Study Abroad Bloggers

Spanish in Cartagena, Colombia

When researching locations for Spanish study abroad, South America may not be in your scope, let alone Cartagena, Colombia.  Colombia has gotten a bad rap in the past, but it's made a turnaround, and many are not aware of its culturally rich areas like Cartagena. 

French in Paris, the "City of Lights"

Paris, the "City of Lights" has been an international cultural hub for centuries.  It has an history reminiscent of ancient European pastiche and remains a strong and unique modern influence on the global market.  Studying French in Paris is more amazing and breathtaking than you could imagine.

Whether you're into high fashion and couture, classic Rococo or Impressionist Art, Foie Gras or expertly aged cheeses and wines, classical music or 60's style "ye-ye," Paris offers quaint beauty and an intricate backdrop that will appeal to something in everyone.  And, if you have any interest in seeing other parts of France, it makes a great launch pad.  Paris is just a short train ride away from Normandy, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, and virtually every other point of interest within the country.  One could even extend their language immersion to a Francophone region of Switzerland!

French Immersion in Montreux, Switzerland

Switzerland is without a doubt an unsung hero of Western Europe - and we here at All Study Abroad are not quite sure why!  Sure, many people may have heard of the majestic beauty of the Swiss Alps, or that French, German, and Italian are all spoken there, but what else does Switzerland have to offer a French student looking to break up the monotony?  

Look no further than the breathtaking town of Montreux..

Studying Spanish and Eating Paella in Valencia

Enjoying a freshly served bowl of zesty paella is an integral part of a visit to Valencia, and if you're studying Spanish there soon you'd better familiarize yourself with it!  Many of us have heard the name, but what on earth is it?  A whole grain bread?  A noodle casserole?  

Study Spanish on the Beach in Cadiz, Spain!

Want to study Spanish in Spain but are itching to indulge your inner beach bum and bask on a beautiful old-world European peninsula?  Cadiz is a beach side town with loads of charm and activities, and can awaken your sense of adventure so that speaking Spanish with locals can be more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Study Spanish in Guanajuato, Mexico!

Studying Spanish in Guanajuato is an endeavor that is worthwhile, inexpensive, and a great way to discover a charming and visitor-friendly Mexican town.  Guanajuato is a brightly-colored and festive college town with much to offer, especially in the way of the arts.

Video: Studying Spanish in Marbella

Who wouldn't want to travel to Spain to study Spanish?  The European charm, the enchanting customs and history, the fun-loving people..there is a reason why Spain is such a hot destination for tourists and Spanish students alike.  Spain is such a diverse country with so many influences and environments, and there are lots of Spanish schools available to you!  But where to go?

Behold Marbella!

We LOVE Marbella!  It's warm, fun, and a popular vacation spot among many Europeans.  There is a great beach and lots of shops, restaurants, and more.  Marbella is an incredibly trendy town with a lot to offer, and a perfect place to practice your newly acquired vocabulary!

For more information on Study Spanish in Spain programs, visit:

Enforex Marbella School
More Enforex Location Videos
StudyLanguages
AmeriSpan Study Spanish in Spain

Spanish Schools: Top 5 Places to Study Spanish

Top 5 Spanish schools and places to study Spanish: We know many people are looking to learn Spanish abroad. You're out of school, you're generally bored with life, you feel like there's a lot you could be doing and that there are a lot of places you could be exploring.  And maybe you want to study Spanish because you started learning a few years ago, or you'd like to better communicate with those who speak the second most widely spoken in the United States AND in the world.  Whatever the case, you're looking for excitement, adventure, and accessibility, and you want to go right to the capital of a country when you're taking it by storm and conquering its language!  Here are our favorite Spanish-speaking destinations, in no particular order.

Christmas Abroad

Part 2 - By Beth Klemick In the story of the nativity the three kings; Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar travel Bethlehem bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. As we find Santa Claus in every mall and public place imaginable in the United States, the Three Kings or Three Wise Men are very present in Spain. They can be seen visiting apartment buildings, hospitals, orphanages, and Christmas markets throughout Spain. Most of us are familiar with the twelve days of Christmas, instead of a partridge in a pear tree; Spanish children are treated to gifts and goodies by the Three Kings when they place their shoes on the doorstep (usually filled with hay to properly receive them) on the eve of the Epiphany. And when they awake on the Epiphany, January 6th find their shoes filled with presents and celebrate the day with parades.

Christmas in Spain

Part 1 - By Beth Klemick Feliz Navidad! In many ways Christmas traditions in Spain closely resemble those celebrated and cherished in the United States. Many families take part in the usual festivities of decorating the Christmas tree and signing carols, but there are some traditions that are different and unique during this holiday season in Spain. A different, and certainly mentionable tradition in Spain to celebrate the winter solstice is fire jumping. Spaniards will jump over fires in hope that this will protect them from illness, these bonfires (Hogueras) can been seen mainly in the cities of Granada and Jaen. In the United States and many other parts of the world, Santa Claus, otherwise known as: Father Christmas (England), Pere Noel (France) and Shengdan Laoren (China) is the bearer of gifts and good cheer. But in Spain it is the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos) who come bearing gifts on January 6th as the Spanish Christmas, which continues on way after December 25th. To be continued...

