During the
month of August, 2003, I decided to take a three-week vacation and use
it to study Spanish. Since I take my four-year-old daughter with me
when traveling, I wanted to study someplace fun and interesting for
her as well. I had heard good things about Cartagena, Colombia and I
found the Nueva Lengua program on the web. I was extremely pleased
with the entire experience and I would recommend it to everyone
I found the teachers pleasant,
professional and willing to make changes based on our feedback. There
were only three people in my program at the time - something I
considered a great plus. Huge programs generally mean less one-on-one
time with teachers. The classes were usually done by mid-day which
meant that we had the afternoon to enjoy one of the most beautiful
cities I have ever seen. For my work, I travel extensively in Africa,
the Caribbean and I often pass by Europe. I must say that Cartagena
was one of the most beautiful and fun places I have ever been. One
nice aspect of the city is that even though it is very safe, there
didn't seem to be as many tourists as I had imagined. They do have
many tourists from South America but most of them are speaking Spanish
so you rarely hear English in the streets and far fewer people
approach you and speak English than you might encournter in other
cities in Latin America. This meant that I was forced to use my
Spanish nearly all of the time. I have a doctorate in Education and I
can be quite picky when it comes to the quality of instruction. Their
ability to adapt to their students was probably the most important
quality of the teaching staff. Among them were college professors and
teachers from language schools. Nueva Lengua located a beautiful
little hotel that was perfect for myself and my daughter. The price
was extremely reasonable and, again, I was required to communicate in
Spanish. Nueva Lengua also located a day care center for my daughter
to attend while I took class. It was beautiful (and included a room
they could look into full of tropical birds), set right across the
street from the beach, and well-run. We also took advantage of many
activities in the area. The city is full of interesting history that
my daughter and I just loved...stories of pirates invading the huge
fort, etc. We went snorkeling with great company called Cultura del
Mar located right in the old city that works with one of the tour
groups leaving from the wharf. I was amazed that they were able to
take my four-year-old snorkeling and not let her be at all afraid. She
kept saying that she was looking for Nemo. It was an amazing
experience to see the reefs near the Islas del Rosario. Again, I
wasn't sure before leaving whether or not to trust a language school I
had found on-line with providing quality instruction and with helping
to make the kinds of arrangements I listed above. This was one case
where I am glad I did
Ich habe Ende 2006 für 3 Wochen spanisch mit Nuevalengua in Bogota
gelernt. Ich benötige spanisch in erster Linie für berufliche Zwecke,
und hatte bereits geringe Vorkenntnisse durch 2 Kurse, an denen ich in
Deutschland teilgenommen habe. Um sprachlich einen weiteren Schritt nach
vorne zu machen, wollte ich unbedingt einen mehrwöchigen Intensivkurs
besuchen. Aufgrund von Empfehlungen von Geschäftspartnern in Bogota fiel
die Wahl auf "Nuevalengua".
Die Schule ist integriert in die Universität La Sabana nahe Bogota. Die
Uni samt Umfeld ist geradezu perfekt. In Deutschland hab ich solch eine
Uni jedenfalls noch nicht gesehen.
Die Bilder im Internet sind real!
Was mich am meisten beeindruckt hat: Die Freundlichkeit und
Kompetenz der Lehrkräfte.
Obwohl ich Unterricht in einer Kleingruppe gebucht hatte, hatte ich über
die gesamte Zeit Einzelunterricht, da in meiner "Leistungsklasse" sonst
niemand zu schulen war. Dies war für mich natürlich optimal, da der
Unterricht auf meine Interessen hin abgestimmt wurde. Aus beruflichen
Gründen musste ich 3 Schultage ausfallen lassen, diese ausgefallenen
Stunden wurden wie selbstverständlich auf die anderen Tage verteilt.
Noch ein paar Worte zum Leben in Bogota / Kolumbien: Für Europäer hat
Kolumbien einen extrem schlechten Ruf (Drogen, Entführungen,
Kriminalität). Als ich vor 18 Monaten zum ersten Mal nach Kolumbien
gereist bin, hatte ich auch ein etwas flaues Gefühl im Magen. Dies hat
sich aber relativ schnell gelegt und mittlerweile freue ich mich, wenn
es mal wieder aus beruflichen Gründen Richtung Bogota geht. Ich fühle
mich in Bogota wesentlich sicherer als in den meisten anderen
lateinamerikanischen Großstädten. Ansonsten ist es wie in anderen
Großstädten auch: Man sollte die Einheimischen fragen, wo / was sicher
für Ausländer ist und was nicht.
Es
gibt zwei Gegenden die sehr zu empfehlen sind: Zona Rosa und Parque 93.
