If George Orwell were alive today, he would want to learn the mystery behind how Big Brother has never lost his charm amongst Spanish people and has been on duty in Spain for 12 seasons.

With its Spanish name "Gran Hermano" breaks a record to be on air since twelve years. While most of the other countries gave up watching, Spanish spectators always embrace the show with great enthusiasm and curiosity.

Gran Hermano is the biggest example of to which extent Spanish people are crazy about reality shows - The curiosity probably penetrates in the genes of Spanish people as it is an undeniable fact that Spanish people love to solely talk :) and most of the people love to make comments on others. The ratings also prove this idea, the show has remained the king of reality shows with a share of %20 and 2,907,000 viewers.

Even every country discontinued broadcasting the show after a few seasons, in Spain Gran Hermano is about to end its 13th season. The last season had several interesting features like summing up money on Ebay. People who were interested in competing, has offered a sum of money to get a place in the house. All the collected money was donated to Red Cross through a project in order to help the people especially hit by the crisis.

The producer of the show thinks that every year it offers a different dynamism and attraction so Gran Hermano keeps its permanent spot. Within the years, the reality shows have changed their formats and their content except Big Brother. It shows how human nature is interested in others’ lives and their actions. Curiosity is a major motive to exploration and understanding. I have never heard anyone that doesn’t like to gossip or in other words make comments on others. And without hesitation Spanish people do it quite amuzing and entertaining in their own way and thanks to diversity of Spanish language.

For me, it is a lively sign of people holding on to life and having a leisure activity against all odds, considering the tough times the country is going through. Spanish people love to live and live to love, nothing seems to tear down their pleasures. Along with 2 million Spanish people, Big Brother is watching you and they are happy with it.

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You have already decided to learn Spanish but don’t have a clue where to go. Choosing the right language course is a tough decision and based on some criteria.

The quality of language teaching is the most important aspect while choosing a language course. Everyone wants to get the best results of their effort, time and money; therefore the accreditation and certificates should guide you and give a clear idea to choose best language course.

don Quijote schools provide a whole hearted dedication to service and top quality to the thousands of students from all around the world. don Quijote schools aim to promote and guarantee high quality in language teaching and learning. To achieve this aim, they are holding the most prestigious international accredititations and credentials.

Accreditation from Cervantes Institute: The Cervantes Institute was founded by the Spanish government in 1991 with the purpose of promoting and diffusing the Spanish language and Spanish and Latin-American culture in general.

The CEELE is a certificate of quality in the teaching of Spanish as a second language. It is awarded by the Spanish department of the University of Alcalá de Henares and the association of Spanish Economic Resources. This is an official certificate which guarantees high standards and academic excellence.

The association of the Spanish schools of Castilla y León which guarantees experience, quality of teaching in Spanish, native teachers.

FEDELE (The Spanish Federation of Associations of Spanish schools for foreigners) is a federal organisation whose main objective is to improve the quality of Spanish teaching. FEDELE has established a national provision which is specified in the Quality Charter, which all schools are committed to follow a pattern in all the services they provide (facilities, faculty, programs, accommodation, hospitality, activities, insurance, etc.).

European Federation of National Associations for Teaching Mother Tongues to Foreign Students. The objective is the encouragement of a high level of professionalism in language teaching, and so a greater degree of competence in language learning.

AEEA: Andalusian association of Spanish schools for foreigners.

The ACELE association is a project of the Board of Education, initiated by teachers, students and the community of founded by teachers in order to generate the qualitative foreign language teaching.

Also being a member of international organizations like ALTO Association of Language Travel Organizations, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, European Association for International Education, The "Instituto Nacional de Consumo" (National Consumers' Institute), The Global Work Experience Association, The Forum on Education Abroad, renders don Quijote being an esteemed language schools in the world.

You will have the privilege of a high quality of learning Spanish in 10 destinations in Latin America and 11 destinatons in Spain with don Quijote.

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In this harsh economic climate, taking the time and effort to learn a language seems a silly diversion, right? WRONG! It turns out, that prospective employers really value linguistic abilities, and that appreciation translates to your paycheck!

