Good news! We have not only updated our website over the last couple of weeks but we have also prepared the online booking system for 2012!

You can now purchase any 2012 course directly from our secure online booking page at:

https://secure.donquijote.org/booknow/qb.asp

What are the steps that you should follow?

1 - First, decide where you want to go! We have many destinations in Spain and Latin America. You can read about them all on our website and decide what city is the best fit for you. If you aren't sure where to go, you can always combine destinations at no extra charge!

2 - Next, think about what kind of Spanish courses you want to take. Intensive Spanish? Super-intensive? Or perhaps you want to combine your course with a fun activity like flamenco classes? Maybe you really want to work on your Spanish conversation skills? There are many options, so it is a good idea to take a look at them before trying to calculate prices.

3 - When do you want to come? And for how long? You can stay for as little as one week for as long as you want! This part is easy and you can play with different dates during the price quote process.

4 - What kind of accommodation would you like while you learn Spanish abroad? You can stay with a host family, student apartments, private apartments, student residenceshotels! Choose from half or full board, single or shared rooms, shared or non-shared facilities.. there are so many choices!.At don Quijote, we really pride ourselves on offering many options of top notch accommodation because we believe that your accommodation is a really important part of your study abroad experience.

5 - Once you have a good idea of all these things, head to our online booking form:

6 - Fill in your destination, estimated level, course type, accommodation type (with only breakfast, breakfast plus one meal (half board) or breakfast and two meals (full board), when you want to start (available start dates are listed in green) and how many weeks your course will last. Finally, decide if you want to add any extras like medical insurance or a pick up service at the airport. CLICK CALCULATE.

7 - Your Price Quote will be displayed with all the options you have chosen! From here, you can choose to enroll easily or have us send you the quote and our course counselors will be in contact with you to resolve any of your questions.

Use this tool to calculate different prices with combinations of different courses course lengths, accommodation types and destinations. When you find the right course for you at the right prices, ENROLLING TO STUDY ABROAD HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER! Pay directly online securely with don Quijote!

Studying Spanish abroad in 2012 just got easier! Book online now!

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There are obvious benefits to studying Spanish. The fact that it is the world’s second most widely spoken language, in terms of native speakers, is reason enough for most people to try their hand at it. And with an ever increasing presence on a global scale, knowledge of Spanish is an incredibly useful tool that can offer speakers a range of employment opportunities.

However, aside from the economic factors, the aspect of the Spanish language that has always intrigued me is the bountiful culture associated with it. Spanish is the official language of 21 different countries, each with their own unique traits and characteristics. There is such an abundance of cultural diversity from Spain to Latin America that it is impossible to tire of the variety. My primary motive in learning Spanish was being exposed to the expanse of unique customs, history, film, literature and concepts that make up the assorted world of Hispanic culture.

When it comes to studying a language, everyone knows that the best way to progress is immersion. I had previously visited Spain several years ago, and studied at the don Quijote School in Granada, as a beginner. I can wholeheartedly say that it was this experience that ignited my passion for Spanish. My Spanish improved immeasurably, and the perfect balance between learning in a structured environment, and the freedom to explore the city and its culture, motivated me to learn more.

So several years on, after studying Spanish through school and continuing it at university, I decided I wanted to return. I had been completely enamoured by the Andalusian allure of Granada, but wanted to explore the more classical side of Spain. So I decided to come to Salamanca.

Before arriving in Spain, my knowledge of Salamanca was very limited. I’d heard that is was an extremely picturesque city. But there was so much more to it than I initially expected. There is something truly unique and enthralling about the lively city. It is brimming with elegant architecture and Renaissance charm, from the Plaza Mayor to the stunning cathedral. Yet Salamanca still has a vibrant and very Spanish character. Bustling bars, cafés and restaurants, and its huge student population, both local and international, create an effervescent atmosphere. For me an additional benefit was its size, Salamanca is a relatively small city, and so never feels too overwhelming, but incredibly welcoming with a friendly ambience.