Hier gibt es eine Menge Restaurants, Bars und Diskotheken. Dort kann man
sich ohne Probleme frei bewegen, auch das Reisen innerhalb der Stadt mit
dem Bussystem Transmileneo ist unproblematisch
und sicher.
Für Rückfragen stehe ich jederzeit gerne zur Verfügung. e-mail:
xwunderlic@aol.com
Saludos
10.01.2007 - Juergen Wunderlich (39 Jahre) aus Muenster- Deutschland
Mit freundlichen Grüßen / With kind regards
Juergen Wunderlich
Technical Sales Department KB - 1
WINDMÖLLER & HÖLSCHER KG
Münsterstr. 50
, D-49525 Lengerich
T +49 5481 14 3670
F +49 5481 13 3361
M +49 178 4768343
Hej alla glada och
äventyrslystna svenskar som vill lära er spanska!
Jag heter Samantha
Rozi och bor i Stockholm. Jag har ett brinnande intresse för det
spanska språket.
Jag fattade mod och åkte
därför iväg till Latin Amerika under sommaren 2003.
Jag var först i
Venezuela och sedan tog jag mig enkelt och billigt över till
Colombia. Där kom jag oanmäld till en skola i Caratagena. Cartagena
är en mysig och vacker stad som ligger vid vattnet i norra Colombia.
Skolan heter "Escuela de Español Nueva Lengua".
För det första fick
jag ett oerhört varmt och vänligt mottagande. En värdfamilj
ordnades med en gång i stans bästa område och jag fick " one
to one" lektioner, fastän jag betalat för grupp lektioner.
Eftersom folket i
Colombia arbetar med hela sitt hjärta fick jag vara med om den bästa
semestern och den bästa språkskolan någonsin!
Jag är 25 år ,har
rest i över 24 länder och varit på 5 olika språkskolor, b.la. i
England, Malta, Spanien, Venezuela och Colombia. Av alla dessa skolor
har " Escuela de Espanol Nueva Lengua" i Colombia varit den
absolut bästa
Skolan gav mig utmärk
service och de mest pedagogiska lärare som jag nägonsin mött! De
arbetade med inlevelse och känsla och man blev genast vän med dem. På
två veckor lärde jag mig mer spanska än under två månader i
Spanien och Venezuela.
Folket i Colombia är
så varma och trevliga; det är lätt att förälska sig i dem.
Colombia är ett land
som ligger mig mycket varmt om hjärtat.
Vill du lära dig
spanska i den trevligaste miljön på jorden, så ska du åka till
Colombia, Cartagena och till den ovannämnda Språkskolan!
Meine
Erfahrungen an der Universität de la Sabana (Nueva Lengua- Bogotá)
Jeder weiss, dass sich eine Sprache am einfachsten und
effizientesten im entsprechenden Sprachgebiet aneignen lässt. So
entschied ich mich im Sommer 2003, nach Bogotá zu reisen und dort eine
Universität zu besuchen. Ich lebte in Cota (Vorort von Bogotá) bei
einer Familie, die ich in der Schweiz kennen gelernt hatte. Die
Universität de la Sabana ist von Cota aus gesehen die nächste, so
entschied ich mich, natürlich mit gemischten Gefühlen, dort die
Spanischkurse für Ausländer zu besuchen, was sich aber als durchaus
positives Erlebnis herausstelle. Das Universitätsgelände umfasst eine
Fläche von ca. einem Quadratkilometer, das sich wie eine Oase erhebt.
Unglaublich gut gepflegt und schön gestaltet fand ich den Campus vor:
die Gebäude und Einrichtungen sind eingebetet zwischen Gewässern und
Eukalyptusbäumen und es gibt sehr viele grosszügige Zurückziehungsmöglichkeiten;
ein Erholungsgebiet pur, so schien mir. Aber nicht nur das Gelände,
auch die Infrastruktur ist in einwandfreiem Zustand. (Ich habe mir während
meinem Aufenthalt mehrere Universitäten angeschaut, aber keine kann
sich in diesem Punkt mir der Universität de la Sabana messen.)
