LANGUAGE SCHOOL REVIEW: Expanish, Buenos Aires
Having spent a month travelling in Europe I arrived in Latin America with the foolish notion that I could get by anywhere with a big smile and slow, carefully pronounced English. Arriving at Buenos Aires airport it quickly became apparent that this approach stood no chance. It was like being a baby again, adrift in a world full of strange but familar-sounding words, with new places to explore and a whole new set of social and cultural rules to learn. There was but one solution; I was going back to school.
Realising the urgency of my situation, having landed in a country where I now had virtually no ability to communicate with people, I sought a course which would immediately equip me to survive here. One good option is the "The Ultimate Spanish Crash Course" offered by Expanish language school, located right in the heart of the city. The concept behind the week-long course is to arm travellers with the basic phrases they will need to get by in Latin America. The structure is extremely flexible; you may choose to take all five of the 2 hour daily sessions, or just select those which most appeal. Sessions are from 4 to 6 pm, giving you time to spend the morning exploring, and each day covers a different topic, beginning with Eat and Drink, then Shopping, Travelling in Latin America, Everyday Fundamentals, and finally Making Friends and Socialising.
I decided to go for two, starting with Travel, since my ability to get lost was improving daily, and this was only exacerbated by the fact I still had no idea how to ask for directions. Signing up is really simple and can be done right up until half an hour before the lesson; the incredibly enthusiastic admissions staff give you a full tour of the building and facilities, explaining in depth the structure of the course and teaching methods. This encounter was actually extremely enjoyable, given my limited contact with English speakers, so I was already pretty content by class time. My class was actually fairly large, with eight of us, which created good opportunities to meet like-minded people from Europe and America, and it soon became apparent as our tutor bounded in and introduced herself that this was going to be fun.
The sessions are short, but packed with information, exercises, and plenty of opportunities to test out what you have learnt. Particularly useful was being made to watch a video of a conversation on the street, featuring Expanish staff members, and repeat what was said in the conversation. For the most part, though, the focus is on learning a few key phrases to help you get around, the likes of "How do I get to ..." and "Go straight ahead". I must point out that the course is basic, and thus it is all about equiping yourself with the bare minimum you will need to survive out here. It´s particularly good for those who are new to the city and language; I felt the afternoon acted as a kind of orientation to the city, with good introductions to the tourist sights in the city and one of the clearest explanations I have heard of Buenos Aires´ bewildering grid pattern and avenue layout. I´d been here a few days by this point, and so had seen the most of the sights mentioned, but I did enjoy our tutor´s personal recommendations, with photos, of places to go to within Argentina.
The whole experience was enjoyable, learning a bit of lingo, meeting fellow travellers, and getting some decent tourist information, and it works out at fairly good value at 80 pesos, or around US$20, per two hour class. The teaching is good, although I did feel the class size made learning more difficult, and our tutor´s tendency to forget the English meaning of a word was ocassionally problematic. Overall, though, her bubbly porteño personality and enthusiasm made it almost worth paying up just to spend an afternoon with a local. And hopefully now I´ll be able to ask for directions to get me back to the school for my next session where I´ll be Making Friends and Socialising.
Chau amigos.
Expanish can be found at Tte. Gral Juan D Peron 700, C1038AAN, Buenos Aires. For more information and bookings call +54 11 5252 3040 or go to the website.
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Friday, 21 October 2011
Friday, 9 September 2011
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
First impressions: Edinburgh
Haggis pie and fish tea in the same street; this could only be Scotland. I was walking along South Clerk St, a busy main road which eventually comes to the Royal Mile and North Bridge via an odd assortment of kebab shops, charity shops, a precariously-stacked used bookshop, cute cafes and health shops, poundstretchers and Tescos. This experience really encapsulates Edinburgh; glorious gothic and neoclassical architecture sullied by its grim blackened stonework, a huge range of art galleries and slic eateries thronging the dirty streets, and overcast skies hanging heavy in its people's hearts. It's clear that Edinburgh needs its Festival, if only to shake it from its winter gloom and remind the city that summer is upon it. I felt, walking the streets, as if this were a city in waiting. The tourists, backpackers and arts peeps had just pulled into town, replete with bulky musical instrument cases, giant rucksacks and braided hair. The locals seemed to hover to one side, curious or annoyed at the influx. They were many, but still the city had a hushed feel, patiently quiet, as if everyone was waiting for "it" to begin. Curious.
