Doing an internship abroad has always been a dream of mine. I never knew exactly where, but that I was going to do an internship abroad for six months, that was for sure. And I did it! I have been living in Salamanca, Spain for 3 months now. With 3 months to go I'm having a great time here in the student city of Spain!

Doing an internship in Spain is super

I made so many new friends from all over the world! I distinctly remember arriving here in Salamanca, here I was then ready for an adventure and I didn't even speak one word of Spanish.... And don't think that Spaniards speak English, mind you (with a few exceptions, of course)! Fortunately, the next day began my 3-week Spanish course at don Quijote. How much I learned during these 3 weeks!

Finally I was able to have a little conversation with the Spaniards. All very nice people who are always ready to help you and never too shy to have a chat. Living in Salamanca is so much fun, I live in a student apartment with 2 other girls and they have become very good friends. And what is fun to do is take trips. For example, we have already been to Madrid and Porto for weekends with a group of friends.

Salamanca

In Salamanca you can party really well! There are many bars and nightclubs, and every night there is something to do. Every week you can go beer pong or every Tuesday you can go to an Erasmus party, which is always in the theme of a different country. And yes, even the Netherlands has been there, what a great party that was! But what is also nice is that you meet so many people of different nationalities. Not only do you get to know the Spanish culture, but others as well!

So after my 3 week language course, the internship really began at don Quijote. Not at the school, but at the main office which is also in Salamanca. I went there a bit nervous but that turned out to be totally unnecessary! I am having a great time here. I learn a lot of things that fit perfectly with my studies in Commercial Economics. The first four weeks of my internship I was also offered conversation classes at don Quijote, which is really handy! I also enjoy the assignments I have to do, from writing articles to doing research, I love doing it!

I'm kind of looking forward to going back home in 3 months.... Life here is very different than in Holland and I would love to develop my Spanish further! Maybe I should go to South America for half a year as my graduation internship next year? Who knows? In any case, I am really enjoying my time here and would definitely recommend an internship at don Quijote in Salamanca to others!

Photo by Dieg082

The popularity of bullfights in Spain is past its peak. Nowadays, protests against the event are on the increase; fewer people purchase tickets for the bullfights and more and more arenas have closed down due to financial problems. To prevent the tradition from dying out, Spain’s conservative government wants to protect the controversial spectacle by law. The Conservatives plan to declare bullfighting a “National Heritage”.

The legislative initiative that was introduced in Spanish Congress claims that bullfighting is part of the culture and heritage of all Spaniards. Furthermore the fights or “Corridas”, as they are called in Spanish, also have economical significance as the bullfighting industry creates thousands of jobs. In Spain there are more than 1,000 farms, where bulls are trained for more than 3 years to prepare the animals for the fight. These farms employ approximately 70,000 people in total. The sector has a yearly turnover of 1.5 Billion Euros. Each fight is made up of 6 bulls which can cost up to 150,000 Euros. The largest bullfighting arena in Madrid employs 400 people and pays 5 million Euros of concession fees to the city each year.

The supporters of bullfighting managed to collect 600,000 signatures (including that of Spain’s conservative Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy). He fulfilled the promise he made before he rose to power: “to do everything possible” to protect bullfights throughout Spain. As one of his first acts in office, Rajoy authorized bullfights to be broadcasted on live television.

Decreasing interest in bullfights

However, only a minority of the Spanish population, mostly the elderly, show interest in the bloody spectacle. Sold-out arenas are not as common as they were in the old days and the amount of “corridas” has been reduced to prevent a financial disaster. In the past five years, the number of bullfighting events in Spain halved to about 1,200 per year.  Formerly, every village festival included a fight.

Today, more and more people protest against the bloody tradition. “These performances are contrary to fundamental values ​​of the 21^st century, including the respect for life." says Juantxo Uralde Lopez, the spokesman for the Spanish environmental party, Equo. Catalonia, the north eastern region of Spain banned bullfights in 2012. In the Canary Islands, the spectacle was banned more than 20 years ago.

If the new national law for the protection of bullfighting is passed, the previous bullfighting ban of Catalonia and the Canary islands would be revoked. It seems very likely that the law will go through since the Conservatives have the absolute majority of seats in the parliament.

The capital of Ecuador

For those who did not already know, the capital of Ecuador is an incredibly beautiful and unique city! It is an artistic city with a lot of culture. You can see this everywhere. In the squares, the unique buildings that have been built. You will be enchanted as you walk through the city.