Besonders gespannt war ich auf den Spanischunterricht, da ich wirklich
nur ein paar Wörter sprechen konnte. Durch die kleinen Lerngruppen von
höchstens drei Personen, ist es den aufgestellten Lehrern möglich, den
Stoff deinem Niveau angepasst zu vermitteln. Durch diese intensive Art
des Unterrichtens, können die Studierenden natürlich grosse
Fortschritte verzeichnen. (Ich unterricht inzwischen auch schon eine
Weile Sprachen in der Schweiz und behaupte, dass ich ein bisschen Ahnung
von Unterrichtsführung und Planung besitze, muss aber neidlos
zugestehen, dass in der Universität de la Sabana wirklich Unterricht
von höchster Qualität geboten wird.) Ich besuchte zehn Wochen
Spanischunterricht und konnte riesige Fortschritte machen, zu meinem
Erstaunen. Nebst Spanischunterricht ist es einem möglich, das grosse
Freizeitangebot, das übliche und ausgefallene Sportarten und natürlich
auch viele musische Tätigkeiten umfasst, zu nutzen. Es ist einem
erlaubt, das universitäre Leben völlig auszukosten. Mir ist
aufgefallen, dass der durchschnittliche Kolumbianer sehr offen gegenüber
Ausländern ist, ja sie sogar herzlich empfängt und um sein Wohlergehen
echt bemüht ist, und konnte dementsprechend sehr viele positive
Erfahrungen machten. Ich kann wirklich keinem aus irgendeinem Grund
abraten Kolumbien zu besuchen, im Gegenteil, ich empfehle jedem einen
Aufenthalt in diesem Land und speziell an der Universität de la Sabana.
J’ai
étudié quatre semaines à l’Universidad de la Sabana/ Nueva Lengua
à l’automne 2003. La
beauté du campus est ce qui m’a tout d’abord séduite.
L’université s’étend
sur de grands espaces verts qui sont traversés par une petite rivière.
Cette nature permet ainsi à l’université
d’offrir plusieurs sports.
Pour
ce qui est des cours d’espagnol, j’ai appris beaucoup et j’ai
vraiment amélioré mon espagnol. Les
professeurs sont sympathiques et compétents et surtout, sont à l’écoute
des besoins des élèves. Les
cours sont ainsi très personnalisés.
J’ai souvent fait des activités avec mes professeurs après
les cours. Un
aspect original de l’école Nueva Lengua est qu’on peut choisir
plusieurs programmes de leçons d’espagnol.
Il y en a vraiment pour tous les
goûts. Durant mes quatre semaines, j’avais des cours seulement l’avant-midi. J’ai
pu suivre des cours de danse et de photographie avec les étudiants de l’université
l’après-midi. Ce fut une
manière de faire des liens avec les étudiants colombiens.
Finalement,
ce que j’ai vraiment adoré, c’est que l’école offre des visites
culturelles deux fois par semaine.
Elles sont pour les étudiants étrangers et permettent de
visiter Bogota et ses environs. Comme
je n’avais pas de voiture, j’étais bien contente de visiter les
endroits éloignés du centre. Il
va sans dire que la dame qui nous accompagnait était vraiment
sympathique. En plus, elle
connaissait très bien Bogota et nous a montré la vraie vie des
Colombiens.
Mon
séjour à l’Universidad de la Sabana fut bref, mais extrêmement
enrichissant. J’aurais
bien aimé y rester plus longtemps.
Il va sans dire que je recommande à tous d’y étudier, car j’y
aie passé une expérience formidable.
I'm very happy
to write about my experience at Nueva Lengua Bogota. The
program you have developed served me wonderfully, and I expect I will
return.
Two things made the program work especially well for me. On one hand,
its
flexibility made it possible for me to squeeze the most out of the
limited time
I had to spend. Rather than having to wait until the first of the
month to
start a fixed course, I was able to begin when I was available and,
so, make
the most use of my time. More important, though, than even the
flexibility was
the character of the staff. The careful attention the instructers paid
to my
specific needs helped my progress enormously. The fact that you and
the
teachers were clearly interested in listening to what I wanted to say
pushed me
to speak much more than I would have in a less personal program.
Thanks again.
Steven Werlin
Dean of the College
Shimer College
I
really enjoyed my time at Nueva Lengua . The teachers were quite good and
made an effort to teach about the culture of Cartagena as well as the
language. They were all wonderful, fun individuals, and the
administration was also essential in guiding the students as we settled
into the city. They were so generous with their time and really went
above and beyond what I had expected in terms of helping us make connections, find cultural opportunities and see local
sights -- the most memorable of which was bathing in a mud volcano! On
our cultural excursions, the teachers were knowledgable and passionate
about the history of Cartagena and made excellent instructors.
Cartagena
itself is a beautiful city (and well removed from the dangers of certain
parts of Colombia, ( finally managed to convince my Mom). It is a unique
and interesting city with its unusual combination of history, visual
beauty, tranquility and climate, which is just perfect with its warm,
tropical weather. I particularly loved the beaches at Baru Island, one
of the islands near the coast of Cartagena, easily accessible by boat.
