprender diferente y más interactivas que una clase normal.

    Pese a eso, considero que el programa extra-escolar ha sido una experiencia sumamente positiva. Desde un punto de vista personal, las clases requieren que esté capaz de pensar rápidamente en español de una manera que no se ofrece por un trabajo de oficina. Pero más allá de eso, me satisface mucho cuando los niños salen de mis clases habiendo aprendido palabras y frases que no sabían antes de la clase. Finalmente, espero que, dando las clases de alemán divertidas, pueda transmitir a un grupo de niños la misma fascinación con lenguas que me han dado mis profesores cuando tenía la misma edad.

    Los niños me vuelven loco, eso sí!

    ENGLISH:

    During my time in Madrid I have been leading German classes at an after-school club on Mondays and Wednesdays for a group of Spanish children. Whilst every lesson provides a new set of challenges, I am finding the experience highly rewarding.

    The clash between Spanish and German!

    One of the greatest challenges of these after-school clubs is the fact that I can never fall back on my English to help me explain something in more detail, as neither of the two languages I am using to teach are my mother tongue- this has been a first for me.

    Because of the wide age range of my group- some children hardly able to read whilst the older pupils are in their final years of primary school- you need to be prepared to adapt the structure of the lesson to ensure that it is both engaging and informative for the pupils of all ages. Not to mention the fact that, after a long day at school, by the time it’s my time to teach the children they have a very low concentration span and so these after-school clubs have to provide a different, more interactive type of learning than a regular lesson.

    Despite this, I have found the after-school clubs to be a highly positive experience. From a personal point of view, it has demanded that I am able to think rapidly on my feet in Spanish in a way that work in an office doesn’t offer. But beyond that, it is highly satisfying to see the children leaving the classroom knowing words and phrases that they didn’t know before they entered is extremely satisfying. Finally, I hope that by providing fun language classes, I can pass on to another group of children the passion for languages that my teachers gave me at that age.

    The kids do drive me bonkers, mind you!

  • La independencia en España: Rebekah Willett, Spain – November 2016

    La independencia en España

    España es un país muy diverso y he visto las diferencias porque he vivido en dos ciudades diferentes aquí; León y Palma de Mallorca. La razón por qué es tan diferente es en parte porque muchos grupos étnicos agregaron su marca en la historia de España, y en parte por qué, hasta los finales de los 1400, España no existía como un país completo. Antes de esto, la península era varios reinos diferentes gobernados por varias distintas personas. Dicho esto, no fue hasta los años 1700 que España se convirtió en la España que conocemos hoy, con la inclusión de las islas.

    He estudiado los problemas actuales en España y entiendo que hay varios debates sobre la independencia de algunas regiones de España que eran previamente países individuales. Las dos principales regiones que quieren la independencia son Cataluña y el País Vasco.

    Las dos regiones tienen sus propias lenguas y tradiciones y muchas personas no piensan que sean españoles. La gente de estas regiones también tuvo un tiempo muy difícil durante el régimen de Franco porque no se les permitió hablar sus lenguas regionales durante este tiempo, y el castigo fue muy severo para hacer esto. De hecho, debido a esto, euskera estaba casi completamente perdido.

    Hay muchas razones por y contra de la independencia de estas regiones españolas. Algunas de las razones en contra de esto son que estas dos regiones contribuyen mucho dinero a la economía española, porque tienen mucha industria en las zonas y sin ellas, la economía española podría empeorar, causando muchos problemas para el futuro económico del país. Además, en el pasado había problemas con grupos terroristas como ETA que luchan violentamente por la independencia. Por lo tanto, dar a las regiones su independencia podría ser vista como una entrega a las demandas terroristas. Muchas personas en España también crean que ya tienen suficiente autonomía, porque tienen un gobierno catalán, y tienen la libertad de su propio idioma y la cultura y las clases en la escuela están enseñados en catalán, así como en español. No toda de la gente de estas regiones está de acuerda con la lucha por la independencia también. Negar a estas personas de los beneficios que España les da, como ser miembro de la UE, sería injusto para estas personas.