The city is characterized by classic colonial architecture and modern buildings. In 1978, the city was one of the first cities to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Quito is 70 km. long (!) and only 4 km. wide. And while the city is only 20 km. from the equator, the weather in Quito is always +/- 18 °C. This is because the city is almost 3,000 meters above sea level.What you definitely must have seen if you visit Quito once is, of course, the Sucre Theater. Furthermore, you will visit the old town, the new part, the Virgin del Quito and the cable car (Teleférico) with views over the entire city. Because of its location between the mountains, the city is best admired from above, this is a beautiful and adamant view. Typical Ecuadorian items include llama rugs, jewelry and panama hats. A must to buy in Ecuador are leather goods; very cheap and of good quality.

A tour of Ecuador is also highly recommended. You can see La Piragua Waterfall or visit the rain forests, Indian populations, volcanoes or Inca ruins. Of course, you can also head to the coast! In the evening, you might choose to try the country's delicacy; roasted guinea pig. Ecuadorians eat everything but the bones. If you give a piece to them you are immediately considered a good friend! Of course, there are plenty of other delicious things to eat to choose from!

The Galápagos Islands

The most special thing about Ecuador are the Galápagos Islands. These islands are 1000 km. from the coast of South America, but are easily accessible. Therefore, among other things, there live animals that live nowhere else on earth. You can snorkel with sea lions and penguins here. Also, don't be surprised if a 200-kilo turtle suddenly crawls by.

But if you like going out you should do it in Quito itself, because this is one of the best nightlife cities of Ecuador! Especially for girls it is fun going out, you get in almost everywhere for free and often you also get a discount or there is just open bar! The neighborhood where you should be is called "La Mariscal".

After all this traveling through Ecuador and Quito it is of course also time to relax. And what better way to do that than to bathe in the hot geysers created by nature....

Spanish in numbers infographic

Incredible world-wide growth and intriguing linguistic features help make Spanish an important and fun language to learn. Check out this fact-packed infographic we’ve created that illustrates a collection of curious stats on everything from how many people you can practice your Spanish skills with to how many palindrome words learners can expect to discover.
What’s unique about the Spanish words pomposo, chiquitín and alpargata? How about abuelito, murciélago and simultáneo? Ever wonder what the longest Spanish word is?

Read on and explore Spanish in numbers…

El Clásico

El Clásico: the soccer match between the 2 biggest Spanish soccer clubs. The match is considered the great soccer classic of Spain and perhaps even of the entire world. There has been a rivalry between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona for years.
The rivalry goes way back in history. After General Franco won his victory during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Catalan culture and identity was suppressed for years by the Madrid authority. Real Madrid is considered a symbol of the central Spanish government, this is partly due to the club's royal designation (Real). Many Catalans feel no connection to Spain; they also speak a different kind of Spanish. FC Barcelona is seen as a symbol of Catalonia's nationalism because Barcelona is the capital of the province. During this period, it seemed that the referees favored Real Madrid with possible influence from higher-ups.

The 1943 locker room incident

The first incident to occur during the postwar, or "posguerra," period was the "locker room incident. Spanish militiamen allegedly walked into Barca's dressing room before the match began and told the players to calm down. Real Madrid then won 11-1, scoring 7 goals in 14 minutes against a club just as strong on paper....

Bottle finale

In 1968, tension was further heightened between the two clubs by the president of Real Madrid; Santiago Bernabéu Yeste. When FC Barcelona won the final of the Copa del Generalísimo 0-1, Real's ultras began throwing bottles at the players of the Catalan club. Then, of course, when Santiago Bernabéu Yeste made some "nice" controversial statements such as "'Catalonia is beautiful, just a pity that the Catalans live there'" the bomb had completely burst.

Then FC Barcelona had a heyday and then Real Madrid. FC Barcelona went into decline until our own Johan Cruijff joined the club and ensured the first national title in 14 years. As a result, he earned the nickname "El Salvador," which means "the savior.

Over the years, other incidents have occurred that have only made the rivalry between the world's two biggest clubs worse. Nowadays, the tension is at a low ebb.

The 2 clubs have now played more than 225 matches against each other and are among the biggest clubs in the world! They have fans all over the world. But who is the best club that you will have to see for yourself.

If there's one sound associated with Spain, it's the dramatic melodies of flamenco. Read on and discover must-include spots for your flamenco tour in Spain.

1. Seville

If you're in Andalusia's vibrant capital city, you've got to go to Los Gallos. Located just two minutes from Murillo Gardens, this is one of Seville's most famous and prestigious tablaos (flamenco venues).

