The Language Learning Specialists
Speakers of the Basque language, a language spoken in self-governing parts of France and Spain, have a tradition of male-only nights out. The evenings take place behind closed doors in specially rented or purpose-bought premises, often basements. But the events, which are called txoko—from the Basque word ‘zoko,’ meaning ‘cosy nook’—are far from questionable; sweetly, … Read more
Next up on our list of top holiday destinations is Valencia – here’s Ioana to explain how the Spanish city captured her heart… The fact that it’s not one of the top touristic destinations in Spain, had me not really knowing what to expect of Valencia. Of course, I was looking forward to amazing paella, sunny … Read more
Do you know how you got your surname? It is regarded as a tradition for women to take their husband’s surnames when they get married in Britain. It’s also the tradition for men to always be Mr but women will be Miss until they’re married and become Mrs. So if Miss Young married Mr Smith, … Read more
More years ago than I care to remember, I did a degree in Hispanic Studies at the University of Nottingham. I loved the course, but there was one part of it that filled me with terror from the very first day. The Year Abroad. This is a pretty standard element of a modern languages degree – … Read more
Today marks the 70th anniversary of La Tomatina, the famous tomato-throwing festival in Buñol, Spain. La Tomatina began in 1945 but didn’t become an official event until twelve years later. Today, about 30,000 people attend the festival, which begins at around 11 am on the last Wednesday of August. Traditionally, the tomato fight can only … Read more
I’m a Morrisons kind of girl. And when I look longingly into my box of Yorkshire Tea and see nothing but tealeaf dust, I miss it. I miss a store layout I recognise. I miss being able to identify what things are without imaginative guess work and Google Translate. But most of all, I miss … Read more
Starting to learn Spanish has been an amazing journey. So far, the language and the people are really interesting, and it’s nice to know that a large population of Americans can speak the language. After long hours of practice, I am sitting here writing a post, while listening to my favorite Spanish rap songs. Spanish … Read more
Happy New Year! Whether you’re already there, or have a few more hours to wait, we hope that 2015 will be a fantastic year and bring you everything you hope for. As the celebrations get underway, here are a few interesting New Year traditions from around the world… Twelve grapes In Spain, eat a grape for each strike … Read more
A couple of months ago, I visited Barcelona in north-east Spain. The city has something for everyone – history, architecture, beach and mountains. We were only there a few days – and on a bit of a budget – but we had great weather, and managed to explore the majority of this amazing city on … Read more
Here in the UK, this weekend is Easter weekend. Many people will be marking the occasion by attending church services on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, while a more commercial tradition is to exchange chocolate eggs as gifts. Easter is a religious holiday, marking for many people around the world the death and resurrection of … Read more