A report from the Higher Education Funding Council for England shows that graduates who studied modern foreign languages have, on average, higher salaries than other graduates. Not only that, but 6 months after graduating, around ¾ of language students are in employment! English newspaper The Independent also reported that the ability to speak a foreign language can boost your earnings, and apparently "languages give you so much more flexibility in terms of where you work and how quickly you get promoted".

So, knowing foreign languages can lead not only to higher salaries, but also gives you access to a greater number of jobs opportunities! In learning Spanish, jobs all over Latin America are available to you, and EU citizens have the right to work anywhere in the European Union – whole continents worth of jobs await you! International trade is a huge part of business, and the demand for languages in such sectors as sales, customer services, IT, market research and finance just keeps rising. Interpreting and translating jobs are always a popular route with linguists, and teaching is a very rewarding profession, whether it's in schools at home or teaching English as a foreign language abroad!

But for more penny-saving tips when learning a language, especially if you’re lucky enough to benefit from studying abroad, why not:

• Use internet resources – online newspapers and articles in all the languages you could possibly ever study, as well as podcasts, radio programmes, skype language exchanges and many many more ways to keep up your linguistic skills for free!

• Keep and eye out for special offers for language schools, or travel at off peak times – sights comparing flight prices can help you find the cheapest deals.

• Research before you go – while the big cosmopolitan, capital cities are really appealing, would it be cheaper to live in a smaller town? That way, you can use the difference you’ve saved to travel a bit more!

• Ask advice! Locals are a great source of knowledge; instead of splashing out on a guidebook, why not go into the tourist information office and have a chat – its free, and a great way to sneak in some language practice!

• Simple things like changing your currency in advance (as the rates at airports often aren’t the best deals around) may sound like small change, but every little helps!

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It is time for parents to pick the right summer camp for their children and there are several summer camps for youngsters to study Spanish in Spain.

The start of summer vacation is a joy for children and young people who come for a long rest after the grueling school year. But at a time is a concern for parents, who wonder what to do with their children while they work. Summer camps are a great choice for both.

Summer camps are without doubt the best times of our lives. In one camp, children have access to multiple sports, games and educational, which offer fun and entertainment all day. They are also in contact with other children and have to deal with new situations, enabling them to develop self-esteem, responsibility and social skills. Choosing a good camp, for children that they can have the opportunity to enjoy and learn, is "the perfect summer for kids."

In Spain, you can have a guaranteed fun and a high level of Spanish learning and children will not regret spending their summer in Spain. You can choose the city according to interests and sports your children love to do. Children can learn tennis and horseback riding or Spain’s only and deary favourite sports football.

Madrid : The capital city of Spain is one of the entertaining city in the world and the diversity of socio-cultural and sports activities will offer a great pastime for children.

Valencia : Situated in the eastern coast to Mediterranean sea, Valencia is wonderful city that after your Spanish classes you can go to beach in 10 minutes.

Barcelona : Almost everyone falls in love with Barcelona when they see the city and the cultural varieties make this idea justified.

Salamanca : With golden colored buildings and the lively youngsters lying on the meadows across the River Tormes, Salamanca will be an unforgettable experience for students.

Marbella : You will fill up with sun, sea and the beach. Located on the south coast, Marbella is the city where you enjoy the sunny terraces, shopping and small plazas in a lively atmosphere.

If you want, you can also share this wonderful moment with your children, just take a look at this great offer for parents and kids to learn Spanish in summer. Hurry up and spend the vacation in Spain!

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A recent study shows that Latin America is on the rise for long term international investments and the importance of Spanish language.

Urban Investment Attractiveness Index (INAI) ,which was published by the University of Rosario in Bogota and business intelligence firm in Chile has demonstrated the importance of ascending trend of Latin American countries offering an available platform for investment. INAI 2012 takes into account quantitative and qualitative variables of the 48 cities. Nationally, it has a weight of 35%, it checks the size of the domestic market, access to the external sector, cost competitiveness, as well as political and economic factors of risk. At the city level, the buying power, reputation and global presence, urban comfort, the potential for financing new projects and the quality of university education are taken into consideration.

Mexico City and Santiago rank in the second and third place for the best investment evironment. Mexico City forms a very strong domestic market with its neighboring municipalities, increasing advancement in the quality of its training college, and the presence of large multinationals. Monterrey and Mexico City will gain a strong presence in the global business world.