Flamenco lovers won't want to miss the wonderful exhibits displayed at the city's Museo del baile flamenco (Flamenco Dance Museum). You'll find it on the street that bears its name, right next to the Giralda and the Cathedral. Another Seville flamenco hotspot is Puerta de Triana, a performance hall on Castilla street in the legendary Triana neighborhood, famous as a hub for flamenco activity.

2. Madrid

Spain's capital seems to absorb the country's most exciting cultural traditions, and flamenco is no exception. The city offers some of the oldest and most intimate venues for catching flamenco action.

The Corral de la Morería, included in The Michelin Guide and centrally located right next to the Plaza Mayor (on calle Morería), is one of Madrid's most historic tablaos. The famous Café de chinita sits in Madrid's historic district, between the Palacio Real de Madrid (the Royal Palace of Madrid) and the Gran Vía. Finally, the Corral de la Pacheca, near the Plaza de Castilla, rounds out a golden triangle of cante jondo (deep song).

3. Cordoba

Heading through the historical Jewish quarter, you'll find El Cardenal, where flamenco performers offer spectacular entertainment to audiences dining on local cuisine in an open patio.

On the back side of the Plaza de la Corredera, La Bulería is another essential flamenco house, along with Rincón del cante at the Plaza de las Tendillas.

4. Granada

Visitors are strongly encouraged to visit the Camino del Sacromonte to see the Cueva de María la Canastera (the Cave of María la Canastera) and experience joyful cheer accompanied by song, dance, and hypnotic hand clapping.

In the historic Arab district of Albaicín, Peña la Platería is Granada's most vibrant flamenco tablao, a place that's decidedly not designed for tourists, which always guarantees an authentic experience.

5. Cadiz

The lively cheer of this coastal city will invite you to lose your way in the old quarter, where the smooth sounds of guitar strumming and passionate singing guide you to La Cava, next to the Plaza de España. Here, you'll also find the Peña Flamenca de Enrique el Mellizo, named after one of Cadiz´s most historic and celebrated musical figures. This is where seasoned flamenco masters and new-comers alike offer memorable performances for the enjoyment of visitors as they savor the delicious
flavors of Cadiz cuisine.

6. Jerez de la Frontera

Considered by many as the home of the cante jondo, this is one of the world's most influential flamenco centers. Back dropped by elegant horses and the robust aromas of sherry wine, the city offers emblematic flamenco performance halls such as Peña la Bulería in the populated neighborhood of San Miguel, next to the Ermita de San Telmo. The sense of humor that characterizes the people of Cadiz is recalled in the name of another popular Jerez tablao: El lagá del Tío Parrilla (located just across from the Museum of Archeology), which offers the most spectacular dance shows imaginable.

7. Malaga

The Peña Juan Breva tablao sits huddled by the foot of the Gibralfaro Mountain, where it is cooed by the city's unique traditional melodies.

Its stage has witnessed some of the greatest flamenco performances ever. If you'd like to not only observe, but also participate in this high passion art form, you can always head to the Liceo Flamenco, between the Cathedral and Gibralfaro Castle, where you can visit the flamenco museum, taste wines from Malaga and take dance and guitar lessons.

8. Barcelona

As a city that has historically received large amounts of people emigrating from Andalusia, Catalonia's capital is home to some of flamenco's most acclaimed artists. Right downtown on the Rambla, opposite the Teatre del Liceu (the cathedral of classical and opera music, you'll find the Tablao Flamenco Cordobés. Crossing the street you come across La Traviata a Sara Baras.

The legacy of Carmen Amaya, perhaps the greatest flamenco dancer in history, lives on at El Tablao de Carmen, located in the well-known Poble espanyol, on Montjuic.

9. Jaen

The Plaza Coca de la Piñera, next to the library, puts on a surprising program of flamenco shows nearly all year round.

The Peña el Cabrelillo, just behind town hall, is one of Andalusia's longest standing flamenco institutions, a place full of love, faithfulness and a passionate interest to safe guard el cante in its purest form. In the city of Ubeda, the Tablao casa-museo andalusí, next to the Parador, offers the unique opportunity to enjoy flamenco in a gorgeous building on calle Narváez.

10. Murcia

This city-province-autonomous community (all in one) has a special flamenco tradition, as demonstrated in the Festival de Cante de las minas, celebrated in La Unión on the last week in March. At this yearly festival, Spain's best flamenco singer is awarded flamenco's equivalent to the Oscar, known as la lámpara minera. In the city of Murcia, the historic Teatro Romea has been home to the Cumbre Flamenca de Murcia for the last twenty years, a symposium that gathers the most respected singers, guitar players and flamenco experts for a three week period to discuss the finer points of the art and to offer special performances.