Cartagena is a nice size, neither
huge nor tiny, and is pretty easy to get around by bus or walking around
the main parts of town.
When I told the staff at Nueva Lengua that I am a dancer by profession
and expressed an interest in hooking up with the local scene, they were
quick to connect me to both a local gym where I began teaching classes,
and to a folkloric dancer with whom I was able to do a cultural trade. I
really appreciated their efforts in helping me to find things of
interest, down to making phone calls for me when I wasn't yet ready to speak Spanish on the phone.
When
I expressed that my first host family didn't seem like the right fit for
me, they were quick to place me with another which worked out really
well. Although both homes were nice, the second one was more suitable
for what I wanted in terms of a host situation. Overall, I recommend
Nueva Lengua in Cartagena; I spent a month there and wish I could have
stayed longer. Especially since there seem to be constant festivals
going on. It was a great experience.
Nueva Lengua was
the third language school our family had attended. It was the first to
put us with a family that had a child with whom our 12-year-old could
relate. When my wife couldn't come due to an emergency, they were very
flexible and helpful. The family with whom we stayed was simply
wonderful and the house was just around the corner from the school,
which is in a beautiful neighborhood. Cartagena was very safe and a
great tourist destination.
The instruction was well organized into lesson packets. Mine covered the
cities of Colombia, the Colombian civil war, the individual rights
section of the Colombian constitution, and the Trojan war. They created
three new ones for my son, two based on cartoons and one on animals. All
the students did one on the ecology of the islands where we went on one
of our activities, which included the boat ride, snorkeling and lunch.
Our other activity was a visit to an organization that works with street
children and to a mud volcano (try it, you'll like it).
We had a great experience with Nueva Lengua in Cartagena. There is
something about being in a real city that challenges you to become
fluent, but at the same time there is a safety net of tourism and the
school to give you confidence and support.
Roger Friedman
Atlanta, Georgia
Just a short note to say to
Pedro and his staff how much I enjoy the Spanish Language experience
at the Nueva Lengua Escuela de Español (www.nuevalengua.com)
located at the Universidad de la Sabana. I certainly learned a
foundation in Spanish on which to build. I would recommend the school
to anyone desiring to learn Spanish and knowledge of the Culture of
Colombia
Nueva Lengua
provided me a great introductory learning experience with the Spanish
language. Nueva Lengua is comfortably located on the Universidad de la
Sabana campus just outside of Bogotá. The staff is very friendly, and
they tailored the instruction according to my needs. I especially like
the flexibility of schedule and content, and I hope to return soon
Please
do not trust a word on this page it's all lies. The site is too modest
and intentionally downplays and even outright lies about the quality
of this program. For whatever reason it omits the fact that the staff
are the nicest people on the planet. Not only are they attentive to
all your needs and concerns about your education in the university,
but they go as far as they can to make sure that your entire
experience while in Colombia (in and out of the university) is as
positive as it humanly can be. Where is this in the brochure or on the
website? Distortions and lies here, nothing but distortions and lies.
Where does this website talk about how the quality of education is
absolutely phenomenal? Where does it mention that the instructors are
simply extraordinary? It just seems obvious that all this information
should be included on the website, yet Pedro, for whatever reason, has
decided to distort these obvious facts. So please, don't let Pedro's
dishonesty steer you away from learning Spanish at Nueva Lengua, you
will have the time of your life while there!
Zasílám
pozdrav z Prahy kolumbijské škole Nueva Lengua, kde jsem strávila
překrásný měsíc studia španělštiny. Kromě
samotných kurzů jsem díky škole měla možnost seznámit se
s kolumbijskou kulturou, vidět zajímavá místa v Bogotě
a jejím okolí a poznat obrovské množství milých a přátelských
lidí. Poznala jsem také, že Kolumbie není až tak nebezpečná,
jak se o ní ve světě píše.
Za
měsíc pobytu jsem se naučila běžné
komunikaci a musím říct, že výuka byla na vysoké úrovni.
Také ubytování v rodině bylo skvělé. Poznala jsem
zvyky kolumbijské rodiny a měla jsem tak možnost porovnávat
rozdíly jednotlivých kultur. Díky poznatkům, které jsem
v Bogotě získala, jsem se rozhodla nadále studovat
španělštinu a do Kolumbie se vrátit.
For egen del spenderade jag en vecka i
Cartagena och 4 veckor i Medellin pa Nueva Lenguas sprakskola. Jag blev
upphamtad direkt pa flygplatsen. Enligt min mening var Nueva Lengua en
mycket organiserad och professionell skola. Dessutom erbjods olika
former aktiviteter vid sidan om som museum, snorkling etc. val
integrerat med skolarbetet.