I wandered a little more, seeing the touristy sights; the castle, the Calton Cemetery with its strange vacant rooms dedicated to the dead, the Calton Mount with its expansive views. I reflected from this viewpoint. Evening was beginning to fall, the sky growing a darker grey. But out over the sea was a splinter of falling light, a brightness over the water. Like the city below the sky was grim, foreboding, but not without beauty. My brief daliance with the city had shown me ugliness, but also great potential. There is gold here, but to find it will take more exploring.
I wandered a little more, seeing the touristy sights; the castle, the Calton Cemetery with its strange vacant rooms dedicated to the dead, the Calton Mount with its expansive views. I reflected from this viewpoint. Evening was beginning to fall, the sky growing a darker grey. But out over the sea was a splinter of falling light, a brightness over the water. Like the city below the sky was grim, foreboding, but not without beauty. My brief daliance with the city had shown me ugliness, but also great potential. There is gold here, but to find it will take more exploring.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
A beautiful week for Utrecht
TRAVEL REVIEW: UTRECHT
It is not every day that you get to fall in love. Happily Utrecht is one of those beautiful European cities whose charms are difficult to resist. It is suitably distant from the dubious seediness of Amsterdam to be romantic, despite its location less than half an hour by train from the capital. Marred only by its guttural name, a little harsh for English ears, this delightful city shines particularly in spring when blossom falls lazily into the winding canals and tulips bloom from every garden.
Rather stereotypically, the most noticeable feature of any Dutch city is its bicycles. Strolling down the city streets you see the bikes locked to any and every available fixed post or railing, every bridge festooned with wheels. The Dutch passion for cycling is rampant, and Utrecht train station has implemented numerous storage options, including a huge underground bike park cavern where, in one of the more bizarre episodes of my trip, I discussed the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle with the friendly assistant.
The people, of course, are one of the most charming assets Utrecht possesses. Somewhere between sprawling Amsterdam and compact Oxford in size, the city was aptly described by the bike park assistant as a “big village”. Utrecht’s residents do have a kind of village mentality, a friendly curiosity towards visitors, marred only slightly by the characteristic Dutch directness which may unsettle the sensitive English. People are happy to help the lost and confused, and all speak English so well and so willingly, it is easy to find yourself feeling at home.
The other notable form of transport in Utrecht is more ornamental. Utrecht is a city, like many in the Netherlands, of water. Two canals, the Oudegracht and the Nieuwegracht, run through the city centre, and the old town is enclosed by the Singel, a waterway running like a belt round the outside. I had a particularly bizarre moment when basking by the Oudegracht, beside a charming open-air café, I was suddenly transported to Venice with a gondolier emerging from beneath an old bridge into perfect sunlight. The canals are well populated by all manner of waterborne transport, from narrow boats to canoes for hire. Uniquely Utrecht has pathways which run along the wharves, actually level with the water and the wharf storage areas where boats would have been unloaded, and goods taken straight up into the houses above. These charming little caves in the canal-side have been turned into various open air cafes, restaurants and shops, while the unused parts are filled with deckchairs and picnickers in the sunshine.
