eduSpain Blog

The New Quijote by Pérez Reverte

David Limon — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Love of literature is a quality that characterizes people that try to exemplify their cultured nature. Within books we find a hidden collective memory, history and the soul of a culture. The number of readers in Spain is not especially high, particularly among young people who are more addicted to the screens of their electronic "pets".

To inculcate a love for books, different governments that have come and gone over the last 40 years have tried to raise reading awareness by way of insertion. This has meant that secondary school studies (and to a lesser extent, primary school studies) have included different literary works that have been considered obligatory.

It should not be any surprise that one of the most notable works, if not the most important found in the Spanish language is The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quijote of La Mancha or, simply, Don Quijote. This novel by Miguel de Cervantes is considered to be the first modern novel in the history of Literature, with a capital L, to ever be written in any language.

Until now, in some Spanish speaking countries, Don Quijote is required reading, but, curiously, in Spain it hasn't always been. The problem with the work of Cervantes is the way he structured the story; full of digressions and parallel stories which in the time of don Miguel was very common structure. But today, this type of structure can be very difficult to read and it demands a high level of concentration. For this reason the Spanish Royal Academy made the decision long ago to create a version for young people while also printing a more authentic edition which would maintain all of the linguistic characteristics, language and forms of the original work. The last "authentic" edition was written in 2004 by Francisco Rico.

Now, finally, there is a new edition for young people and the person responsible for writing it is one of the youngest members of the academy. This successful writer, recognized for his skill with the language and captivating style is none other than Arturo Pérez Reverte. In his school version of Don Quijote, Pérez Reverte has eliminated the parallel stories, while in the style of Cervantes he has made logical connections in the story to give coherence and unity to the text. Reverte has also followed the most recent grammatical rules established by the Royal Academy in 2010 as well as substituting some archaic vocabulary for other words that are more understandable for the audience this edition is destined for.

There is another element that is esthetically interesting: in the Principe de Ibarra edition of Don Quijote published by the Royal Academy in 1780, there was a series of illustrations that were included in the book. In this new version for young people, the Academy has decided to include these original prints in this new edition. Also included in this edition is a print made by young Francisco de Goya that, surprisingly, never appeared in the Ibarra edition.

This new edition by Pérez Reverte is very promising and we hope that with all of the work done by the Royal Academy and Pérez Reverte have put into bringing this classic into the 21^st century, they will achieve a well earned success. The price for this new edition is more than fair, costing only €10,85 for the paperback and €6,95 for the eBook.

In the book section of the newspaper El Pais, a high school student named Rodrigo said: "Don Quijote is a very complex character that you can associate his willingness to fight for the disadvantaged to a specific group today—and that can be the Movimiento 15-M (anti-austerity movement)." He also went on to say that "If I had to recommend the book to a friend, I would say 'A book like Don Quixote helps us to feel free and to not worry about what people think.' "

You can say that louder, but not any more clearer.

El Nuevo Quijote de Pérez Reverte

El amor a la lectura es una cualidad que caracteriza a los pueblos que pretenden ser cultos. En los libros vive agazapada la memoria colectiva, la historia y en fin, el alma de una cultura. Los índices de lectura en España no son demasiado altos, especialmente entre los jóvenes, más adictos al pantalleo de sus cacharritos electrónicos.

Para inculcar este amor por los libros los distintos gobiernos que han pasado por el poder durante los últimos cuarenta años han pretendido hacerlo por medio de la inserción, en el plan de estudios de la Enseñanza Secundaria (y a veces también, en menor medida, en la Primaria) de una serie de lecturas que se consideran como obligatorias.

Qué duda cabe de que una de las obras más destacadas, si no la más importante de la lengua española es El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, o El Quijote, para abreviar. Esta novela de Miguel de Cervantes está considerada como la primera novela moderna de la historia de la Literatura, con mayúscula, no sólo de la escrita en lengua castellana.

Hasta ahora, en algunos países de habla hispana, El Quijote era una lectura obligada, curiosamente, en España no lo era. El problema que la obra de Cervantes plantea es que la estructura de la historia está llena de digresiones y de historias paralelas, cosa muy al uso de la época de don Miguel, pero que hoy hacen que la lectura resulte difícil y exija una gran cantidad de concentración. Por eso, la Real Academia española tomó la decisión, hace mucho tiempo, de realizar una versión escolar del Quijote, en paralelo con una edición seria en la que mantuvieran todos los valores y características lingüísticas, filológicas y formales de la obra original. Esta edición "Crítica y erudita" la realizó Francisco Rico, en 2004.

