Spanish and Culture

Learn about one of the world’s most incredible past civilizations in our Inca Civilization course. Through lectures, videos and field trips, we study the origins of the Peruvian culture and the developments they achieved in areas such as agriculture, medicine, ceramics and architecture. Choose to learn Spanish in Peru and study ancient Incan traditions.

Students can pair their Spanish courses in Peru with emphasis on a specific aspect of Peruvian culture. Students will study Spanish in the morning and have their cultural option in the afternoon. Choose to focus on Peruvian music and concentrate on traditional songs, lyrics, and instruments such as the zampoña, bombo, quena, and charango. Or, choose to focus on traditional Peruvian weaving and learn traditional techniques and iconography (symbolism of the designs). There are also options to pair learning Spanish with classes in Peruvian cooking, craft and pottery, or dance (Salsa or Huayno).

Learn to speak in the original language of the Incas, el “Runasimi” or Quechua. In only a couple of hours you will gain insight into the richness of traditional Peruvian cultures and languages. People in Cusco, especially in the countryside, will greatly appreciate your efforts An “Allillanchu” (Good morning, how are you?) will immediately open doors for you.

Study Spanish in Cusco during the magical Christmas season and experience a different way of celebrating holiday traditions with our Christmas course! This course includes visits to Santurantikuy, the Andean Christmas market and impressive churches where you can observe the traditional nacimientos. We also have a traditional Christmas dinner with a Peruvian family and camp in a local community for a special mountain Christmas.

This workshop is tailored to people who wish to study Spanish in Argentina with emphasis on a specific aspect of Argentine culture. Students will study Spanish in the morning and have their cultural option in the afternoon. Choose to focus on traditional Argentine leather making, which is to speak of the gaucho tradition. Or, choose to focus on traditional Argentine music and learn the songs, lyrics, and local instruments such as the arpa, accordion, bombo, quna, and bandoneon. Students may also choose to pair their Spanish courses with lessons in Argentine cooking, where they will learn how to prepare the most famous Argentine meat dishes (asados) as well as the delicious empanadas and background on the local ingredients.

Argentina is world-renown for its great Tango scene, which originated in local bars and port areas in Buenos Aires. Immigrating Europeans played a pivotal role in its evolution, and today’s Tango is influenced by old Milonga songs (songs of the rural gauchos), habanera (Cuban music), Polka and Mazurka (Slavic music), Contradanza (Spanish music), Flamenco (from Andalucia (Southern Spain), as well as Italian folk music. Students can choose to study Spanish in Argentina and learn how to dance the Tango like one of the pros.

Study Spanish in the heart of the Buenos Aires countryside whilst developing a passion for polo. Argentina, with its amazing gaucho culture, is the perfect place to do so, as the Argentina pampas are one of the best regions in the world for raising horses. Students will have daily Spanish classes as well as daily polo sessions and theory classes. Highly skilled Argentine professionals who dedicated their life to the polo sport teach our Polo lessons. Here you will combine Spanish lessons with the pleasures of estancia (colonial ranch) life, wonderful scenery and horse riding

Study Spanish in Buenos Aires during the magical Christmas season and experience a different way of celebrating holiday traditions with our Christmas course! There are extravagant decorations throughout the city and houses are adorned with lights and flowers. Argentineans enjoy the warm weather with picnics, fireworks, and lighting of “globos”. You will gain insight into the rich tradition of Argentine culture and benefit from the communication-oriented aspect of the course.