We hope that after this quick tour you decide to include some of these cities on your own tour of Spain, where the magic of flamenco awaits to inspire you in true Spanish style.

Photo thanks to: randomix, im elsewhere, Gabrilu, Placida, Dani, Johnny Shaw, Sofie, Migpascual, Dariorana, Keith Williamson

Las Fallas, a huge celebration in the region of Valencia. It is one of the most famous fiestas in Spain. The celebration begins every year on the last Sunday of of February with the opening party, La Crida. On March 19, the party ends when all the Fallas made are set on fire, and there is a huge fireworks party.

• Las Fallas is celebrated every year on March 19 in honor of St. Joseph Day.
• Each neighborhood in Valencia has its own festival organization, `Casal Faller'.
• A ´Falla´ is a huge doll made of papier mache, this doll is made on a huge piece of wood or cardboard which is stuffed with fireworks.

Surely one of the most famous Spanish holidays is Las Fallas. With this festival, Valencians celebrate the beginning of spring. Carpenters used to go into the streets with a wooden plank on which candles were hung. Nowadays it has become a true spectacle. Each neighborhood in Valencia has its own Casal Fallar, with this Casal Fallar one makes a Falla, a huge doll made of papier-mâché on a wooden stick.

Some neighborhoods sometimes spend months making and Falla. And some of these Fallas can cost as much as a million euros. A few examples of Fallas are; witches, demons, giants, fairies but also different political figures have passed in review. Together, these Fallas make up a large parade. On the last day of Las Fallas, these papier mache dolls are set on fire to drive away the evil spirits.

Las Fallas, besides its beautiful papier mache puppets and magnificent parade, is also very well known for its many fireworks shows. Every day starting March 1, a deafening fireworks display called the Mascleta is set off at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. From March 1 to March 18, this is done every day. The real fireworks ornamental fireworks follow on the night of March 18, during the night of fire, Nit del Foc. On this night, one of the world's most beautiful fireworks shows takes place. On St. Joseph Day, La Crema, the cremation of the Fallas takes place. At Valencia City Hall, all the papier mache dolls are then set on fire. This is also the last fireworks show that takes place during Las Fallas. Each Falla is made on a large piece of wood or a large piece of cardboard. In addition to the papier mache, huge fireworks are also put into the puppets. This makes for a fantastic crematié of the puppets.

This wonderful celebration in Valencia has so much to offer, it is one big party for days in Valencia, live music is played throughout the city, people can go out dancing and drinking until the early hours. But above all, it is a wonderful celebration where traditions are carried out and one of Europe´s most beautiful fireworks shows takes place.

Photo by alcebal2002

You probably knew that Spain is a fun and beautiful country, but what are the real hidden treasures? Read on!

Hidden treasures

Pre Pyrenees: One of the best kept secrets of Spain are the Pre Pyrenees of Aragon. This mountain range is a beautiful piece of nature with deep valleys, fairytale villages and rocks. All the elements here have influenced the rock for centuries, creating a spectacular nature.

Albarracín in Aragon:What almost no one knows is that near Barcelona you can find a village that looks like it is growing out of the rocks. What is special about this village is that it is a beautiful village, where there is no mass tourism or heavy traffic. You really imagine yourself back in time. See the mud houses and colorful corners in this unknown hinterland of the Mediterranean.

Alquezar: While touring Spain, you will encounter many picturesque villages. Alquezar is a small village in northeastern Spain. The houses here are built against a mountain top. The village was founded by the Moors because of its inaccessibility, since next to the village runs a deep ravine. On top of the mountain are the remains of an old monastery and fortress. Definitely worth a walk into the gorge.

Playa del Silencio: This beautiful beach has not yet been overrun by mass tourism. It is only 330 meters long but voted by the Spanish as one of the most beautiful beaches in Spain in 2012! The beach is surrounded by rocks creating a beautiful bay.

But besides nature and villages, Spain also has culinary treasures, of course. And, oh, how delicious that can be! Discover the most delicious tapas bars for yourself! Tip: always go somewhere where it is not so touristy, with many Spaniards and where it is not too clean, the dirtier the floor the tastier the food is the rule. Spaniards throw everything on the floor!

There are also real treasures

There are about 3000 sunken ships on the Spanish coast, many of them still loaded with gold, silver and diamonds. Close to the Bay of Cadiz, for example, there are +/- 850 ships of which 180 have a total value of 25 million.