Lararna var professionella och erbjod undervisning enligt den niva du
befinner dig. I Medellin erbjuds dessutom olika amnen, sasom
finansiering, geografi, historia, nationalekonomi, beroende pa vilket
omrade du ar intresserad av. Nivan pa undervisningen har du stor
inverkan pa. Vill du jobba med basal grammatik utfors detta, antingen i
grupp eller individuellt beroende pa vad du anser vara bast for dig. En
kombination tycker jag var bast.
Efter 5 veckor, 20 timmars undervisning per vecka, ar jag flytande
rent konversationsmassigt. For egen del var detta en god forberedelse
infor universitetsstudier pa spanska i Mexico.
Nueva Lengua är
ett mycket bra alternativ för den som vill studera spanska; klasserna
är små,lärarna är personliga och professionella och anstränger sig
verkligen för att göra mesta möjliga av studierna.Colombia är
dessutom ett land väl värt att besöka, säkerheten är god, vänliga
människor, vackert och god mat. Jag kan verkligen rekommendera Nueva
Lengua
My
experience in Colombia especially Medellin was more than I ever
imagined. it was one of the
best investments I could have ever made.
More importantly was the experience of Nueva Lengua.
I had pure confidence after speaking to Pedro and Rafael that
this was the program for me. The professors were very accommodating to me and my schedule
especially if I had special interests.
The classes were intensive and I had the ability to learn with
exceptional professors with 20 years of experience. I also had the opportunity to explore the cultural aspect of
Medellin which was very interesting for example the Botero Museum and
The Planetarium. Through
the program I was able to explore potential business opportunities with
the assistance of my director Rafael Fonseca, Professors, and employees
of the school. I've learned
a tremendous amount through Nueva Lengua and if I had the time I would
love to stay and study more Spanish with this program.
I would recommend this program to anyone for this is the best
investment you could make and not only that, but the Spanish in Colombia
is one of the best places to learn.
If your looking for a city and industry Medellin, is the place
because all of this is within arms reach.
The people are very formal, the climate is perfect, you can feel
safe here. Unfortunately
Medellin has a bad reputation in the news, but you need to experience it
for yourself as I did. During
my 4 months here I have met a lot of great people here and will have
these friends for a very long time.
A
"Escuela de español Nueva Lengua" tem uma estrutura de boa
qualidade e com um grupo de professores de excelente capacitaçao
técnica. A forma de actuaçao nas clases é apoiada em exercicios
escritos e falados com bom enriquecimento de vocábulario. Também
utilizamos pesquisas na internet para conhecer as diversas culturas
Colombianas, o que me parece muito válido também para aumentar o
vocabulário e fortalecer a gramática.
A
pesar de um prazo curto de estadia na Escola foi possível aprender
muitas coisas novas e reforçar os conhecimentos que já possuía
anteriormente.
Espero
poder voltar no próximo ano para participar de mais classes e melhorar
cada vez mais os meus conhecimentos da Língua espanhola.
Mit sporgkursus var en rigtig god oplevelse.
Jeg modtog undervisning først én uge i Bogota og efterfølgende én uge i
Cartagena. Det var en god
kombination, hvilket gav mig en masse spændende indtryk og et indblik i
forskellige sub-kulturer i Colombia. Bogota er en meget spændende by med
alt fra upscale kvarterer med flotte pladser til de fattige områder i
den sydlige del. Skolen benytter sig Sabana Universitetet, hvilket
ligger lidt
uden for Bogota (10 km) tæt ved landsbyen Chia - i øvrigt en meget smuk
campus i naturskønne omgivelser. Cartagena er en betagende smuk by med
gamle befæstninger, smalle hyggelige gader og paradis-agtige strande.
Byen har dog den ulempe, at der er varmt, MEGET varmt. I begge byer
boede jeg ved en familie udvalgt af progammet. Det var meget søde og jeg
havde gode fysiske forhold. Mine undervisere var generelt kompetente og
behjælpelige.
Undervisningen bestod i en kombination af samtale og diverse grammatiske
øvelser. Skolerne arrangerede forskellige kulturelle aktiveter, hvilket
gav mulighed for at lære lidt mere om nærområdet og såmænd at danse til
latinamerikanske rytmer.