Ahora, por fin, ha llegado el turno a la edición escolar, y el encargado ha sido uno de los académicos más jóvenes, que además es un novelista de éxito y de reconocida eficiencia: Arturo Pérez Reverte, que ha eliminado las historias paralelas añadiendo, siempre en el estilo de Cervantes, las conexiones lógicas que den coherencia y unidad al texto. Reverte ha seguido las reglas de la Ortografía publicada por la RAE en 2010 y también ha sustituido algunos vocablos demasiado arcaicos por otros más comprensibles para los destinatarios de esta edición.

Además, hay un elemento estético interesante: en la edición del Príncipe de Ibarra, publicada por la RAE en 1780, aparecían una serie de grabados que ilustraban la historia. En esta nueva edición escolar se ha optado por incluir los dibujos originales a partir de los que se realizaron los grabados en su día, y se ha añadido un dibujo de un joven Francisco de Goya que, sorprendentemente, no aparecía en la edición de Ibarra.

Esta nueva edición promete mucho y esperamos que el esfuerzo de la RAE y de Pérez Reverte se vea refrendado por el éxito. El precio del volumen es muy ajustado: 10'85 € en papel y 6'95 € en su versión digital.

Como asegura Rodrigo, un estudiante madrileño de secundaria en el artículo publicado en el suplemento Babelia, del diario El País, "Don Quijote es una personalidad tan compleja que podrías asociar su afán de luchar por los desfavorecidos a un colectivo. Podría ser el 15-M" y termina asegurando que "Si se lo tuviera que recomendar a algún amigo, le diría algo así: Un libro como el Quijote nos ayuda a sentirnos libres y a no darle importancia a lo que la gente piense".

Se puede decir más alto, pero no más claro.

What's happening in... January

David Limon — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Versión Española abajo

This January, we would like to remind you that at don Quijote, not only do we guarantee you the best way to learn Spanish, we also have plenty of other language learning options available for you.

If you like winter sports, let me remind you that in Spain some don Quijote schools in Spain aren't very far from the slopes. From Valencia you are only an hour and a half away from the Valdelinares ski resort and in Salamanca you are less than an hour away from La Covatilla in the Sierra de Bejar. Close by to Madrid there is Navacerrada which is waiting for you just like Sierra Navada is right outside of Granada with the southern-most slopes in Europe. And what can we say about Barcelona? Nearby you will find world renown resorts like Baquera-Beret and La Molina along with other outstanding ski areas.

If winter sports aren't your thing, there is always Tenerife with its eternal spring and beaches offering year-round sunbathing opportunities. Aquatic sports and activities abound and are waiting for you.

If Europe is too far for you or you prefer a more American experience, then there are the beaches of Puerto Vallarta and Playa del Carmen in Mexico where you can practice you Spanish with the Caribbean or Pacific as your backdrop!

Take a look at our don Quijote destinations and you will discover that there is always a place that adapts perfectly to your needs and expectations. At don Quijote, we have a simple rule: We're here to satisfy your needs.

En enero queremos recordarte que en don Quijote, además de tener garantizada la mejor forma de aprender español, tenemos un gran abanico de opciones a tu disposición.

Si te gustan los deportes de invierno, te recordamos que en España algunos de los colegios don Quijote no están lejos de estaciones de esquí: Así, a una hora y media de Valencia encontrarás la estación de Valdelinares; a menos de una hora de Salamanca está La Covatilla, en la sierra de Béjar; junto a Madrid, Navacerrada está esperándote para deslizarte por sus pistas, igual que Sierra Nevada, justo al lado de Granada, te ofrece las pistas más meridionales de Europa. Y qué decir de Barcelona, que a un paso tiene esperándote a Baqueira-Beret, La Molina y varias estaciones más. Una forma deportiva invernal de pasar el tiempo libre entre tus clases de español con don Quijote.

Pero también tenemos una primavera permanente en Tenerife, con playas esperándote para tomar el sol, practicar deportes náuticos o bucear en sus maravillosos fondos.

¡Y qué decir de las playas de Puerto Vallarta o de Playa del Carmen, en México, donde podrás disfrutar del fantástico Pacífico o del Caribe mientras practicas español!

Date una vuelta por los destinos que don Quijote te ofrece y descubre que siempre encontrarás uno que se adapte perfectamente a tus expectativas. En don Quijote tenemos una norma: buscar tu satisfacción.

A Christmas Course from don Quijote

Robert — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Christmas is right around the corner and don Quijote has an exciting course designed for anyone who wants to spend this holiday season a little differently.

With this course, you’ll get to study Spanish in Spain while enjoying the country’s most festive occasions: Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), Fin de año (New Year’s Eve) and Reyes (King’s Day); you’ll be immersed in the language and deeply rooted Spanish traditions.

You can sign up for the course no matter what your Spanish level is. It includes 20 weekly Spanish courses plus activities.

