Spain is a country famous for its fiestas and ferias! Most are usually based on religion, like the Semana Santa celebrations, and some on tradition, such as La Tomatina. Some are famous worldwide, such as the San Fermin festival (during which the Running of the Bulls takes place) and some are simply crazy, like the goat-throwing festival of Zamora, where a live goat is hurled from the church tower and caught by the crowd beneath (it was banned in 2002). Additionally, each town has its own feria once a year- …CONTINUE READING

Here at UniSpain we have compiled a list of Do’s and Don’ts to guide you when studying Spanish in Spain. Let’s take a look at some of the things you definitely shouldn’t miss out on, as well as some of the things to avoid.   Do: Fully immerse yourself You are in Spain! Watch Spanish TV, listen to Spanish music on the radio, read Spanish newspapers and magazines…Make every effort to read, write, listen to, and speak Spanish at all times. Keep a small notebook with you and jot down any …CONTINUE READING

Now you may be thinking, why learn Spanish in Spain when I can learn it at home? Nowadays, language learning has become so much more advanced and there is a whole range of textbooks, computer programs and apps, all of which allow you to learn a language in the comfort of your own home country. Isn’t it cheaper, more convenient and therefore better to learn Spanish at home? Here we discuss why this is quite simply not the case… Immersion If you choose to learn Spanish in Spain, total immersion …CONTINUE READING

When it comes to choosing the most suitable Spanish language package in Spain, it can be either a straightforward task, or it can be really difficult and it all boils down to what knowledge you already have at your fingertips. If you’re learning from scratch, one of the first fears with trying to book a successful course is the language itself. Will the phone calls I make be met with a foreign voice? How many times am I likely to hang up in frustration? Which part of Spain will offer …CONTINUE READING

Everyone speaks English in Torremolinos – right? So, you’re thinking about opening a bar in Spain? You’ve found a gap in the market and you have your eye on a property. So far so good, but have you thought about learning the language? It’s true, you may be able to get by in English if your bar is in a tourist area, but you will soon find that the success of your new business will rely on establishing good working relationships with locals, who may not be able to speak …CONTINUE READING

Here at UniSpain, we love the film Ocho Apellidos Vascos! It is one of those movies you’ll want to see again… and again, and again. This rip-roaringly fast and funny comedy took Spain by storm this year. Many critics were surprised—after all, it was supposed to be just a low budget, national rom-com. But as mouth-to-mouth recommendations spread and more and more people flocked to see it, the movie turned into a landslide box office hit. Why? What is it about Ocho Apellidos Vascos? Well, here are some very good …CONTINUE READING

Noisy Parades and Dancing in the Church – Celebrating a Traditional Spanish Christmas! Watch out! You duck down, just in time, as a group of kids, sitting on a parade float, throw a handful of sweets at you, really hard! The noise is deafening – five different kinds of Christmas music is blasting out from huge speakers, children are shouting, the youngest ones being held up by their parents to see, the older ones busily darting and diving in the crowd, collecting sweets that have fallen on the pavement. Yippee, …CONTINUE READING

Málaga! A beautiful paradise in Andalusia, in the South of Spain! It lies on the Costa del Sol of the Mediterranean and enjoys a subtropical-Mediterranean climate. No doubt, it would be a great setting while you study Spanish in Spain. But if you still need a little more convincing, read on: 1. Weather This one is a no-brainer. Málaga is known for its amazing weather all year long. Its “winters” see average temperature that run between 7-17 degrees Celsius (45 -63 degrees Fahrenheit). And perhaps even more appealing than the temperature …CONTINUE READING

If you want to buy shoes, you go to the shoe store, right?  So, if you want to learn the Spanish language, why not go to Spain?  Learning directly in the country where this globally-spoken language was born will allow you to grasp the language, as well as the rich, diverse culture. Spanish is the official language in 21 countries around the world with over 480 million native and non-native speakers, making it the most popular Romance language.  In the US alone there are over 35 million Spanish speaking people.  …CONTINUE READING

Music is one way we can understand a culture. Andalucia is the home of flamenco a genre that is filled with passion, radiance and impulsivity. Flamenco mingles acoustic guitar playing, singing, chanting, dancing and handclapping. The flamenco dancer performs with fervor and even tortured expressions but always strives for grace and dignity. The stereotyped polka-dot dresses, castanets and acoustic guitars have all become representational to Andalucía but these do not represent the authenticity and culture that has prevailed from Flamenco. Flamenco The exact origins of Flamenco are somewhat unsolved, however …CONTINUE READING