Ein Sprachkurs bei Nueva Lengua in Cartagena ist ein
absoluter Hoehepunkt eines Aufenthaltes in Lateinamerika. In einer der
schoensten Staedte der Karibik und Amerikas macht das Lernen viel Spass,
die Lehrer sind unglaublich nett und sehr kompetent. Bei den zahlreichen
kulturellen Aktivitaeten kann man das Gelernte gleich anwenden und
erfaehrt viel ueber Kolumbien und die Kolumbianer. Dazu sollte man die
Moeglichkeit nutzen, Salsa und Merengue zu tanzen, beides wird an der
Schule unterrichtet. Andreas Haack, Berlin/Caracas
I learned a lot about
the culture on the Colombian coast, Spanish and of course salsa in
Cartagena and Nueva Lengua. The students were great to hang out with,
Centro de snorkeling was great to go to las islas with, my professor,
Ricardo, was great to study with and the salsa teacher, Yulis,
has helped change my life when I go to clubs...I´ve got some good moves
to practice when I go back to New York. The people in Cartagena are
pretty friendly...for example, when you seem really lost in the streets,
most will walk you to your destination. It´s a time I will remember. And
I am already talking about returning to Cartagena. My suggestion is to
get someone to take you to the nightclubs outside of the center which
are much cooler. The director of the school, Jesus, is a good candidate
for a nightclub tour guide... que vaya bien....Wepa!
Testimonial on learning Spanish at the
Nueva Lengua School
To: Rafael M. Fonseca
Pedro Nino
Dear
Rafael and Pedro:
I
would like to thank you and your staff for making my training in Spanish
in Medellin, Colombia a very enjoyable and unforgettable experience.
I
wish to thank the teachers – Paula and Ana for their warmth , patience
and kindness. Both Paula and Ana are very qualified and outstanding
teachers and I would be happy to to have them again as my teachers. I
want to thank Paula for the tours to the hospital and the Mall. I really
learnt a lot from these trips.
I
must add that the family (Olga Luz and her two sons) I stayed with were
very kind and caring . They made me feel a part of the family. This is
a great family to stay with and to experience the Medellin cuisine and
hospitality.
The training in Spanish was excellent and the classes were well
organized. I would strongly recommend Medellin as my first choice to
study Spanish because of the great teachers, the weather- eternal
spring. and the environment in which the classes are conducted. The
classes are conducted at the Escuela de Ingenieria de Antioquia.
This University is very convenient for business people and other
students because you can use the internet and all the other facilities
including the university library.
I
would like to add that Medellin is a very safe city and the people are
very friendly and helpful. I felt very comfortable and safe in
Medellin. In addition to learning Spanish here, there are lots of things
to do and places to visit in Medellin and the outlying areas.
In General Colombia is a very beautiful country and rich in history .
The people are very kind and wonderful. I must admit that the Paisa
women are the most beautiful in the world.
And finally I must thank both Pedro and Rafael Fonseca for putting it
altogether for me and making it a success.
A special thanks to Rafael for making my study in Spanish in Medellin a
success.
Without a doubt, the Nueva Lengua school is a great school for anyone
to learn Spanish.
For some reason I had always wanted to visit Colombia,
but was always a little apprehensive about traveling alone to a place
often portrayed as risky and unsafe. For this reason, I wanted to find
some organized activity that would not only provide some structure and
guidance, but one that would also allow me to have the flexibility to
sightsee and explore this country on my own schedule, and provide
opportunities to make new friends and learn even more about the
language, people, and culture of Colombia. In every way, Nueva Lengua
has met and exceeded those expectations. In Medellin, one place where I
studied, not only did I receive quality personal instruction in the
Spanish language, but the instructors also went out of their way offer
me guidance on the sites to see in Medellin, as well as the various
aspects of the local culture and history of this city.Well, needless to
say I do not regret my decision for a moment. And of course, like
anyone who has evervisited Medellin will tell you, I plan on returning
some day. Come! You won’t regret it.
"I went to Nueva Lengua in Cartagena for a Spanish refresher course. My
teacher, Leidys Soto, was excellent -- she was encouraging and patient.
She challenged me to go further with my studies and we accomplished a
lot in a span of a week. Since then, my Spanish skills significantly
improved and I have my teacher to thank for! Also, despite of what you
read about Colombia in the papers, Cartagena is a safe city. It is also
a history-filled, beautiful city by the Caribbean coast. Its truly worth
the trip and the study!"
Many
things enriched my experience at Nueva Language, but the one thing that
stands out in my mind, was the opportunity I had to volunteer. When I
opted to volunteer, I didn’t really know what that meant, but when I
began classes, I soon discovered another part of Colombia I would come
to love and cherish.
