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“The 1-to-1 Spanish teaching was great and being able to use Spanish in shops etc was very useful. I can’t believe how much I now understand!” Sarah Midgeley, Inca Summer Venture This is your introduction to a new continent, a new culture and a new language. The two week course takes place in Cusco, with and a further one week refresher course in Quito five weeks later. (“Learning Spanish in South America”) It’s not all about the language however, you’ll saviour the flavours of the local cuisine with an introduction to Peruvian and Ecuadorian cooking, there are salsa dance lessons to show you a new rhythm, you’ll discover the secrets of ancient and modern Inca culture and the local literature and cinema will make Che Guevarra’s “Motorcycle Diaries” spring to life. The Amigos Language School: Cusco, Peru (Weeks 1 and 2) The Amigos School is a not-for-profit organisation established to teach Spanish to visitors and English to local street children. The fees we pay to the school subsidise the local children's English lessons. In the mornings your tutor will guide you along the road to proficiency. The sessions are informal and focus primarily on developing conversational Spanish - don't worry it's not like school, the emphasis is on having fun and getting stuck in, rather than getting the grammar spot on! It doesn't matter whether you're already fluent or have never uttered a single "Hola!" in your life; each Venturer has his or her own tutor, allowing everyone to progress at their own pace. The afternoons are free to join Amigos street children project. This gives you a great chance to try out your Spanish on the kids, whilst helping them to learn English - a crucial skill that will help their future employment opportunities. There's also plenty of time to visit Cusco's museums and galleries, discover the town's remarkable Inca stonework and check out its many cafés, shops and parks. In the evenings it's time to hit the salsa clubs and bars. You'll be amazed how much Spanish you can remember when you need to order a beer! We make a trip to the nearby Sacred Valley of the Incas where the fortresses at Pisac and Ollantaytambo guard the valley entrance. The Inca ceremonial site Sacsayhuaman (pronounced "sexy-woman") with its perfect walls made from 130 tonne stone blocks is a "must-see", as is the amphitheatre Qenqo with its hollowed-out stone altar and zigzag channels to drain away the sacrificial blood! Nice! Throughout this phase of the Venture we stay with Spanish-speaking local
families. You can choose whether to stay on your own, or with a couple
of other Venturers; either way your new family will be eager for you practice
your Spanish. Living with a family is also the perfect way to discover
more about modern Inca culture. Quito Language School: Ecuador (Week 7) This Spanish refresher course in the 7th week of the Venture is a great opportunity to "top-up" your language skills. Whether your grammar's gone rusty or you're bursting to perfect your tenses, this week of tuition will build on your existing skills and set you up for the next level. Our Base Camp in Quito is Selva Alegre, the "Happy Jungle" language school, complete with comfortable bedrooms, dining room, individual study areas and a roof-top terrace. In the mornings we split into small groups each with its own local language teacher. By now everyone will be able to "get by" in Spanish, so the emphasis is on extending vocab and improving conversation skills. Afternoons are free to discover Quito; wander through the bustling streets of the colonial centre (a Unesco World Heritage site), practice your new Spanish skills around the city's market stalls, cafes and shops. Be sure to visit the 500-year old Plaza and Monastery of San Francisco, the best of Quito's many churches. In the evenings it's time to head to the colourful Mariscal Sucre to sample Quito's famous nightlife. Here Westerners (gringos) and Quitenos (people from Quito) party all night in the raucous bars and sweaty salsa clubs. The weekends offer a chance to get out of the city. We make a trip to
Otavalo's world-famous Andean market, and for the ultimate challenge,
there's the chance to climb Cotapaxi, the world's highest active volcano
(5,897) whilst saner Venturers can opt to mountain bike down the volcano!
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