Bogota, the capital of Colombia rose from ninth to fifth place, thanks to advances in the national platform of attracting investment, the quality of their university education and advancement in international reputation. According to the report, Bogota deserves special comment, reflecting the progress of the national platform in attracting investments, the quality of their university education and the recent improvement in security rates, which have positively affected the perception of urban comfort.

The consolidation of Chile as the most competitive country in Latin America, continuing advances in urban infrastructure projects in a context of high security, the quality of its training, the arrival of new global companies, and the depth of its capital market, this city located in the upper range of the indicator, Santiago is becoming a shining star for international investments.

Lima, the Peruvian capital, jumps from seventh to fourth place, in direct relation to the national good environment for investment, by the steady arrival of foreign investors, with a expected high rate of expansion of the city, with recent improvements in urban comfort.

With the rapid pace of improvements in Latin American cities, speaking Spanish language will give you the advantage of outpacing your competitiors in this challenging business world. Don’t get left behind and it’s high time you started learning Spanish!

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Learning a language can seem a never ending task. And in truth, it is really (sorry!) - language is constantly evolving, it’s not like algebra where you find what equals x and that’s the end of it. But there are some ways to make the task a lot easier, and some common mistakes people make when learning a language that you should avoid like the plague (and algebra).

DON’T make it boring!

While grammar may not be the most exciting thing on the planet, it is necessary to know, but that doesn’t mean the whole process of language learning has to be boring! So keep it fun, and related to what interests you! Have margarita parties and make paella, or take a trip to Madrid to practice. When I started learning I read the Harry Potter books in Spanish, and I bet you’d rather learn from a Guatemalan girlfriend than a grammar book!

DON’T make it monotonous!

Language is best learned in context; stay away from phone book-esque vocabulary lists! Pages and pages of conjugated verbs will only make your eyes go fuzzy; why not have a word of the day, or label everything in your room with its Spanish name.

DON’T be afraid to make mistakes!

Learning languages is all about the swimming pool effect – why dip your toes in slowly when you can jump in and immerse yourself! Passive observation isn’t enough; while I would LOVE to advocate just watching dubbed reruns of Friends, they won’t be able to teach you the difference between the preterito and the imperfecto. So give it a go yourself! Speak to some Spaniards or get chatting to a Colombian. Trial and error is the best way to learn, and you could meet some friends along the way."Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Let me do, and I understand" says an ancient Chinese proverb.

DON’T give up!

Regular learning is the best way to build on progress. Learning the future conjugations at school 15 years ago is no guarantee that you know them now. Congrats on your photographic memory for those select few lucky enough to have one, but for the most of us, regular practice is the best way to get something to stick. So no long linguistic siestas! And it’s true that every little helps – even the busiest of people can slip some Spanish into their day. Per

sonally, I use BBC Mundo instead of the regular BBC to catch up on the news; while I don’t understand this economic crisis in any language, but at least this is an informative way to practise Spanish.

DON’T be unrealistic!

When learning a language, you get out what you put in. You can’t get fluent in a week, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth working for. Keep a positive attitude! By setting yourself realistic goals, you can work towards something tangible, track your progress, and treat yourself to some galletas when you’ve met your aim!

So now you know what NOT to do, why not start learning Spanish today!

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Well, how long is a piece of string?! While this is a very common question amongst Spanish learners (the regional differences, not the string one I hope!), there really is no definite answer. Do Americans not understand Aussies?! Can Canadians and Brits not communicate?! It’s the same principal with Spanish; yes there are differences, but linguistic variety is the spice of life!

Good grammar is the foundation to understanding. The basic structure of the language doesn’t really change whether you’re from Europe or the deepest depths of the Amazon. So which ever variety of Spanish you learn, you can still read another! And while you may not understand every single word, by looking at the context, tone of voice, and body language of a speaker, you’ll easily be able to pick up the jist of what’s being said.

And I’m sorry to have to break this to you, but even within countries, language changes. For example, Catalan influences the Spanish spoken in Barcelona, but this doesn’t mean people will look at you like you’ve grown two heads when you speak with a Madrileña accent (unless El Clásico is on. In that case, run for your life). Furthermore, 'Latin American Spanish’ is a complete misnomer. There are a huge number of Latin American dialects, each of which are fairly different from one another. And yet, at the Ibero-American summit, everyone can still understand each other!