One
afternoon during my first week, Pedro drove me to the Fundacion. Upon
arriving we were given a tour, in which Pedro translated everything to
me. Here I found an institution, that provides housing for many
orphaned children ranging from a few months to 18 years, as well as
pregnant troubled mothers. It is an institution funded by the
government, with a foundation built on strong morals and beliefs that
are very strong and cohesive, providing a good environment for the
children to learn and grow. After the tour, I made the decision to go
there 3 times a week after classes for 2-3 hours at a time. There are
many ways to help out with the children, but I chose to help them with
their English.
Over my
four weeks volunteering, I grew to love some of the children, and the
staff. Not only was I helping them with various things, but they were
helping me to know another side of life. I could tell how important my
presence was and how much the children looked forward to my visits. It
was very rewarding, and very meaningful. I wanted my trip to Colombia
to be more than just sightseeing, and taking Spanish. And this option
to volunteer really brought it together, and gave me the enlightened
experience I was looking for.
Because of health services
research in which I am involved, I began taking Spanish lessons during
2005 and also began looking for a Spanish immersion program. In the
spring, La Sabana University School of Nursing invited me to deliver a
keynote address for a conference and I inquired about a language
program. I was put in contact with Pedro Nino at Nueva Lengua on the
Bogota campus and I registered for a 4-week series of classes. Mr. Nino
and all the staff at Nueva Lengua were extremely helpful in setting up
my studies, including securing a compatible family and housing, making
sure I had the proper documents to enter Columbia, and providing
individualized instruction and flexible scheduling.
The class work at Nueva Lengua
was very relevant to my work with the School of Nursing and the language
faculty were helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. The instructors
gave a great deal of individual attention to each student and they all
demonstrated their interest and concern for our learning needs. In
addition to classes, we were able to visit numerous museums, parks, and
other places of interest in and around Bogota. Because of my work, I
stayed in Bogota, but students have the ability to study on the campuses
in Bogota, Cartagena, or Medellin.
Because of the poor
representation of Columbia in films and the media, a number of my
friends and family expressed concern that I would be in some danger.
This concern was totally unfounded. I traveled safely all around Bogota
via public transportation (Trans Milaneo and taxi) and took the normal
precautions one would take in a busy city of 8 million people.
Additionally, Mr. Nino assisted me in booking travel to the coffee
region of Columbia (Parque Nacional de Café and Valle Corcora) and for a
4-day trip to Salto Angel in Venezuela. The Columbian government has
made great progress in securing the cities and is working diligently to
secure all parts of the countryside. There are still geographic areas
of concern, but the Nueva Lengua faculty and staff are able to advise
students safely about where and how to travel. Additional conveniences
of living in Bogota are the fact that you can drink water from the tap,
the country uses 110 AC for electrical appliances, and the weather in
Bogota is similar to that in San Francisco.
In summary, the Nueva Lengua
Spanish program was excellent. I learned a great deal about the
history, language, and culture of this beautiful and mysterious
country. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent being a student and
working with the Nursing faculties around Columbia. I am very grateful
to Nueva Lengua for helping provide me with this wonderful experience.
Ich war 2 Wochen in Cartagena und
habe dort die Sprachschule nuevalengua besucht.
Es war mein 2.Aufenthalt in Cartagena und ich muss
sagen, dass es eine wunderbare Erfahrung war.
Cartagena ist eine Stadt an der kolumbianischen
Karibikkueste, die durch ihre alten in der spanischen Kolonialzeit
entstandenen Gebaeude eine unglaubliche Athmosphaere hat. Die Menschen
sind sehr gastfreundlich und hilfsbereit.Man hat das Gefuehl immer
willkommen zu sein. Die Gastfamilie, bei der ich waehrend meines
Aufenthaltes gewohnt habe war sehr nett und freundlich. Die Sprachschule
hat neben dem sehr guten Sprachunterricht ein Kultur und Freizeitangebot,
dass ueber die Historie von Cartagena informiert und den Kontakt zu den
dort lebenden Menschen ermoeglicht. Das Konzept der Schule ist besonders
fuer Studenten, die alleine reisen sehr hilfreich.
Die Lehrer sind sehr gut ausgebildet und stellen
sich mit ihrem Unterrichtsplan auf das jeweilige Niveau der Studenten
ein. Die Leitung der Schule war immer erreichbar und hat in jeder
Situation geholfen eine Loesung zu finden. Eine Erfahrung die ich nicht
missen moechte und eine reise, die ich jedem empfehlen kann. Bestimmt
werde ich einen weiteren Kurs belegen, wenn ich die Moeglichkeit dazu
habe.
Medellin, die Stadt
des ewigen Frühlings, ist geprägt durch das angenehme Klima. Die
Menschen sind dort sehr hilfsbereit und gastfreundlich. Auch meine
Gastfamilie hat mich sehr herzlich bei sich aufgenommen.