The course takes place on the weeks of the 22th and the 29^th of December and it gives you the option of spending either one or two weeks in Spain improving your Spanish, singing villancicos (Spanish Christmas carols), tasting delicious turrón, checking out spectacular Nativity Scene displays, and much more.

This program is available at don Quijote schools in Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, Tenerife, and Valencia. It’s an exciting variety of destinations to choose from which are full of intriguing history, vibrant arts, and cultural heritage; all of them are ideal Spanish study environments.

Español:

Se acercan, a velocidad de vértigo, las Navidades y en don Quijote, donde ya sabes que estamos siempre dándole vueltas a la cabeza para ofrecerte el curso que más te interese, tenemos diseñado algo para quienes desean pasar las Navidades de una manera diferente.

Estudiar español mientras se disfruta de las fiestas de Nochebuena, Navidad, Fin de año o Reyes, sumergiéndose completamente en las tradiciones más enraizadas de los españoles, es una opción que tienes que tener en cuenta.

No importa qué nivel de español tengas para disfrutar de esta posibilidad. don Quijote te propone realizar un Curso Intensivo de español, que como bien sabes consta de veinte clases de lengua por semana más cinco clases de cultura y de civilización española e hispanoamericana.

Este Programa de Navidad tiene lugar durante las semanas del 22 y del 29 de diciembre, y te permite quedarte una o dos semanas con nosotros, mejorando tu español, aprendiendo a disfrutar cantando villancicos con nosotros, conociendo mejor el origen y las recetas del turrón, disfrutando con los espectaculares belenes que se instalan en nuestras ciudades durante estas fechas...

Te esperamos en nuestras escuelas de Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, Tenerife o Valencia para que podamos pasar unas Navidades únicas, en ciudades llenas de historia y arte, con una oferta cultural y de entretenimiento que no te podrás creer y aprendiendo español en España.

Real Academia Espanola

Matthew Wisdom — Thu, 3 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The Royal Spanish Academy

La Real Academia Española, RAE, known in English as the Royal Spanish Academy, is the official institution that is charge of the regulation of the Spanish Language.

It is a royal establishment that is located in the capital of Spain, Madrid.
It is connected to a multitude of different national language academies across 21 different Spanish-speaking (hispanophone) states via the Associate of Spanish Language Academies.
The Academy’s motto when translated into English means it “It cleans, sets and casts splendor” or “Limpia, fija y da splendor” when written in its original Hispanic context. The symbol that accompanies these words is a fiery crucible.

The Royal Spanish Academy was created in 1713, drawing inspiration from similar institutions that already existed in Italy and France, namely the Academia della Crusca and the Académie française respectively. The motives behind the academy’s foundation were to “fix the voices and vocabularies of the Castilian language with purity, elegance and propriety”. The academy was put under the protection of the Crown in 1714 when King Philip V gave the constitution his blessing.

The Duke of Escalona who was also the Marquis of Villena was an aristocrat who was responsible for the foundation of the Academy. His name was Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco and he outlined the purpose of the institution as serving to make sure that speakers of the Spanish language would always be capable of reading the literature of Miguel de Cervantes. To ensure this goal, an up-to-date and progressive preservation of the formal language would take place.

The Academy started to construct the guidelines for the conventional spelling system of the Spanish language in 1741 when the first edition of “Ortographía” (Orthography) was released, the name of the publication was changed to “Ortografia” from the second edition onwards. The propositions of the Royal Academy became the formal standard in Spain in 1844 after royal decree, and these proposals were then progressively accepted by countries in Latin America that were Spanish speaking.

The RAE is a hugely significant publisher of grammas and dictionaries and operates a fixed system for granting admission to words for its publications. A variety of resources, all of which are in Spanish, are available on its website, including an online dictionary. Undoubtedly its most well-known publication is the Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the RAE.

Members of the RAE are referred to as “Academic Numeracy” (which is translated from the Spanish Académicos de número.) This membership is made up of distinguished figures from the words of science and art and includes a number of Spanish authors. Members are chosen into their position for life by other academicians. Every academician has their own seat which is marked with a different character from the Spanish alphabet.