I am now nearing the end of my six month stint in Salamanca; and can vouch for the fact that first hand exposure to Spanish has been invaluable. Obviously six months is a not realistic length of time for most people, but I found that the most important foundation to my stay was the first two weeks, which I spent at don Quijote in Salamanca. The classes covered so much ground, from useful vocabulary to niggling grammatical doubts, but everything was done in an interesting and varied way. Soon to be returning back home, I would recommend Salamanca and don Quijote to everyone. Whether you have a week or several months to spare the experience is incredible, and I defy anyone not to fall in love with Salamanca, and all it has to offer.

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Spain may be home to a huge variety of cultures and different people but there has always been one common belief that unites all Spaniards; food always comes first. As is the case in other Mediterranean countries, huge importance is placed on Spanish mealtimes and traditionally a family will always eat a large meal together at lunch followed by a lighter snack in the evening. Even people who are in full time employment do not use their work as an excuse to miss out on lunch and it is often the case that they will take a couple of hours off in the afternoon so they can head home and enjoy a wholesome meal in the company of their family before returning to the office to finish off the day.

However, this traditional approach to the working day may be under threat as employers in some areas of Spain seek ways to boost the productivity of their workforce. Despite the fact that Spain has the fourth largest economy in Europe, it lags further behind in tenth position in terms of productivity per hour worked.

In these testing economic times companies are trying to come up with new ways to avoid the lull that occurs in the workplace before and after a long lunch when people are least productive. One solution that has so far proved successful has been to alter work hours from starting at 9 and finishing around 6 or even later, to an earlier and shorter 7-3 shift. Although this means shortening the lunch break considerably, the benefits are hard to ignore and numerous studies show how much more work people get done in the morning than in the afternoon. Leaving the office at 3pm also frees people up to do the tasks they would normally have to take time off work to do, such as go to the doctors or to the bank.

There are many sociological benefits to these new working hours as people have more free time in the afternoons, are able to spend quality time with their families and generally have more energy as they can relax longer. The resulting boost in quality of life also makes people more productive whilst at work, something that employers are keen to encourage. What remains to be seen though, is whether Spaniards will be willing to give up their long lunches or whether the prospect of a proper meal will be too much for this food loving nation…

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Research has proven yet again the many known benefits to following the Mediterranean diet. A recent study was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility that now links the famous Spanish diet to increased fertility in addition to the slew of evidence that this healthy lifestyle contributes to a longer life span and lower obesity, diabetes and heart disease rates.

The study, published in the November edition of the journal Fertility and Sterility, adds to a growing body of evidence linking the Mediterranean diet to a slew of health benefits, including a longer life and lower risks of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

A new study by Spanish researchers has shown that those women who are trying to get pregnant have a lot to gain by following a Mediterranean diet high in fresh fruits, fish, vegetables and whole grains. In fact, the research shows that women who follow this type of diet have increased fertility rates.

500 women were studied. According to the findings, only 17% of those women who strictly followed the Mediterranean diet reported problems with getting pregnant while 26% of those who more loosely followed the Mediterranean diet reported fertility problems.

The investigators further examined women who consumed higher amounts of red meats, fast food, whole-fat dairy products, potatoes, refined grains and soda but found no relationship between this type of diet and neither increased nor decreased fertility rates.

More research will probably be needed before doctors start recommending the Mediterranean diet to women who are struggling to get pregnant, but experts agree that making this healthy switch to your diet certainly cannot hurt... The US-based Mayo Clinic suggests that those who are interested in making the change follow these guidelines:

1. Exercise sufficiently
2. Eat mainly foods derived from plants: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, etc.
3. Avoid unhealthy fats such as butter and substitute with healthy fats such as olive oil.
4. Flavor food with natural herbs and spices instead of salt
5. Reduce red meat intake to no more than a few times a month
6. Consume fish and poultry regularly, at least two times a week
7. Drink heart-healthy red wine in moderation

Red wine is optional, but many studies show that it has many healthy benefits in moderation. According to Men's Health magazine, enough red wine consists of one to 3 glasses a day (for men). A US study published in International Journal of Cancer showed that not only can red wine help men’s' hearts, but also reduce their prostate cancer risk. Another Spanish study showed that the antioxidant resveratrol and tannins found in red wine can help cut lung cancer risk by 13%. However, the word of thumb here is "moderation". There are plenty of studies that show that if you drink too much, the effects are negative.

What about those men who are interested in increasing their fertility rates? A study from the University of Western Australia recommends that they eat antioxidant-rich foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes and mango because these items increase the quality of men’s sperm.