Darüber hinaus hat
mir der Sprachunterricht an der Hochschule besonders gut gefallen,
da die Lehrer sehr engagiert sind und der Unterricht in kleinen
Gruppen stattfindet."
I have just returned to the United States
from Colombia after attending Nueva Lengua for a month in the cities of
Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín. My experience was very positive in
each city with Nueva Lengua, the cultural experiences and with each host
family that I stayed with. This was my first imersion experience with a
Spanish school in Latin America and felt that Nueva Lengua, Pedro Niño,
his staff and teachers were first class and went the the extra mile to
make myself and the other students feel welcomed, accommodated and
receive the best Spanish instruction according to each student’s level
of Spanish.
I would highly recommend Nueva Lengua to anyone in the world for an
excellent opportunity to receive the finest Spanish instruction and to
experience Colombia. It is my desire to return to Colombia in the near
future to continue to improve my Spanish with Nueva Lengua.
With much gratitude, thank you to Nueva Lengua, the host families and
the people of Colombia for a wonderful experience!
Roger E. Dunbar
Dayton, Ohio USA
11/3/05 – 12/3/05
ich war 6 wochen in kolumbien und habe mich erst sehr kurzfristig im
land entschieden noch eine sprachschule zu besuchen. via
internet fand ich nueva lengua und habe mich 4 tage vor schulbeginn
beworben. am tag meiner ankunft in medellin um 9h morgens holte mich
meine lehrerin,ana-maria,persönlich am flughafen ab. da ich nicht gerne
im hotel bin, organisierte ana-maria mir eine privatunterkunft und
führte mich gleich dorthin. es war eine sehr nette frau in einem ruhigen
, zentralen quartier. nachdem ich mich im schönen zimmer etwas
eingerichtet hatte, fuhren wir zu dritt richtung universität, hatten
noch eine kleine mahlzeit unterwegs und bereits 4 stunden nach meiner
ankunft hatte ich meine ersten spanischstunden in medellin. da ana-maria
sehr felxibel war , konnte ich für die nächsten tage sagen ob ich lieber
nachmittags oder morgen stunde wollte. der unterricht war sehr
abwechslungsreich und ich habe viel gelernt uber land und leute. es war
ein voller erfolg und noch heute habe ich kontakt via e-mail. von
medellin aus organisierte ich nochmals einen sprachaufenthalt für 2
wochen in bogota. auch dort klappte alles bestens, ich wurde bei meiner
gastfamilie am ersten schulmorgen abgeholt, der lehrer zeigte mir den
ganzen schulweg , wo welcher autobus, zeigte mir die universität la
sabana und auch hier war der unterricht sehr interessant und
abwechslungsreich. es gibt auch täglich aktivitäten, wie kino , ausfüge
oder vorträge. ich kann jedem das land und die schule von kolumbien
herzlichst empfehlen.
Cartagena, Uma Colômbia que você nem
imagina, nada de traficantes, violencia e perigo. Cartagena de
Indias fica localizada no norte da Colômbia em frente ao mar do
caribe, tombanda pela Unesco e colonizada por espanhóis, a cidade
portuaria é protegida por 7 km de muralha que resiste ao longo de
cinco séculos e esta intacta e preservada até hoje.
A escola onde estudei está localizada
no centro histórico, as aulas são boas e os professores são
competentes e atenciosos, eu dividia a sala com mais um aluno (suiço)
o que tornou único e exclusivo as aulas.
O meu nível de espanhol melhorou muito,
fiz muitos amigos de várias partes do mundo.
Todas as terças e quintas à tarde tem
passeios culturais com toda turma da escola, o mais divertido são as
aulas de salsa e merengue, para quem quer aprender a bailar a escola
oferece professores profissionais.
Bom...o mais legal disso tudo é que
você faz o curso de mergulho, 5 dias de aulas teóricas (a tarde)e
sábado e domingo acontece as aulas práticas na piscina e no mar, na
isla do rosario.
Gostaria de agradecer ao meu prof
Ricardo Macia pela sua atençao, competência e paciencia de
esclarecer todas as minhas dúvidas.
Para quem procura algo diferente e novo
é só fazer a mala e viajar para a Colômbia - Cartagena de índias.
Se você curte praias, mergulho, dança,
cidade histórica, vida noturna agitada, amigos de várias partes do
mundo e nenhum brasileiro (coisa rara encontrar brasileiros, rs),
Cartagena de Indias é um ótimo lugar
para aprender espanhol, digamos que é uma mistura de férias e estudo,
é uma forma maravilhosa de enriquecer o seu currículo.