How to write a CV in Spanish

Freddie Savundra — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Applying for a job in Spain

With the job market the way it is the next stage of your life might come down to a single piece of paper. A CV is all that stands between you and an interview for a job position, but how to write one varies from country to country. It might be completely obvious but make sure that

a) You’re writing in the right language
b) You’re writing in the right structure

Style, format, and content vary significantly when it comes to applying for a job in Spain. I remember having to completely rewrite my CV because essentially it would be useless once I got over the channel. There are a few templates running round the internet but roughly speaking they are pretty similar. Here is my guide/ template on how to write a Spanish CV:

Spanish CV Template

Nombre: INSERT A PHOTO

Nacionalidad:

Lugar y fecha de nacimiento:

Dirección:

Teléfonos de contacto (make sure you list the area code for your phone number):

E-Mail:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

FORMACIÓN ACADEMICA

LIST HERE ALL ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS YOU ATTENDED, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE UK THIS WOULD BE GCSE, A LEVEL RESULTS AND COLLEGE ATTENDED

FORMACIÓN COMPLEMENTARIA

LIST ANY ADDITIONAL RELEVANT COURSES YOU ATTENDED ETC

EXPERIENCIA PROFESIONAL

THIS IS WHERE YOU LIST YOUR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY. LIST THIS FROM MOST RECENT TO LAST IN THE FORM (DATE, POSITION, NAME OF COMPANY, COUNTRY, CITY, RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDED…)

IDIOMAS

LI ST ANY LANGUAGES YOU SPEAK AND YOUR PROFIENCY

INFORMÁTICA

LIST YOUR PROFIENCY WITH COMPUTERS.

OTROS DATOS DE INTERÉS

THIS IS WHERE YOU SHOULD PUT YOU HAVE A DRIVING LICENCE, WILLING TO TRAVEL, HAVE A CAR, OR FAMILY IN THE AREA. ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HELP YOU SECURE THE JOB.

Remember:

A CV SHOULD NEVER BE LONGER THAN TWO SIDES. AN EMPLOYER WILL HAVE ONE LOOK AND ON AVERAGE SPENDS 30 SECONDS ON A CV. MAKE SURE YOU SELL YOURSELF IN THAT TIME.
MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION YOU INCLUDE IS RELEVANT TO THE JOB
MAKE SURE YOU ATTACH A COVER LETTER
MAKE SURE SOMEONE HAS HAD A LOOK AT YOUR CV BEFORE YOU SEND IT OUT. THEY MAY SPOT MISTAKES THAT MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED. YOU CANNOT AFFORD ANY MISTAKES
LAST BUT NOT LEAST KEEP YOUR PHONE SWITCHED ON!

The Comparative in Spanish

Michael — Thu, 22 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Compare in Spanish

Not feeling completely confident when it comes to using Spanish comparatives? Then worry no more! Thanks to our clear and memorable language formulas below, we will help you to avoid making common, yet easily preventable, Spanish grammatical mistakes. With more marks for students and less marking for teachers, what’s not to love!?

Study abroad to prepare for Uni

Freddie Savundra — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Study Abroad

Whether you’re busy planning your third year abroad or trying to get a place at Uni, that sense of what if is always going to be sitting on your shoulder. So many universities to apply for, so many degrees to choose from, and all the possibilities for your third year abroad, it literally gets too much sometimes.

I remember sitting in front of a computer for hours pouring through which university I could and should apply for, which were unrealistic or not suitable, and how I could best prepare myself for that first week of semester 1. I had that same moment recently in my second year at Uni, sitting down and suddenly realizing that after my year abroad I’ll only have 9 months of tuition and examinations left.

People always talk about how university is the best experience of your life, and not one to miss out on, but at the end of the day it will all come down to that piece of paper that will dictate the rest of your life. So whether you’re ERASMUS bound or waiting for your results to get in, here is my guide for dealing with the two most important stages of your degree, and how to make sure you get that top mark that employers nowadays will be looking for:

Prepare for university

Preparing before university starts is worth its weight in gold, especially for a language degree. Yeah first year is about having fun, but second year is right around the corner and the time will fly. So the more you do before, the less you have to do there. I remember how my classmates were really struggling after the first few weeks, mainly because they did absolutely sod all work while they were there. That must have been hard enough for those studying an ab initio language alongside it.

How I spent those three months before Uni was the best decision I ever made. I wanted to combine having fun with preparing myself. So I had a look at doing a language course somewhere out in Spain, somewhere with sun, sea and a beach. Learning was not only fun, but I made a lot of good friends, went out every night and just about made it to school every day. This was by far the best decision I have ever made, and by the time I got to Uni, I was more than prepared for semester 1 if not a lot of semester 2 work!

Third year abroad

Play your cards right and you will have 15 months to spend on your year abroad. That’s what a lot of people do, get out there early in the summer and do something productive. Universities say you have the choice between studying and working, but there is no reason you can’t do both. Start early and take advantage of your last opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture. Visit South America, journey round Spain, but do something useful. The problem I found with universities and Erasmus exchanges abroad are:

The tuition may not be that great and slightly boring
You will be wasting your time studying something you don’t want to if your not careful

I had the choice to study at a few universities in Spain, but the ones I looked at just seemed ridiculously boring. Travel and tourism, history of art, and international relations just aren’t my cup of tea. If I was going to be doing something at university it would be something I would enjoy. So I thought long and hard and decided the best way to get my Spanish fluent, and in a position to get a great degree, was to do a 3 month part time Spanish course while studying a few math and finance modules at university.