Want to learn Spanish while learning how to make healthy Mediterranean food and all about Spanish red wine? In don Quijote in Salamanca, you can add a wine course and a Spanish cooking course to your Spanish classes!

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Yesterday marked the first day of the fantastic ‘The Hermitage in the Prado’, the biggest cultural project yet between Spain and Russia.

The exhibition which comprises of 120 works from the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, offers a broad display of the museum’s diverse art- spanning from artefacts created in the 4th & 5th century BC to 20th century paintings.

El Prado is the first museum outside of Russia to ever host such an exhibition, which is said to represent the pride and glory of Russia’s cultural heritage.

The exhibition is in fact the second half of a close partnership between the two museums. From February to May of this year, the Hermitage ran an exhibition showcasing some of the Spanish museum’s most celebrated works- including paintings of Goya and El Greco. The exhibition, 'The Prado in the Hermitage' was the most successful exhibition the museums has ever held, receiving more than 600,000 visitors. The partnership is part of a vast range of fascinating events and cultural exchanges that have been organised for the ‘Año Dual España-Rusia’ (see video below). Some of the events that have already taken place include cultural debates in Barcelona, Russian ballet in Madrid, art deco in Salamanca, flamenco dancing in Moscow and many more.

The Prado’s exhibition will run until the 25th March 2012, and not only is it showcasing some of Russia’s most celebrated artwork, but there will be also be some famous Spanish painters’ artwork temporarily returning home, including works by Pablo Picasso (see left), José de Ribera and Diego Velazquez.

With so much artistic diversity on display, the exhibition is set to be extremely popular, so too will the recent decision, that from the 16th January, the Prado will open every day of the week, no longer closing on Mondays, giving visitors chance to explore the depth of the Prado's extensive collection any day they wish!

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The British Council and Cervantes Institute unite to battle common challenges with a book and plans for cooperation. It is probably no surprise that Spanish and English are two most dominant languages in the Western world. Up until now they probably viewed one another with caution, but new global tendencies require that the two languages unite to survive and meet the future challenges of other economic powers and influences. Together the British Council and Cervante's Institute have written a book called Palabra por Palabra, or Word for Word which examines the two languages and their upcoming challenges, particularly due to the unbridled expansion of Chinese, Arabic and Hindi.

The West's latitudes of influence may be changing. The idea of an Anglo-Saxon north and a Latin south has been blurring as the Hispanics spread north. The two cultural spheres represent a billion people whose first languages are English or Spanish. If you add to that number those who are learning one of these languages as a second language, the number doubles.

Carmen Caffarel, director of Cervantes Institute, explained that "this is the first step in analyzing challenges together between the two main languages within our spheres of influence" while Rod Pryde, director of the British Council headquarters in Madrid stated that "It is time to share perspectives".

The two languages will work together to find their place in the world, keeping in mind that learning Spanish and English increases the business and work opportunities for companies and people.

All of these aspects are discussed in the book Word for Word, which was presented yesterday at the Cervantes Institute in Madrid. Until know the English and Spanish institutions have worked solitarily, but now the reality in the US and around the world has inspired them to form strong alliances to ensure the growth and prosperity of both languages.

The US with an estimated 50 million Spanish speakers, second only to Mexico, has demonstrated that a peaceful coexistence between the languages can open many doors. Ángel López García, author of Anglohispanos explained that "It was the Americans, with their common sense, who have drawn the attention of the British and the Spaniards, from their distant and European orbit, to see the many opportunities that may result from a partnership".

Humberto López Morales has studied the effects of the coexistence of English and Spanish in the US and has found that that the general Spanish lexicon only varies by 1.6%. He noted that, after analyzing 430,000 words, that over 98% are in common use. Some attribute this success to maintain the common Spanish base to the Royal Spanish Academy which each year publishes an official dictionary and grammar in the Spanish language.

The demand for English and Spanish is also growing significantly in Asia and Brazil where, according to Alvaro Martinez Cachero, there are 5.5 students studying Spanish in academies and 25 million learning English. These areas of the globe represent real opportunities for expansion of both languages.