Accents are everywhere, and are part of learning a language. Spanish is no different. And while any language tapes you may have used to help you learn will enunciate in a voice that the Real Academia Española would be proud of, Joe Bloggs on the streets of Buenos Aires probably won’t talk the same way. Lazy speech is a fault we are all guilty of; in Spanish, debuccalization (where you ‘swallow’ the s sound, so esta and eta sound the same) and vowel reduction (homogenizing the pronunciation of pesos [money], pesas [weights], and peces [fish]) are common. It happens almost everywhere, especially with really quick speech, so learn to love it!

One of the best known regional differences is the Spanish lisp, which Spaniards prefer to call el distinción. In most parts of the Iberian peninsular, there is a distinction between the sounds /s/ and /θ/, which means there is a phonemic contrast between casa "house" and caza "hunt" (most Spaniards would pronounce the former as catha). But, the popularity of telenovelas in Spain, and success of the Spanish cinema in Latin America, means that mutual comprehension is still live and kicking.

For the second person formal pronoun, virtually all Spanish dialects of Spain and the Americas use usted and ustedes (singular and plural respectively). But for the second person familiar, there is regional variation—between tú and vosotros in Spain, and vos and ustedes in some parts of Latin America. The use of vos (and its corresponding verb forms) rather than tú is called voseo.

The vocabulary varies as well. But that’s true everywhere, not just Spanish (I couldn’t stop giggling the first time I heard an Australian refer to their flip flips!) . So yes, in Mexico you say carro, in Spain you say coche, and in Argentina you say auto, but if you point at the thing with four wheels driving along the road, any misunderstandings will be long gone. Just a word of warning though, for any Spaniards who need to coger el tren, in Latin America coger generally means something completely different, and you definitely wouldn’t do that to a train!

So really, do no worry. Do not panic. Do not avoid all speakers of a different dialect for fear of ridicule. Embrace the variety! It means learning Spanish is always an interesting challenge wherever you go, and if you do happen to have a complete linguistic nightmare, a smile is universally understood, and there’ll always be a funny story to tell afterwards!

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A Spanish videonovela helps Spanish speaking people to understand better treatment of their diabetes in USA.

To help Hispanics for the problems they face during the treatment period of their diabetes, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality created the “Learn to Live” (Aprende a Vivir) videoseries. By combining important health messages with entertainment and in a familiar format for Hispanics this videonovela can help reinforce the important work of health departments, doctors, nurses and health promoters to improve the health of people with diabetes type 2.

In the series we see Don Felipe who has type 2 diabetes and is head of the Jimenez family, and how he copes with his illness and with the support of his family he realizes that he needs counsulting about his treatment options rather than skip his medication because of side effects. Research shows that people with type 2 diabetes often have problems adhering to medication schedules. Causes may include low health literacy, poor patient-provider communication, cultural barriers and other factors.

Insulin is a hormone your body makes to convert blood sugar (glucose) into energy. If you have type 2 diabetes, that means your body is not producing enough insulin or their cells are not using properly. This causes the blood contains too much sugar.

Why does type 2 diabetes affect Hispanics?

Type 2 diabetes is a serious and growing problem among Hispanics. A national survey conducted between 2007-2009 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that more than 1 out of 8 Hispanics in the United States have diabetes. About 8 percent of adults are from Cuba or Central America, slightly more than 13 percent of the adults are from Mexico and nearly 14 percent of the adults are from Puerto Rico.

But many Hispanics with type 2 diabetes have trouble taking their medications as prescribed. This is especially true for Hispanics who do not speak fluent English or who are on is hard to understand and remember the prescription of drugs, although they are in Spanish.

The series is a great success and guide for Spanish speaking community in USA which creates a healthier world and better understanding crossing the language barriers.

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This is such a wonderful time of year to be in Seville. Well, it’s always lovely to be in Seville since it’s such an amazing city, but it’s especially great at the moment. ¿Por qué? Because two weeks after Semana Santa, Seville is celebrating again; La Feria de Abril.