I found that it is something well worth doing. Not only is my Spanish progressing with top quality teachers and resources, but I am also studying something I enjoy. A few people decided to scrap university and do a full time 2 or 3 month Spanish course, with a placement after, and seem to be having a great time. Private schools offering language courses are also more than helpful with regards to ERASMUS year abroad requirements and supplying the documentation and credits needed to satisfy universities. It may cost a little more, but at the end of the day that little bit extra might be the difference between a good decree and a great degree.

How much does education cost in Spain?

Freddie Savundra — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Education in Spain

It’s probably one of the most important things in a child’s life and yet it varies in price, quality, structure and technique all over the world. In the UK the price of educating a child to the age of 21 is roughly £72, 832, including uniforms, school clubs, and university. Including private school fees could be an extra £100,000. Meaning the average child costs £222,458. In the US raising a child can cost around $234,000, around $45,000 on child care and education. College can be an extra $100,000 on top. So how much does it cost to educate a child in Spain?

For those of you who have been brought up or moved to Spain, you will be well aware of the influx of immigrants and internationals that have raised the number of English speaking schools in Spain. But when it comes to Spanish primary schools and Spanish secondary schools, in terms of price and quality, how do you choose between going private, state, or international?

International schools in Spain

These differ from private and Spanish state schools because the main language at the school is English. International schools vary significantly in price and quality. The problem with these schools are a lot of children grow up illiterate in Spanish and form their own English/ German /French etc. community.

Private schools

Before the recession these were becoming increasingly popular in Spain, especially for parents who have uprooted to a different country and are keen to keep their children in a similar style of education.

The differences between private schools and state and international schools are:
a) They cost more
b) The standard of education is supposedly better

Primary school

Compulsory and free between the ages of 6 and 12. The Spanish authorities are keen for children to begin learning English straight away as it is one of the most prominent foreign languages. In the 6 years that you spend in primary school, you are split between 6-8, 8-10 and 10-12 years old. Average classroom sizes vary by region but are roughly 25 students per class.

Secondary school

Also compulsory and free between 12-16 years old. Secondary education is split into 4 areas, between 12-14 and 14-16 years old. The children here will be taught a broad range of subjects from mathematics, sciences, to literature and art, so that they can continue into employment of higher education. Average classes tend to be at 30 students. Upon completion they receive a certificate from the school which will enable them to continue onto higher education.

Upon successful completion of secondary school, students have the choice between:

Bacilerato

Lasts 2 years and lets students continue education in arts, natural sciences, health sciences, community and social science, and computing and technology.

Vocational Education

Students can train in specific areas of employment, with good work experience and teaching through a hands on practical approach.

University in Spain

Students can then move onto study at university should they wish too. In Spain there are private and state universities. Public universities charge between 700-1300 euros per academic year, with private costing anywhere between 5000-15,000 euros a year.

The government funds the Spanish state educational system just as the governments of the UK and US do. In this way education is free between 6 and 16 years old. The state does not pay for International and private schools and so people will have to fork out some cash for this service. The price will depend entirely on the region but roughly speaking the price for private and international schools vary from 4,000 to 8,000 euros a year.

Conclusion: So to answer my original question, the cost of raising a child in Spain is anywhere between 98,000 euros in the state sector, to 250,000 euros in the private sector. To put it in perspective, the cost of raising a child is the same as a Ferrari.

A Gap Year in Spain

Freddie Savundra — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Didn’t get the grades you need to get into university/college? Changed your mind or looking to have a year away from home? Why not take a Gap year? Without a doubt it is one of the best experiences you can ever have.

A Gap Year in Spain

Truth be told you learn more in that year alone than you might in the 3 or 4 at university/college, but where to start? This might be the last opportunity you ever have to travel abroad, after university/college you might be tied down to a job, or even a family. A GAP year in Spain is the best way to learn or build on your Spanish and do something that most students will miss out on:

Study in Spain

With 400 million people who speak the language, no wonder it really opens up a lot of opportunities. Second behind Mandarin, it is the world’s most spoken language. It’s perfectly possible to visit countries like Spain, Mexico and even Puerto Rico without speaking a word of Spanish, but the truth is it is a lot more fun especially if you want to engage with the locals. I would really recommend learning Spanish out there, there’s nothing quite like learning when immersed in a culture, it might be your only chance to do so. When you look back and people ask you what you did on your GAP year, “I learnt the second most spoken language in the world” is a pretty good way to answer!