These are great advantages but there are also threats coming from the East. Rod Pryde asks "What will happen with Arabic, Chinese and Hindi in the near future? They are languages that are more difficult to learn, making it an obstacle for them to become global languages. But we cannot predict what will happen."

There is more to be learned from the new union between the British Council and the Cervantes Institute as explained by María José Ferrari: "It is clear that an institution like Cervantes, with a budget of 103 million euros and 20 years of experience, has a lot to learn from the British Council, with its more than 70 years of existence and 700 million pound budget (814 million euros), especially when two-thirds of that come from their own revenues and not state aid." She also explained that the British will hopefully experience "some humility" and to open their "world to other languages".

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A portrait originally thought to have been by a largely forgotten British painter, Matthew Shepperson, has been unveiled as the work of one of Spain’s great masters, none other than Diego Velazquez.

The owner of the painter, who has requested to remain anonymous, had recently inherited a number of works by Shepperson. However, when the paintings were consigned for sale at the famous auction house, Bonham’s, the experts there seemed to think that the portrait was the work of a different artist.

After many months of technical analysis, X-rays, consultations and research, the team of experts, which included leading art historians and the head of Technical Services at the Prado Museum, identified the artist as Velazquez, who is considered to be one of the most important in all of Spanish art history.

The discovery means that the portrait that was initially expected to fetch no more than £300 (approximately $480) is now valued at 10,000 times the original estimate- up to £3 million (4.8 million dollars).

The 17^th century painter, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez was best known for his portraits of Philip IV´s royal courts in Madrid, the most famous paintings of which is ‘Las Meninas’ (see right). Velázquez’s art came at the peak of the Baroque era in Spain, and he is well known for being one of the greatest artistic geniuses of not only the Golden Age of Spanish culture, but of Western art as a whole.

Of all the Spanish painters, Velazquez was known as the “painter of painters”. He was able to merge complex compositional features such as colour, light, texture and space with great skill, producing astonishingly lifelike and technically brilliant portraits.

However, one mystery does remain unsolved, as the identity of the portrait’s subject is still unsure. It is thought perhaps that the sitter may be Juan Mateos, King Philip IV's master of the hunt; however this is still under speculation.

The Old Masters expert at Bonhams stated that "The discovery of this lost treasure is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it is tremendously exciting to be able to bring it to the world’s attention.” The portrait is set to be the highlight of Bonham’s Old Masters auction which will take place on the 7^th December.

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Today I came across several interesting news articles related to Spanish or Latin and/or Spanish culture.

Eva Longoria's new film is censored in Spain, outraging Gay and Lesbian film festival

Now, normally Spain is pretty liberal country. However, apparently Eva's new film "Without Men" is raising some eyebrows. Apparently Spanish film distributors sent communication that they had cut the Eva's lesbian love scenes from the film. The director of the Barcelona International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Xavier Daniel is outraged and has decided to cut the film from the screening line up. The film is about women left behind in a small village after their men go off to war.

Zara, Spain's fashion retailer opens online shopping to the US with free shipping

Love Zara clothes? Now is a good time to get online and go shopping if you are in the US market. The clothing store launched a collection of commissioned photographs called "Dear America" featuring the 50 US states with 50 photographs. The motive is to celebrate the launch of the online Zara shop in the US.

Celebrity Blogger Perez Hilton to embrace his Spanish roots on MTV

Famous gossip blogger Perez Hilton will make an acting debut in the Spanish language for the MTV series "Popland". He will play a paparazzi guru which will debut on January 19th. The show is about a small town girl named Carla who is swept up into a life of stars, money, celebrities and parties. The soap opera story was written by Argentinean writers and Perez expressed that he is really pleased to show this (Spanish speaking) side of him.

Lifetime requests a pilot episode from Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith

The Lifetime Network, yes, the one responsible for the multitude of cheesy made for TV films, has requested a pilot episode for "American Housewife". Antonio Banderas is said to have come up with the idea along with writer Erik Jendersen (Band of Brothers) and the pilot will star non other then Banderas' wife, the actress Melanie Griffith. The extremely interesting plotline is about a woman who has conversations with her inner voice as she deals with the idea of one of her kids going away to college.