    Dicho esto, hay opiniones a favor de la lucha por la independencia. Estas personas tienen su propia historia, su propia lengua, sus propias tradiciones y su propia cultura, y piensan que el gobierno de España los suprime, y si fueran su propio país, podrían tener autonomía con la manera en que se operan las cosas. Además, ya que las dos regiones son muy ricas en la industria, pagan mucho dinero al gobierno español, un gobierno que mucha gente no considera su propio gobierno. Si tuvieran independencia de España, el dinero daría al gobierno de Cataluña o al País Vasco y sería devuelto a la región. No todo del dinero que se paga en impuestos al gobierno de España se utiliza en las regiones de donde proviene, porque hay regiones más pobres que necesitan más dinero. En términos de Cataluña, la mayoría de la gente quiere independencia y hasta un 57% votaría por ser un país aparte.

    Donde vivo en Palma, hablan un idioma regional diferente, Mallorquín, que es un dialecto del catalán, sin embargo, opino que aquí no hay opiniones tan fuertes sobre la independencia de España. Aunque les guste celebrar su cultura mallorquina, ven que es mejor ser una parte de España. Como siempre, sin embargo, hay ciertas personas que prefieren ver Mallorca como un país separado, sin embargo, estas personas no son una mayoría en este momento. Sería interesante ver si Cataluña y al País Vasco ganaron la independencia, cómo afectaría la zona donde vivo y también en otros lugares de Europa, como Escocia en el Reino Unido y Flandes en Francia, que también están luchando para la independencia.


    ENGLISH VERSION

    Independence in Spain

    Spain is a very diverse country and I have seen the differences as I have lived in two different cities here; León in mainland Spain and Palma de Mallorca. The reason it is so different is partly because so many ethnic groups of people added their mark onto the history of Spain, and partly, until the end of the 1400s, Spain didn’t exist as a complete country. Before then, the peninsular was several different Kingdoms ruled by several different people. Having said this, it was not until the 1700s that Spain became the Spain we know today, with the inclusion of the islands.

    I have studied current issues in Spain and I understand that there are several discussions surrounding independence for some regions of Spain which were previously individual countries. The two main regions calling for independence are Catalonia and the Basque Country.

    The two regions have their own languages and traditions and many people do not think they are Spanish. The people from these regions also had a very tough time during Franco’s regime as they weren’t allowed to speak their regional languages during this time, and the punishment was very severe if they were caught doing this. In fact, because of this, the Basque language was almost completely wiped out.

    There are many reasons for and against independence for these Spanish regions. Some of the reasons against this are that, these two regions contribute lots of money to the Spanish economy, because they have a lot of industry in the areas and without them, the Spanish economy could worsen, causing many problems for the economic future of the country. Furthermore, there have been problems in the past with terrorist groups such as ETA campaigning violently for independence. So, to give the regions their independence could be seen as surrendering to terrorist demands. Many people in Spain also feel that they already have enough autonomy, as they have a Catalan government, and have the freedom of their own language and culture and classes in school are taught in Catalan, as well as Spanish. Not everyone from these regions agrees with the fight for independence too. To deny these people of the benefits that Spain gives to them, such as being a member of the EU, would be unfair on these people.

    Having said this, there are opinions for the fight for independence. These people have their own history, their own language, their own traditions and their own culture which they feel is supressed by the Spanish government, and if they were their own country, they would be able to have autonomy in how things are run. Also, as both regions are very industry rich, they pay a lot of money towards the Spanish government- a government which many do not feel is their own. If they had independence from Spain the money would go to the government of Catalonia or the Basque Country and would be put back into the region. Not all the money that is paid in taxes to the Spanish government is used in the regions it comes from, as there are poorer regions that need more money. In terms of Catalonia, the majority of the people want independence and up to 57% would vote to be a separate country.

    Where I live in Palma, they speak a different regional language too, Mallorquin, which is a dialect of Catalan, however, I feel here that there are not as strong opinions about independence from Spain. Although they like to celebrate their Mallorcan culture, they see that they are better as part of Spain. As always though, there are certain people who would rather see Mallorca as a separate country, however these people are not a majority at the moment. It would be interesting to see if Catalonia and the Basque Country were granted independence, how it would affect the area where I live and also in other places in Europe, such as Scotland in the UK and Flanders in France, which are also fighting for independence.