Travel in Spain

From the sights of Santiago de Compostela, to the historic quarter of Cordoba, or the City of Arts and Sciences that is Valencia, there is so much to do in Spain. Why not go skiing in Granada’s Sierra Nevada, sun bathe on the Costa del Sol, and check out some of the finest culinary skills that Europe has to offer. Depending on what you are looking for, plan your trip around it and see where you end up. Why not pick up a Euro rail ticket and travel round Spain? Don’t be afraid to travel alone, you will definitely learn so much more and meet people while you are out there! If you are feeling adventurous you can always combine the two, travel around and do a couple Spanish courses!

Work in Spain

Working in Spain is definitely a more affordable way to see Spain, but it might require a lot more research. Some online companies can put you in on a low pay job working in hotels all around Spain, which provide you with food and accommodation and just enough to live on. Or if you are feeling brave it might be worth moving out to Spain for a couple weeks and going on a mad job hunt, tutoring English or whatnot, anything to pay the bills. Just remember work might be quite hard to find!

Au Pair in Spain

There are so many websites and ways to find an au pair to live with, especially in the summer. Not a bad way to pick up a bit of Spanish and earn a bit of money while you do it! Ask anyone who has done it and I’m sure they would recommend it!

That just about sums it up, if you have any ideas that I missed out on please leave a comment below.

Plants and Trees in Spanish

Yoan Lecomte — Fri, 3 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

As we mentionned already last week, Madrid’s Royal Botanical Gardens recently celebrated International Book Day by offering visitors a peek at the rich plant life encountered by the world’s favorite ingenious gentleman of La Mancha in Miguel de Cervantes classic novel Don Quijote.

We’ve put together this handy guide that showcases Spanish plants, trees and herbs observed by the 17^th century fictional knight and observable today in the royal gardens and across Spain’s natural landscapes: acebo (holly) – granado (pomegranate) - ciprés (cypress) - olmo (elm) - olivo (olive tree) - tejo (yew) - romero (rosemary) - algarrobo (carob tree) - membrillo (quince) - nogal (walnut) - jara (rockrose) - castaño (browm) - tomillo (thyme) - aligustre (privet) - adelfa (oleander) - vid (grape vine) - laures (laurel) - álamo (poplar) - mirto (myrtle) - higuera (fig tree) - encina (holm oak)

Photos thanks to martius, ilovelife, ruengobetti, jferrisp, photopoésie, montesnegros, stephenbuchan, anpena, valter, christine4nier

The World Book Day in Spain

Robert — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

April 23^rd, a very special day in Spain

This date is not celebrated this way anywhere else in the world. In Madrid and Barcelona, lots of events take place on this day. People fill the streets of the cities and purchase or exchange books in memory of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes. This is how World Book Day is celebrated.

Every year on April 23^rd, Spaniards celebrate International Book Day (or as it’s called in Spanish: “Día del libro”). Although the first World Book Day officially took place in 1995, the tradition has a long history. In fact, in Catalonia the day was already celebrated as “the Day of the Rose” in 1436, when gifts were exchanged between sweethearts and loved ones. The tradition of exchanging books dates back to 1926, when people wanted to establish an event in the memory of Miguel de Cervantes.

The specific date was chosen by booksellers in Spain to honor the author Miguel de Cervantes, who died on April 22^nd in 1616. In 1995, UNESCO declared April 23^rd as “World Book and Copywrite Day” which is also the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the birth of the authors Manuel Mejía Vallejo, Maurice Druon and Halldór Laxness and the death of Josep Pla and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega.

The Royal Spanish Academy

This year, World Book Day was celebrated in Madrid with more than 500 events, including people dressed up as famous protagonists, book conferences, lectures, book sales, book signings and workshops. The Royal Spanish Academy opened its doors for almost 400 visitors for this special event, which is where the original copy of Don Quijote, one of the most famous books of all time, is kept.

The Royal Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens also offered a special tour for bookworms and Cervantes fans. Amongst others, a suggested itinerary entitled “Las Plantas en el Quijote” incited the visitors to stroll around imagining scenes from the famous novel, “El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha”.

One plant which especially stands out is la encina (the oak), a tree that is very typical for Mancha forests and is mentioned more than 20 times in Cervantes’ novel. Other plants that appear in the novel are el alcornoque (the cork tree), and the la jara (gum rockrose).

When Don Quijote rides along river banks, he passes álamos (cottonwoods), olmos (elms), and sauces (willows). Also edible plants of the novel were cultivated, including ajo (garlic), cebolla (onion), olivos (olives) and romero (rosemary).

The Real Academia Española and the Royal Botanical Gardens are two of the many venues that host these special events on “El Día de Libros”. There are hundreds of other places to be explored on the same date. If you are fond of reading and want to explore a new country, then why not spend next April 23^rd in sunny Spain?