Clara Campoamor was born in 1888 and would become the most important advocate for women’s rights in Spain. Due to the early death of her father she had to quit school and start working to support her family at a very young age. Despite difficult conditions, she managed to complete a law degree. After her graduation, Campoamor devoted herself entirely to the fight for women’s rights in society.

• At the age of thirteen Campoamor had to leave school and work to increase the family’s income.
• One of her first jobs as secretary for the liberal political journal “La Tribuna” influenced Campoamor’s political views.
• As one of the only female members of the parliament, Clara Campoamor vehemently demanded woman’s suffrage.
• Time of her life she stood up for the rights of women. Even in exile in Switzerland, she wrote further critical political texts.

Clara Campoamor was born in the district Maravillas, todays Malasaña in Madrid on the 12^th of February 1888. Her father, Manuel Martínez Campoamor worked for a newspaper and ensured the family’s main income, while her mother earned some extra money from tailoring.

At the age of thirteen, Clara was buffeted by fate: The early death of her father forced Clara to quit school and help her mother as a seamstress. In the following years she worked for several public companies, such as the post office in San Sebastian.

In 1914 she got hired as a teacher for adults, however, as she did not have any academic qualification, she was only allowed to teach typewriting. Additionally she worked for the liberal political newspaper “La Tribune”, which coined her politically. After passing the entrance exam at the University of Madrid, Campoamor started studying law. During this time she more and more noticed how discriminated women were in society and she started to get involved in politics.

At the age of 36 she graduated and was the first female lawyer at the Spanish Supreme Court.

One day she was asked in a newspaper interview if she preferred Spain to be a monarchy or a republic and she answered with her famous words: “Republic! Always republic!” 1931 was the first year in which women were allowed to stand as candidates for the national parliament, however women were still excluded from suffrage. Campoamor was one of the first females elected into parliament and fought for equal voting rights, but had to face resistance not only in her own party but also from one of the few other female members of parliament, Victoria Kent. Due to this conflict she left her party and became a party-independent member in parliament. She saw the representation of women's concerns as her most important task, and managed to help female activists who demanded the right to vote for women.

In 1936 General Franco managed a coup against the Spanish Republic and Campoamor had to go into exile, because her life was in danger in Spain. She could have only returned to the country under the Franco regime if she had withdrawn some of her political statements and revealed names of political enemies of the Franco regime. However Campoamor stood by her principles and remained in exile in Switzerland for the rest of her life, where she continued to publish political and feminine texts. 1972 Clara Campoamor passed away in Switzerland. Today she is considered as the toughest and most important advocate for the right to vote for women in Spanish history.

As the youngest son of famous singer Julio Iglesias, it was no surprise that Enrique chose to become a singer as well. This has served him well, not least because of his looks.

On May 8, 1975, Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler was born in Madrid. He continued to live there until he was 7 years old and was sent to his father, who lived in America. From then on, things move quickly. When he is a teenager he sings in a school musical and his career has begun. A few years later he manages to land a recording contract.

He adopts an artist name ''Martinez'' when he sends a demo to a record company, hoping not to be seen ''as-the-son-of''. When his career starts to get a little more serious, he tells his parents that he is going to be an artist. His parents are a little skeptical about it but they support him.

When Enrique Iglesias' first album was released in 1996, it did well in Spanish-speaking countries. But success in other countries was not forthcoming. After the same happens with his second album, he decides to conquer the rest of the world. He made an English-language album and scored hits with ''Bailamos'' (which spent 16 weeks in the Dutch top 100) and ''Rythm Devine''. A number 1 hit followed with ''Can I have this kiss forever'' in collaboration with Whitney Houston. Many more hits follow such as ''Hero'', ''Be with you'' and ''Escape''.

He releases more hits such as in 2007 ''Do you know'', ''Taking back my love'' with Ciara and ''Can you hear me''. From 2010 he also scores several more hits with famous artists such as Wisin y Yandel ''No me digas que no'', Juan Luis Gerra ''Cuando me Enamoro'', Pitbull ''I like it'', Usher & lil Wayne ''Dirty dancer'', Nicole Sherzinger ''Heartbeat'', Ludacris ''Tonight I'm loving you'' and more.

Enrique Iglesias has also performed several times in the Netherlands, he has already performed in Ahoy three times. A concert by Enrique Iglesias is almost always crowded and mainly by female spectators.

Enrique has won many awards since 1996. He has won a Grammy, a Latino Grammy, several MTV awards, World Music Awards and many more. All this added up + more than 50 million albums sold make Enrique Iglesias one of the biggest Latin pop stars of this decade!