A key feature of Dutch culture is this focus on commerce. The Dutch love to sell and buy, and Utrecht has a huge number of shops and cafes, far out of proportion, from an English point of view, for its population size. But strangely, this capitalistic characteristic does not detract from Utrecht’s appeal. The capitalism of the Netherlands is a kind of benevolent one. The Dutch love to buy beautiful things, particularly for their homes, much more than the English. The city is populated with so many lovely shops selling gorgeous clothes, pottery, shoes, and so on, and for shopping this city cannot be faulted. The flower market is a good illustration of the peculiar Dutch attitude to business. The square behind Janskerk fills with flower and plant sellers on Saturday mornings, and the shoppers are quick to follow. There is an air of joy in the air, everyone convinced they have bought the best, most beautiful bunch. Buying is a way of getting beautiful things, with making money an added, but crucial benefit.
Utrecht is very well stocked with commercial facilities in comparison with many British cities. Charming cafes and restaurants are everywhere; some of the most notable are the lovely open air cafés on the Oudegracht, the delightful railway-side café a little further from the centre, and my particular favourite, Zizo’s, a worthy enterprise which employs disabled people as well as doing the best hot chocolate I have tasted in a country well known for “chocomelk”. The café also boasts a gift shop selling art by people with disabilities as well as handmade pottery and gifts. Definitely worth a visit.
Culturally Utrecht made me smile. I have been labelled a culture vulture before, and I can certainly say I would never run out of activities in this city. Museums range from the random Contemporary Aboriginal Art (the only one in Europe?) to the Religious Art Museum (probably of niche interest, although I found the Macedonian Icon exhibition fascinating) and the obscure mechanical musical instrument Museum Speeklok. This is also the home of Dick Bruna and the international children’s celebrity that is Miffy, so the city has its own museum for this too, and a statue of the creature by the canal.
Utrecht is very much seen as a cultural capital for the Netherlands, and boasts many fine theatres, cinemas, and music venues, as well as a packed arts festival program. I attended a wonderful concert in a converted church, some sublime Schumann, Mendelsohn and Brahms, and was told the city welcomes many internationally acclaimed musicians and that there is something to go to, concerts, plays, artsy events, every night. One which stood out for me is “Utrecht Dances”, one of the monthly Cultural Sunday special days of free workshops, music, theatre and dance in the city. All this cultural richness is soon to be enhanced with the exciting plans for 2013, the 300th anniversary of the Peace Treaty of Utrecht. This year will see many celebrations, including art and culture at fortresses, castles and the deserted air base of Soesterberg, as well as kicking off preparations for Utrecht’s bid to become 2018 Cultural Capital.
Architecturally Utrecht delights the eye, and for those with an artistic bent there is so much to appreciate. Climbing the 460-odd steps of the Dom Tower, constructed in 1382, is essential, laying out the beautiful houses and winding canals at your feet. And what a city it is to survey from the air! So many wonderful old houses line the canals, with modernity fringing the city in the form of distant high rises. The process of city planning has done very well to keep the historical beauty of Utrecht. Every street in the centre, the old town, is packed with lovely old houses, many of which now contain cafes, cinemas, theatres and shops of all flavours, in a well-balanced blend of the modern and the historic.
However, the wonderful architecture of the city is not confined to the old. Utrecht is well known for several modern buildings. This includes the famed Rietveld Schroder house, highlighting the “De Stijl” movement with its focus on red, blue, yellow, black and white colours and exploration of the relation between interior and exterior (such as the disappearing corner window), as well as the architecture at the Uithof university campus. I particularly liked a new building, completed in 2008, called Smarties which is student accommodation, a usage which fits well with the brightly coloured mosaic façade.
The university backs onto a most beautiful nature reserve. I went to explore the university on a hot afternoon, by bike, of course, and after appreciating the impressive buildings I was pleasantly surprised to see a huge expanse of green, rolling fields, cows and woods spreading out from the boundaries of the campus. This is Fort Rhijnnauwen nature reserve, a huge expanse of woods and waterways surrounding a 19th century fort. A little out of town but a lovely place to cycle, walk, drink tea in the various cafes, or just lie between the reeds on the peaceful banks, and incredibly popular with the outdoor-loving Dutch. The Vecht river north of the city, which runs between Utrecht and Amsterdam, is also meant to be beautiful, lined with magnificent country estates, although sadly this will have to wait for my return visit.