The Five Richest Spaniards

Robert — Wed, 3 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Poverty and wealth

“Crisis”, “dept”, “unemployment”, “austerity”- Those terms have been dominating the headlines of all European newspapers since the outbreak of the global financial crisis in 2008. Spain was, and still is, one of the countries which was hit hardest by the crisis and it is still facing the consequences today. While the poverty gap in the country is widening, the richest Spaniards managed to amass greater wealth.

Amancio Ortega

Amancio Ortega is the richest person in Spain and ranks number three on the Forbes List of Billionaires. Ortega is a true self-made Billionaire. With help from then-wife Rosalía Mera, he got started making gowns and lingerie in his living room about 45 years ago. Ortega is the founder of the successful Inditex Group fashion company, with famous brands like Bershka, Zara, Pull and Bear, Massimo Dutti, Oysho and the low cost brand Lefties. Today the company is one of the world’s most successful retailers. According to the Forbes Magazine, the 76 year-old has an estimated fortune of 57 billion US Dollars.

Rosalía Mera

The second richest person of this southern European country is Ortega’s ex-wife, Rosalía Mera. She is the co-founder of Inditex and one of the 20 richest women on the planet. At the age of 11 she dropped out of school and started working as a seamstress and later helped her husband making gowns and lingerie in their home. According to the Forbes Magazine, Mrs. Mera has a net worth of 6.1 billion US Dollars.

Juan Roig

Juan Roig’s grocery store chain, Mercadona, is the largest in its business sector in Spain. This sector seems to be almost immune to the financial crisis. His fortune went up 800.000 million to 5.5 billion US Dollars in the last year, which makes him the third richest person in Spain.

Isak Andic

The founder of the retailer Mango, Isak Andic, is Spain’s forth richest person. In 2012 Mango was present in 109 countries with more than 2,500 shops. The company employed more than 11,000 employees. Isak Andic has an estimated fortune of 5 billion US Dollars.

Manuel Jove

Manuel Jove, a carpenter by trade, opened his own real estate business, Fadesa Inmobiliaria, in 1980, which has become one of Spain’s leading property companies. Jove seems to be very intuitive: he sold 55% of his stake in 2006 just before the collapse of the Spanish real estate bubble. The fifth richest person in Spain has about 2.7 billion US Dollars in his bank account.

From the five richest Spaniards, three made their fortune through the fashion industry, one through food distribution and one through real estate. All of these people are self-made billionaires, who made their fortunes as a result of hard work, bravery and a natural talent for business.

Volunteer Work Abroad

Robert — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Helping Yourself While Helping Others

Every year, thousands of people sign up for volunteer programs to help others in need. However, it’s not only the ones in need that gain from this experience; the volunteers themselves also benefit enormously from their participation. There are several good reasons why people donate their time, talent, experience and heart to the poor…

The first and most obvious reason is that most volunteers simply want to help others, who need help. They find something they are passionate about and want to do something good for others. Many volunteers think that they are very fortunate to live the way they do and try to give something back to society and make the world a little better.

Improving language skills

While working as a volunteer abroad, people can collect experience they will never forget for the rest of their lives. Interacting with people of a different culture, trying exotic food, spending time with new people from all around the world and speaking new languages are all unique experiences. Latin American countries are very popular destinations, as many Western people learn Spanish and can improve their language skills there. The best way to learn a language is by using it in real life situations, and when working abroad, people are surrounded by the language twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Moreover, as a volunteer working in a different part of the world, people can gain a deeper understanding of what state the world is in.

Lifelong friendships

During their time as volunteers, most people make lifelong friendships with others that have offered their time to help out in the community. There is an inherent bond of togetherness that comes from being sole outsiders in a foreign environment and working together in new and sometimes challenging situations. The social network volunteers build up during their months abroad can be very useful for future careers.

Researchers have proven that volunteering has a good effect on mind and body. Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to ones self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. The feeling of being needed and doing something helpful prevents people from experiencing stress and depression.

Last but not least, working as a volunteer is simply fun. The work can be strenuous, dirty and very hard, but at the same time very rewarding. Nobody would participate in volunteer programs if it wasn’t worth it.

Many people benefit from volunteering. While people in need are being helped, volunteers are collecting important skills and experiencing life in a totally different culture. The knowledge one can acquire, including social and language skills, can be very useful in future life. The quote of the American author Brooker T. Washington sums it up: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

Made In Spain - Spanish Inventions

Robert — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

When people think of Spain, they normally associate the country with Mediterranean cuisine, bullfighting, sangria, flamenco or afternoon siestas. However, what most people do not know about, is that Spaniards have invented some of the products we use in our everyday lives.