PadInTheCity, World's first IPAD rental service in Madrid

Times are tough but people are still finding ways to make bucks despite a dwindling world economy. A new, at the moment, unique business called PadInTheCity has sprung up in Madrid and is geared towards providing tourists with iPads equipped with all kinds of useful applications including hotel and flight information, rental car services, currency converters, enternainment, newspapers and more.

The company is also negociating with many major companies in the hospitality industry to offer their service.

The service costs 25€ a day and is only available in Madrid at the moment. Just go online to www.padinthecity.com and select your dates - The company will bring you an iPad, a case and charger. At the end of the rental service, the company will come and pick up the equipment. Pretty innovative new business!

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Times are tough, no one denies that. Why not learn Spanish while doing something positive for someone else?

Many people want to study abroad but never consider the amazing volunteer activities that exist around the world. Volunteering is a really great way to ensure that you are truly immersed in the culture and are forced to use your language skills from day one. Your Spanish skills will quickly improve, you will make life-long friends, and you will be personally impacted in a positive way by the genuine experience of helping others.

don Quijote is proud to incorporate a wide range of volunteer opportunities for our students in the 2012 year.

Our programs consist partially of an intensive Spanish course and a volunteer experience, ensuring that students really get the most out of their time abroad.

What kind of work might you do?

Well, let’s see. In our Buenos Aires program students may work in a soup kitchen serving meals to the impoverished. Perhaps you might want to volunteer with children who have HIV or with little kids in a day care.

In Córdoba, Argentina our volunteers might help out with kindergarteners or in a pet rescue shelter. If you really want to make a difference in someone´s life, you may also volunteer to help an elderly patient in a retirement home or in a battered women´s shelter.

In Santiago de Chile don Quijote volunteers can work in a community center established by the government to help improve the lives and well being of those living in the outskirts of the city. If you like children you can volunteer by helping kids with their homework or teaching them English. The elderly here also need someone to chat to, so this volunteer program is also a great opportunity to work on your Spanish skills while brightening up someone else's day!

Antigua, Guatemala is a great choice for nature lovers. The country is home to a wide variety of plant and fauna, a true natural reservoir. Perhaps you might want to work helping to preserve the tropical forest wildlife by aiding sick or wounded animals before they can be released back into the wild. Another exciting activity here is the once in a lifetime opportunity to work with endangered sea turtles. Volunteers work to collect sea turtle eggs from Guatemala's beaches to be brought back to the conservation program and hatched before being released into the wild.

So, this is just a taste of the many different opportunities we have for students who want to do something positive while learning Spanish. Other cities we now offer with the volunteer program include:

Bariloche and Mendoza (Argentina)
Sucre, Bolivia
Flamingo Beach, Heredia, Monteverde, Coronado and Playa Jacó (Costa Rica)
Quito, Ecuador
Cusco, Peru
Guanajuato, Mexico

The volunteer program is not yet listed on our website for most of these cities, so if you want more information, request our new 2012 program brochure! We will send it to you for free!

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A group of burglars who have recently been targeting Spain’s most prestigious restaurants were caught on Wednesday 12^th October. The ‘Band of Michelin Stars’ are suspected to be responsible for over a dozen robberies that took place over the summer, mainly carried out in some of the Basque country’s best known restaurants such as Arzak, Akelarre and Martín Berasatequi. These three restaurants account for half of the three-starred Michelin restaurants in Spain, and are considered to serve some of the finest Spanish cuisine available.

Martín Bersategui, one of Spain’s most celebrated chefs, spoke about the burglary of his eponymous restaurant stating that the group that taken everything from his eatery, from the knives used by chefs in the kitchen to the napkin rings on the tables. The main target however in all the restaurants was cash, of which a substantial amount was taken from Akelarre.

The police force in the Community of Madrid, the Ertzaintza (Basque police force) and a special crime team from Alicante had been monitoring the activity of the group closely, who had travelled extensively across northern Spain, from Pamplona to Barcelona, seeking new targets.

They stated how the group tended not to stay in one place, but instead would purchase used cars or rent vehicles under false names and move throughout the Spanish territory, frequently changing their location in order to try to cover their tracks. However, their luck run out when the police raided their residence in Madrid in the early hours of Wednesday, soon after the gang had returned from a robbery of a nearby business. The band was swiftly arrested and taken into custody.

The Michelin-starred restaurants can now continue serving their celebrated food, without the fear of being ransacked!

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