Something which I have touched on, but will finish on as a stereotypical, but fundamental Dutch characteristic, is the national love of the outdoors. The Dutch are fanatic cyclers, and their flat country is perfectly suited to all the national cycle networks which criss-cross it, but they also love simply being outside. They treat their open spaces like “beach parks” more than we do in this country. The fantastic weather of my visit saw the banks of the Singel and all the parks covered with sunbathers and picnickers, students pretending to be working, and many decidedly not working. This is the real charm of Utrecht. It is a beautiful city, historically, culturally, even commerciality, with so many opportunities to purchase lovely things, and its people make it a really lovely place to visit. If you visit one place in the Netherlands, I’d strongly advise you to make it this often overlooked city.
It is not every day that you get to fall in love. Happily Utrecht is one of those beautiful European cities whose charms are difficult to resist. It is suitably distant from the dubious seediness of Amsterdam to be romantic, despite its location less than half an hour by train from the capital. Marred only by its guttural name, a little harsh for English ears, this delightful city shines particularly in spring when blossom falls lazily into the winding canals and tulips bloom from every garden.
Rather stereotypically, the most noticeable feature of any Dutch city is its bicycles. Strolling down the city streets you see the bikes locked to any and every available fixed post or railing, every bridge festooned with wheels. The Dutch passion for cycling is rampant, and Utrecht train station has implemented numerous storage options, including a huge underground bike park cavern where, in one of the more bizarre episodes of my trip, I discussed the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle with the friendly assistant.
The people, of course, are one of the most charming assets Utrecht possesses. Somewhere between sprawling Amsterdam and compact Oxford in size, the city was aptly described by the bike park assistant as a “big village”. Utrecht’s residents do have a kind of village mentality, a friendly curiosity towards visitors, marred only slightly by the characteristic Dutch directness which may unsettle the sensitive English. People are happy to help the lost and confused, and all speak English so well and so willingly, it is easy to find yourself feeling at home.
The other notable form of transport in Utrecht is more ornamental. Utrecht is a city, like many in the Netherlands, of water. Two canals, the Oudegracht and the Nieuwegracht, run through the city centre, and the old town is enclosed by the Singel, a waterway running like a belt round the outside. I had a particularly bizarre moment when basking by the Oudegracht, beside a charming open-air café, I was suddenly transported to Venice with a gondolier emerging from beneath an old bridge into perfect sunlight. The canals are well populated by all manner of waterborne transport, from narrow boats to canoes for hire. Uniquely Utrecht has pathways which run along the wharves, actually level with the water and the wharf storage areas where boats would have been unloaded, and goods taken straight up into the houses above. These charming little caves in the canal-side have been turned into various open air cafes, restaurants and shops, while the unused parts are filled with deckchairs and picnickers in the sunshine.
A key feature of Dutch culture is this focus on commerce. The Dutch love to sell and buy, and Utrecht has a huge number of shops and cafes, far out of proportion, from an English point of view, for its population size. But strangely, this capitalistic characteristic does not detract from Utrecht’s appeal. The capitalism of the Netherlands is a kind of benevolent one. The Dutch love to buy beautiful things, particularly for their homes, much more than the English. The city is populated with so many lovely shops selling gorgeous clothes, pottery, shoes, and so on, and for shopping this city cannot be faulted. The flower market is a good illustration of the peculiar Dutch attitude to business. The square behind Janskerk fills with flower and plant sellers on Saturday mornings, and the shoppers are quick to follow. There is an air of joy in the air, everyone convinced they have bought the best, most beautiful bunch. Buying is a way of getting beautiful things, with making money an added, but crucial benefit.
Utrecht is very well stocked with commercial facilities in comparison with many British cities. Charming cafes and restaurants are everywhere; some of the most notable are the lovely open air cafés on the Oudegracht, the delightful railway-side café a little further from the centre, and my particular favourite, Zizo’s, a worthy enterprise which employs disabled people as well as doing the best hot chocolate I have tasted in a country well known for “chocomelk”. The café also boasts a gift shop selling art by people with disabilities as well as handmade pottery and gifts. Definitely worth a visit.