Tour de France

By Jamie McAllen - Guest blogger traveling in Paris Of course, besides history one also should take in contemporary France. I am doing that by following the Tour de France, the cycling race that goes all through France (and usually a couple of neighboring countries) over a period of 23 days. I have to say I don't care two bits about cycling, but I do love to watch the Tour ('Le Tour' with capitals of course) because of the great landscapes. Therefore, the days in the Alps are my favourites! Le Tour is a pretty major event here, and there are spectators all along the route, and the actual cyclists are preceded by a large caravan of promotional vehicles giving out freebies. So whenever I want to take a break (from shopping, sightseeing or sometimes even studying) I sit down at a cafe to have a "cafe" and I can practice my French by asking the Garson how L'etappe is going. Yes, there are scandals going on involving alleged use of doping, but for the moment we collectively try to ignore that and enjoy this traditional event. I just wish the French cyclists were performing a bit better...

Learning French

By Jamie McAllen - Guest blogger traveling in Paris I don't know if that French professor will be proven right in the end but my French is definitely coming back quicker than I expected. It's amazing how much passive knowledge I still had of this language! That said, I think I would be doing much better in my classes if I would actually take the time and revise and study in the evenings. But that is just, well I don't want to say impossible, so let's just call it 'not at the top of my priority list right now'.... There's too much to see and do! Paris is magical and soooo fun! There are very distinct neighborhoods to wander through, side-walk cafe's, shops, museums, expositions, and lots of breathtaking architecture. I love to be wandering aimlessly through the streets, turn a corner, and then realize I'm staring at the back of the Pantheon. My favorite museum is the 'Musee d'Orsay' by the way. It's and old railway station dedicated mainly to the Impressionists. It's big enough to contain a large quality of master pieces but not too big that you get overwhelmed and get the feeling you should be running through to see everything, and then not taking the time to take in the beauty of the paintings.

La Bonne Vie

By Jamie McAllen - Guest blogger traveling in Paris I have been here in Paris for about 10 days now, and I'm thoroughly enjoying 'la bonne vie' in the City of Lights! Luckily it's fantastic weather, very lucky indeed as it's always hit or miss in Northern Europe (and more miss than hit if you ask me). I call 30 degrees (90 F) fantastic but many are complaining that it's too hot and sticky. Ah well, I rather have this than dull grey skies, rain and 18 degrees (that's a very disappointing 65 F.). I am here to try to get back the French I once knew. I studied French in High School and knew enough to have a decent conversation. I even had to work my way through a novel or two. Unfortunately, if you don't use a language long enough, you start forgetting it. Then, a year or two ago I had a chance encounter with a French teacher who swore to me that 2-3 weeks of total immersion French would get me right back to the level where I was at so many years ago. I thought that was impossible but he was quite convinced (was he really or is that the charming French attitude?) or better said convincing, and I kept thinking about it. And now then, finally, I have the chance to see if 'it' can really be done.

Host Family in Japan

By Patrick - Guest blogger traveling in Japan. Continuing from "Studying in Japan" As I learned from Linda, Osaka is essentially Japan's cultural and historic capital, and is becoming quite international but still holds true to their traditions. She experienced first hand the Japanese bath tradition with her host mother and daughters. An experience she said was bit uncomfortable and one she will never try again. Although most Japanese homes have their own bathrooms, natural Hot Springs (onsen) and bathhouses (ofuroya) are still very popular in Japan. There are rules and guidelines to taking a Japanese bath here's the shortened version: Step one: get undressed. Then you walk naked, Linda likes to put stress on the word "naked", to the bathroom with your washcloth and shower essentials (shampoo, conditions, shower gel, etc) with everyone, again there is lots of stress on the work "everyone". Step two: wash. The washing part takes place in the actual bathroom before getting in to the bathtub. You sit on a low stool in front of taps and showers set in the wall of the washing area. This is an essential part of the ritual. Last step: is getting into the bath of very deep hot water. More to come....

Studying in Japan

By Patrick - Guest blogger traveling in Japan. To be honest my desire to travel and study in Japan, most especially Tokyo was inspired by the movie, "Lost in Translation" not by a study abroad office. While my good friend Linda was convinced it was better to study in Osaka and live with a family, I opted for this mega city. In my opinion nothing compares to the awesome lighted billboards and giant TV's of the city, like Times Square NYC but a thousand times better. It is cool to live and interact with futuristic technology I feel like I am living in a Jetson's cartoon. This city is unbelievable like the Japanese girls in short skirts and the highest heels possible singing Britney Spears everywhere, baseball games at the Tokyo Dome what a surreal, amazing experience I am having. My Japanese language skills are not progressing as fast as Linda who is studying and living with a family in Osaka. I recently took the high-speed Shinkansen system of bullet trains to pay her a visit for a long weekend. Osaka is a great city and takes the lead role in the overall cultural development of the nation of Japan. Over the next few days we spent hours exchanging tales about our experiences in Japan so far, Linda had a interesting cultural story of her own to share with me. To be continued.