This week-long celebration takes place every year in Seville, and draws over one million people to join in the fun. La Feria de Abril, meaning the April Fair, began in 1847, and has evolved a long way from its origins as a cattle trading fair. It is now known internationally as a celebration of typical Andalusian culture; where women wear their most elaborate flamenco dresses inspired by the Gypsy fashion, Spain’s most famous bullfighters take to the ring, and festivities last until the early hours of the morning. The Feria officially opened at midnight on Tuesday, when the famous puerta of Seville is illuminated. The festivities run until midnight on Sunday, where a fireworks display closes the Feria.

The Seville Fair takes place away from the city centre; Real de la Fería along the Guadalquivir River is home to the festivities. As with any good party, there is plenty of food and drink available, like typical Spanish cuisine of cured ham, sausage and plenty of seafood. Also commonly found at La Feria de Abril is the famous sherry wine. Often, due to the heat in southern Spain, it is mixed with lemonade, which locals call ‘rebujito’ and is definitely worth a try!

During the day, there are daily processions of horses and intricately decorated carriages, parading through the city and the fairground. There are even carriages to rent if you want to join in the Feria spirit. The equestrian events are usually accompanied by music. Seville is often called the epicentre of Flamenco, and the guitar music and singing fills the streets. Typical Andalusian outfits with wide brimmed bolero hats and short cropped jackets can be seen everywhere; on the fairground rides or at the many foodstalls.

At night, there is a completely different atmosphere. The temporary tents that are erected for the fair, ‘casetas’ as they are called in Spanish, divide the fairground into different dance halls, bars and private areas. The casetas are usually hosted by wealthy families from Seville, night clubs, trade unions, political parties, or city organizations, but there are also free tents for those without the friends in high places. Every tent is set up differently with a unique atmosphere and different customs; for example, “ER 77” and is famous for pouring wine from buckets and having cots available for napping, the "Los Duendes de Sevilla" (The Goblins of Seville) which is named after a painting by Alvarez Quintero, and many more. Most don’t get going until well after midnight, and the drinks and dancing carry on until sunrise.

La Feria de Abril is also well known for its bullfights. At 5.30pm in the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza, Spain’s top toreros take on a bull every day from the end of Semana Santa until the end of the Feria. The bullfights are a very popular part of the festival, and even the roads of tents in Real de la Fería are named after the matadors. While las corridas may not be to everyone’s taste, the bars in the Arenal area which surrounds the Plaza have a great atmosphere beforehand and afterwards, full of crowds and excitement.



La Feria de Abril this year is the 24th to 29th of April, so there’s still a chance to enjoy this typical Andalusian event, with food, drinking, dancing and fun for all. If not, there’s next year’s Feria to look forward to, and lots more Spanish culture to enjoy in the meantime!

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Spanish people love to use expressions in their daily life and if you have just started learning Spanish it may create some funny moments when you talk with native people.

During the first days of my stay in Spain one of my friends said to me “No se te ve el pelo”, I thought there was something wrong with my hair. I was wearing a beret so I took it off. Then everyone started to laugh and at this very moment I realized that it is an expression used when you haven’t seen someone for a while.

Spanish people love to use idioms during their conversations.There is a long list and not surprisingly they have sayings for every situation, so I picked some examples that can cause funny misunderstandings.

Yo me lavo las manos: When you hear this phrase, don’t think someone’s going to wash his hands, this a common phrase when one discards an issue or tries to get rid of any responsibility, which might be a reference used in ancient times that washing hands before the people to prove himself innocent of a crime attributed to him.
Ver los cielos abiertos: It is used for a favorable opportunity that is on the way.
Bajar la guardia: It means relax, worry, do not pay attention to what lies ahead
Hacerse la boca agua: Imagine you are going the way home with a tremendous hunger after a hard day of work or college class. Imagine that you pass in front of a bakery which gives off a pleasant smell of fresh bread. Imagine having a full showcase of various cakes and pies of all possible flavours and here is the expression used for describing this appetite.
Mal de muchos, consuelo de tontos: The phrase is used for even though bad fortune or evil comes to us, there are others who are involved in this misfortune as well.

In Spain it is known that almost everyone loves drinking so there are lots of expressions for saying that you're drunk such as: Estar borracho. Llevar un buen pedo or ir pedo perdido. Pillar una tajada or ir con la tajá. Llevar un buen melocotón.

Spanish is such an enriched language with lots of meanings and without doubt a lyrical one when you get used to hear and use. It is a matter of time to understand all the idioms and of course spend some time with native people to hear new words!

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