Elke and Steffen Garden (Germany) spent a week studying Spanish with AMAUTA in the Peruvian rainforest. Staying near the Tambopata National Reserve, the two students had a chance to live in one of the most species-rich natural habitats in the world! Here, the two describe their first few days living and studying in the Peruvian rainforest.

Once you have survived the ten-hour bus ride to Puerto Maldonado, you’ll have a great and unforgettable experience studying Spanish in Tambopata with AMAUTA.

At the port, Justo alias Tuto, our guide for the next week, was waiting for us where we went downstream to the Nài-Meci-Lodge by boat. Because of the tropical temperature, we enjoyed the boat’s breeze, which cooled us down. We arrived at the lodge, which consists of two large buildings, a swimming pool, and a lot of small cabanas. The lodge is located right next to the river and is surrounded by jungle vegetation. The first day, we swam in the swimming pool followed by a drink of coconut milk out on the patio. In the afternoon, we had Spanish classes because our teacher, Libia, made an effort to schedule all the Spanish lessons next to the activities.

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Finally, a family vacation that combines fun with learning! AMAUTA’s Spanish for Families program is specifically designed so that everyone in the family, including the kids, has a fantastic time on holiday in Argentina. Each program is custom designed to the needs of the family, and combines interactive Spanish learning mediums with kid-friendly excursions.

Two students (8 and 11 years old) and a family describe their experience with AMAUTA’s Spanish for Families program. Continue reading to hear their perspectives!…

My name is Stefan Kozlowsky. I am Polish and 11 years old

At AMAUTA there are no boring classes. Everything is interesting! After 7 weeks, I can speak four different Spanish tenses; presente, pasado, futuro, presente progresivo and now I am studying the imperfect tense. We play a lot of interesting games with the professors. For example, Mateología, masks, monsters, cardboard and paper, TV, movies and theater, cartoons, plants, and more. AMAUTA is very social, and we have picnics, birthdays, trips in Buenos Aires, cooking, tango and we drink mate. The professors only speak in Spanish, which is also very nice because it helps me develop an ear for the language.

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Week 3: No money? No problem! Free drinks for all!

Yesterday, my Spanish class went on a field trip with my Spanish class to the Center for Traditional Textiles in Cusco. We had the opportunity to learn how textiles are traditionally woven as well as the complexity of skill it takes to create these masterpieces. I loved that we got out of the classroom to learn about Peruvian textiles, which is a staple of Peruvian culture.

Speaking of Peruvian culture, on our way to the textile museum, we also caught a glimpse of another interesting tidbit of Peruvian culture – the Caminos del Inca car race!
We saw a crowd of people gathered in front of the Plaza de Armas, and after inquiring our teacher told us that they were waiting for the cars to come through the Plaza in 2 hours!

I am really enjoying my time here at AMAUTA. Not only do we visit museums during Spanish class, but I also have the opportunity to get to know the people that work at the school. For instance, I asked the chef here at the school, Oscar, if I could watch him cook (because I love cooking) and he said “Yes, of course you can help me!” Lunch is served at 1:30PM daily, so I spent an hour and a half helping Oscar in the kitchen, talking about life, work, and food- in Spanish! (What a great opportunity to utilize my conversation skills that I have been learning in class!) We made a vegetable soup, pasta and rice pudding for dessert. ¡Que bueno!

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That is right; I am a Canuck. That’s what people typically call people from Canada. I will be here in Cusco, Peru for three months studying Spanish with AMAUTA Spanish School and I will also be writing about my experiences as an AMAUTA student so you can get a sense of what to expect when you choose to study with AMAUTA. I would love to hear from readers, so please feel free to leave questions or comments on any of my blog posts! Without further ado, the first two weeks…

Week 1: Adjustments and welcome

After almost 24 hours of travelling, I arrived in Cusco from Toronto, Canada, and after not sleeping during the night (this may be a right of passage for Peru-bound tourists) all I wanted to do when I arrived was just that – sleep. Thankfully, I did, and I awoke refreshed. However, after a short jaunt to the main square, the altitude managed to tire me quite quickly. The school is located on a hill (as are most places in Cusco) and not remembering the lack of oxygen at 3400 meters above sea level, I walked at my usual fast pace. NOT a great idea! Some people initially feel sick or dizzy due to the altitude, but luckily I only experienced shortness of breath. I was told coca tea eases the effects of the altitude so I have been drinking it, and it is quite delicious, as well! One of the many medicinal wonders of the Incas!