The Mop

One of these products can most certainly be found in every household: The Mop. The Mop was invented by Manuel Jalon Corominas, a Spanish aeronautical engineer. In the 1950s he travelled to the US and saw, how people washed their floor with a cloth there, that they wrung-out through rollers in a bucket. He came up with the idea to produce something similar back home in Spain that would make cleaning much easier for people. There, his friend Emilio Bellvis, who was a mechanic, helped him with the development of the first mop and Corominas set up the mop-producing company Rodex. Today some people question if Bellvis was the “real” father of the mop, as he was the one who designed the mop and bucket as we know them today, and not Corominas. In any case, the mop is a real Spanish invention.

Further Spanish Inventions

Almost everybody knows that tobacco was first used by Native American tribes, long before the first Europeans arrived on the American continent. What most people don’t know is where the first cigarette was rolled. – Yes, in Spain! Beggars there used to collect any waste of tobacco they could find, to roll it up in thin sheets of paper to smoke. In the 1820s, the first cigarettes were being produced and in 1833 the first cigarette packs were sold.

Although the world-famous strategy board game chess has its routs in northwest India, the rules and the game as it is known today were developed in today’s Spain in the late 15^th century. In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, the game was played by the noble culture and the “King’s Game”, as chess was called, was used to teach strategy. Today chess is one of the world’s most popular games, played by millions of people all around the world.

Hardly anybody can imagine their childhood without the next Spanish invention: Chupa Chups lollipops. Enric Bernat came up with the idea of a bonbon on a stick, when he saw a mother scolding her child for its sticky hands it got from melting sweets. In only five years his product was sold in 300.000 outlets, and Chupa Chups would become one of the strongest candy brands in the world.

The origin of the next Spanish product is shrouded in dispute. However, the citizens of Ayelo de Malferit, a small town close to Valencia, claim that the world’s most famous drink, Coca-Cola, originates from their town. In 1880 three friends from the village created an innovative drink made out of Kola nut and coca leaves, which they called “Nuez de Kola Coca”. A few years later the recipe of the drink, that would become the foundation of the most popular soft drink of the world, was sold to a US company.

Spain is famous for its painters, poets, writers, explorers and conquerors, but most certainly not for its inventors. However, as listed above, the country has definitely provided the world with some very useful inventions it can be proud of!

Spain is the Set of Movies

Dilek — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever noticed that many Hollywood movies were shot in Spain? Maybe one of your favorite scenes is back dropped by a Spanish plaza or steep Almeria hillsides, landscapes that may have tricked you into thinking you were seeing the Sahara Desert or some Wild West town.

Spain itself is a natural studio that needs no additional décor; each region offers a unique setting which makes it a perfect world for directors. When shooting Lawrence of Arabia, the crew got tired of hard working conditions in Jordan and so they moved to Almeria, Spain, where the dry landscape served as a convincing Sahara Desert background. The famous James Bond movie Never Say Never Again and Mad Max were also shot in the plateau of Almeria.

Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala (played by Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen) walked down appear in Seville’s Plaza de España in Star Wars II: The Attack of the clones. Classics like Doctor Zhivago which won 5 Oscar awards including the Best Adapted Screenplay, took place in Soria, Salamanca and Segovia and Aldeadávila Dam has a significant role in the movie. Salamanca hosted numerous famous movies such as Ridley Scott’s 1492: Conquest of Paradise which showed the New Cathedral, The University and the Church of Clerecia. Another recent movie called Vantage Point picked the amazing Plaza Mayor of Salamanca for its opening scene.

Charlton Heston brought to life one of the most famous historical figures El Cid in the movie of the same name, which was shot in several Spanish locations like Avila, Madrid, Manzanares El Real and Bemonte(Cuenca). Barcelona is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a unique movie setting that has charmed many directors. The most well-known movies filmed here are Woody Allen’s Vicky Christina Barcelona and Perfume adapted from Patrick Suskind’s novel of the same name, which shows the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.

Despite having passed through a period of heavy censorship and political propaganda, Spanish cinema has become known for dealing with controversial topics. Directors like Almodóvar and Amenabar have earned international recognition and many Spanish actors have deservedly found success in Hollywood. Spanish cinema is evolving gradually and studying cinema is a great opportunity to explore natural beauty of Spain and reflect it on the screen.

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The World Book Day in Spain

April 23rd, a very special day in Spain

The Royal Spanish Academy

The Royal Botanical Gardens

The Five Richest Spaniards

Poverty and wealth

Amancio Ortega

Rosalía Mera

Juan Roig

Isak Andic

Manuel Jove

Volunteer Work Abroad

Helping Yourself While Helping Others

Improving language skills

Lifelong friendships

Made In Spain - Spanish Inventions

The Mop

Further Spanish Inventions

Spain is the Set of Movies

April 23^rd, a very special day in Spain