Culturally Utrecht made me smile. I have been labelled a culture vulture before, and I can certainly say I would never run out of activities in this city. Museums range from the random Contemporary Aboriginal Art (the only one in Europe?) to the Religious Art Museum (probably of niche interest, although I found the Macedonian Icon exhibition fascinating) and the obscure mechanical musical instrument Museum Speeklok. This is also the home of Dick Bruna and the international children’s celebrity that is Miffy, so the city has its own museum for this too, and a statue of the creature by the canal.
Utrecht is very much seen as a cultural capital for the Netherlands, and boasts many fine theatres, cinemas, and music venues, as well as a packed arts festival program. I attended a wonderful concert in a converted church, some sublime Schumann, Mendelsohn and Brahms, and was told the city welcomes many internationally acclaimed musicians and that there is something to go to, concerts, plays, artsy events, every night. One which stood out for me is “Utrecht Dances”, one of the monthly Cultural Sunday special days of free workshops, music, theatre and dance in the city. All this cultural richness is soon to be enhanced with the exciting plans for 2013, the 300th anniversary of the Peace Treaty of Utrecht. This year will see many celebrations, including art and culture at fortresses, castles and the deserted air base of Soesterberg, as well as kicking off preparations for Utrecht’s bid to become 2018 Cultural Capital.
Architecturally Utrecht delights the eye, and for those with an artistic bent there is so much to appreciate. Climbing the 460-odd steps of the Dom Tower, constructed in 1382, is essential, laying out the beautiful houses and winding canals at your feet. And what a city it is to survey from the air! So many wonderful old houses line the canals, with modernity fringing the city in the form of distant high rises. The process of city planning has done very well to keep the historical beauty of Utrecht. Every street in the centre, the old town, is packed with lovely old houses, many of which now contain cafes, cinemas, theatres and shops of all flavours, in a well-balanced blend of the modern and the historic.
However, the wonderful architecture of the city is not confined to the old. Utrecht is well known for several modern buildings. This includes the famed Rietveld Schroder house, highlighting the “De Stijl” movement with its focus on red, blue, yellow, black and white colours and exploration of the relation between interior and exterior (such as the disappearing corner window), as well as the architecture at the Uithof university campus. I particularly liked a new building, completed in 2008, called Smarties which is student accommodation, a usage which fits well with the brightly coloured mosaic façade.
The university backs onto a most beautiful nature reserve. I went to explore the university on a hot afternoon, by bike, of course, and after appreciating the impressive buildings I was pleasantly surprised to see a huge expanse of green, rolling fields, cows and woods spreading out from the boundaries of the campus. This is Fort Rhijnnauwen nature reserve, a huge expanse of woods and waterways surrounding a 19th century fort. A little out of town but a lovely place to cycle, walk, drink tea in the various cafes, or just lie between the reeds on the peaceful banks, and incredibly popular with the outdoor-loving Dutch. The Vecht river north of the city, which runs between Utrecht and Amsterdam, is also meant to be beautiful, lined with magnificent country estates, although sadly this will have to wait for my return visit.
Something which I have touched on, but will finish on as a stereotypical, but fundamental Dutch characteristic, is the national love of the outdoors. The Dutch are fanatic cyclers, and their flat country is perfectly suited to all the national cycle networks which criss-cross it, but they also love simply being outside. They treat their open spaces like “beach parks” more than we do in this country. The fantastic weather of my visit saw the banks of the Singel and all the parks covered with sunbathers and picnickers, students pretending to be working, and many decidedly not working. This is the real charm of Utrecht. It is a beautiful city, historically, culturally, even commerciality, with so many opportunities to purchase lovely things, and its people make it a really lovely place to visit. If you visit one place in the Netherlands, I’d strongly advise you to make it this often overlooked city.
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