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Where the rich – dead and alive – reside

Buenos Aires is famous for its eclectic neighborhoods, and one such famous barrio is the Recoleta neighborhood. Here, the city’s aristocrats live in expensive apartments characterized by impressive French architecture. See the neighborhood through this student’s eyes and read about her experience in Recoleta!

Today we got a Recoleta tour from the people in AMAUTA Spanish School! The girls from AMAUTA showed us places like the Bellas Artes Museum, the Facultad de Derecho, Palais de Glace and, of course, the Recoleta Cemetery! The tour greatly surpassed my expectations, and it added to my experience of studying Spanish in Buenos Aires since I got to know another one of this city’s diverse neighborhoods.

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On the 23rd of September each year, Perú celebrates Día del Estudiante (Student Day)! It is a day to recognize the hard work of students, to congratulate and support them on their endeavors to be better people and professionals, and to enjoy the art of learning. Since AMAUTA is a Spanish school, and AMAUTA is full of students, and AMAUTA loves its students, AMAUTA organized a day of celebration!

The day started off as usual with a lovely breakfast of eggs, bread, and fresh juice followed by some Spanish language practice. Then, promptly at 10:00 AM, the bus left the school and made its way along the winding road from Cusco to Pisac, which is a picturesque Andean city located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The jaw dropping views of the fertile lands and historic Incan terraces made this 30-minute bus ride a treat in itself. However, the fun really began once we arrived in Pisac.

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Learning a new language is challenging at the best of times however, following these handy hints will help make the process a lot easier (and fun too!).

• Use flashcards, and keep them with you EVERYWHERE you go.
• Label all your surroundings in Spanish.
• Do not expect perfection! Expect mistakes, and do not be embarrassed by them.
• Develop an “ear” for the way the language sounds – watch films, television, listen to the radio, etc.
• Be consistent with your learning – practice for a set period every day.
• Talk to yourself!

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Here in Tambopata, it is definitely possible to easily survive without cellphone and internet! There is so much to do and explore!

One week studying Spanish in Tambopata is full of adventures and great experiences! The boat ride from Puerto Maldonado to the resort is very nice and interesting. On the way to the resort, there is so much to see. You see how the people live and how they uncover gold from the river. Even watching the boat traffic is interesting!

I really liked the AMAUTA Tambopata resort where we stayed. The big swimming pool was definitely refreshing after all the trips we did! The bungalows are lovely furnished, and the AMAUTA staff is so nice! I appreciated the fresh pressed juice we had every day and the food was also very delicious! Every day after class there was something to do, such as a trip to an Indigo village where we could swim in the river and walk through the jungle.

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One of the nicest things of studying Spanish in any country where it’s spoken is the cultural immersion. You do not only improve your Spanish language skills but you learn so much about local culture, habits, fiestas and history. In my case, I spent many others in the kitchen with my Peruvian host mum and she revealed my secrets of Peruvian cuisine to me!

One of the things I loved from the first moment on, when my stomach was still adjusting to the altitude and others, was the Chicha Morada.

Chicha morada is a non-alcoholic drink. It is incredibly refreshing and REALLY easy to make. Don’t let the thought of drinking purple corn turn you off to trying this recipe. It’s actually delicious and you’re not going to eat the corn anyway!

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2011 marks an extremely important occasion for Peru as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu. Join us at Amauta and be part of something momentous! Alongside studying Spanish you will experience the Peruvian culture in full flair.

In typical Peruvian style, festivities will be on a grand scale. There are a multitude of events planned to honor this momentous occasion, so if you are visiting Peru you will not be short of exciting activities.
There could be no better time to come and study Spanish in Peru, and especially here in Cusco! Many ongoing events are taking place in honor of the anniversary, including music festivals, school contests and more.

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