SiS Newsletter - January 2011

Newsletter Archive

Recent News January, 2011

• Dever School's dual-language program grows in popularity.
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/dorchester/2010/11/dever_schools_dual-language_pr.html

• Wider Variety of Foreign Languages Now Studied at U.S. Colleges – Spain remains #1.
http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/wider-variety-of-foreign-languages-now-studied-at-u-s-colleges.html

• The 2010 SiS Video Contest already has a winner.
http://www.spainedu.org/index.php/students.html#SiSVideoContest

Survey

• The Department of Cultural Industries of the Trade Commission of Spain in Miami.

SiS Student Ambassadors

• Jacob Feller

SiS on the road

• Study in Spain will be traveling throughout the US again this academic year.

Amigos del español

• Chris Pine

Institution Profile

• Universidad de Málaga en ronda - PIEE

Interview Lounge

• Jill Heffron

 

The Department of Cultural Industries of the Trade Commission of Spain in Miami has made a survey of American college students who studied in Spain in which they expressed their views on the quality of one-semester educational programs in Spain.

The main goal of this survey is to get information on the level of satisfaction expressed by American international students who chose Spain as their study abroad destination.

A total of 179 surveys were collected, of which 92 have been completed. This is an example that, both in number and by their responses,  represents all American students that received part of their education in Spain during a period similar to a quarter or semester.

As most significant data of the study, is that 80% of respondents were women and 90% are between 19 and 23. For 80% studying in Spain was their first experience to study abroad.  According to quality on educational programs, the data shows that between 70% to 80% of respondents perceive colleges and their facilities as good or very good, which is an important and positive information to place Spain among the preferred destinations for American students.

Actually, Spain is the third study abroad destination for American students. 24,169 American students of all levels of education moved to Spain to do some kind of educational exchange in the 2008-2009 academic year. (Source: Opendoors).

 

The 2011 edition of the SiS Student Ambassadors Program, ready to go.
The new edition of the successful SiS Student Ambassadors program, developed and implemented by the Embassy of Spain-Trade Commission Miami and sponsored by EDUESPAÑA and the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, has been published in www.spainedu.org and is already working.

The Embassy of Spain is looking for higher learning students who have:

• Knowledge of Spanish language.
• Proactive personality.
• Social skills.
• Interest in the people and culture of Spain.
• Motivation and commitment for a minimum of two semesters.

The SiS Student Ambassador receives:

• An accreditation certificate issued by the Embassy of Spain-Trade Commission Miami.
• Personal reward and added value to his/her Résumé.
• Be eligible for diverse awards, including a one-week trip to Spain in the summer as SiS Student Ambassador of the Year.

The Embassy of Spain-Trade Commission Miami will support the SiS Student Ambassadors by providing:

• Information.
• Merchandising and materials.
• Limited financial support.
• Assistance of program coordinator.

Each SiS Student Ambassador must be endorsed by a Professor Sponsor at his or her institution. The Professor Sponsor of the SiS Student Ambassador of the Year will also be honored.
Find complete information at www.spainedu.org

Jacob Feller

Marbella, Spain, October 1999: An 8 year old American kid wanders around the town with his new Spanish friend Natalie. He had never been to another country, and didn’t know a single word of Spanish. A look of awe spread across his face as he walked through streets that resembled nothing of his suburban neighborhood in South Florida. The images of the beautiful town are still imprinted in his memory a decade later. That trip had a profound effect on me. From that day forward, I yearned to travel, to learn Spanish, and to return to the place that captivated me. Since then, those goals have been realized. After eight years of Spanish classes, I have become near fluent, and three years ago I returned to Spain, where I immediately felt at home. I fell in love with the culture, the language, the architecture, the atmosphere, and the food. When I discovered the opportunity to be a SiS ambassador, I knew it would be a perfect chance to show my peers what Spain means to me, and to help pass on my experiences and knowledge of the country to those who wish to study there.

 

 

 

Study in Spain will be traveling throughout the US again this academic year

The 2009-10 academic year will once more have the Study in Spain program participating in the most important education fairs and events.

Since its opening, the Embassy of Spain-Trade Commission Miami, with the support of ICEX (Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade) and EDUESPAÑA have carried Study in Spain all across the US in an effort to promote international education in Spain.

The rewards have been undeniable, as Spain is the third preferred destination for American students worldwide.

This is a brief preview of the projected participation of Study in Spain. The dates and/or events may be subject to changes.

FEBRUARY
AIEA, Association of International Education Administrators
FEB 20-23
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

MARCH
CSCTFL, Central Conference of the Teaching of Foreign Languages
MAR 03-05
INDIANAPOLIS, IN

APRIL
NECTFL, Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
APR 02-04
BALTIMORE, MD
FORUM ON EDUCATION ABROAD CONFERENCE
APR 06-08
BOSTON, MA
SWCOLT, Southwest Conference on Language Teaching
APR 07-09
FORT WORTH, TX

MAY
NAFSA, Association of International Educators
MAY 29-JUN 03
VANCOUVER, CN

Read more...

 

 

Chris Pine
Actor

Variety magazine has tipped Chris Pine, who plays Captain Kirk in a new movie version of Star Trek out in May, as one of Hollywood’s most promising up-and-coming actors. But what many people do not realize is that this 28-year-old blue-eyed blonde, Los Angeles native and stereotypical WASP at first glance also has a good command of Spanish.

Why did you learn Spanish?
I chose Spanish as my second language in high school and I studied it for six years. But it sounds like book (Spanish).

A trip to Spain would help your fluency.
I did that, but it was six years ago. It was too long ago. I studied in London and travelled all across the Spanish coast, beginning in Portugal and ending up in Italy. It was my “Euro-trip.”

Do you read in Spanish?
I speak better than I read. The grammar is difficult. But I’ve read Gabriel García Márquez and Pablo Neruda. I don’t have the language skills to go any further.

What about films?
I want to make a movie in Spanish. I’d really like that. I know that Gary Oldman made a film in Spain and I’d like to as well. It would be really fun, and difficult. I worked with the Pastor brothers in Carriers but they didn’t let me practice Spanish with them because I speak really slowly.

Now you can practice with the “trekkies.”
“El espacio, la última frontera” (Space, the last frontier). I’ll have to practice. I’ll start in Los Angeles, where it’s easy to speak it at any restaurant.

What kind of Spanish food do you like?
Paella, but ay, ay, ay, it’s very difficult to make.

 

 

Universidad de Málaga en ronda - PIEE

Description:
The University of Malaga International Program of Spanish Studies – P.I. E. E., established in Ronda in 1991, offers a truly valuable educational opportunity to all those interested in the language, culture and traditions of Spain.

The city of Ronda, situated in the heart of the incomparable Spanish southern countryside and midway between the attractions of Seville and the Costa del Sol, draws students from around the world. Some of the benefits enjoyed by the students attending the programme include:

• All levels of Spanish language classes which provide a customized curriculum.
• Small classes, maximum of 11 students, that ensure personalized attention.
• Flexible options of accommodation, which allows the students to create an atmosphere in which they will be most comfortable studying.
• Organized monthly excursions to nearby cities such as Seville, Granada, and Cordoba which serve to increase cultural awareness.

In this idyllic location, students not only benefit from class instruction but also from the enriching opportunity to experience authentic Spanish living.

Ronda is a safe and comfortable medium-sized community that provides a welcoming atmosphere for study and language practice as well as for discovering the nuances of the Spanish way of life.

For American Universities and Colleges we are offering the following programs:

• Summer Spanish Language Programs (4 weeks -June or July and 8 weeks -June and July-
• Spanish Language Programs (Fall tem Sep-Dec and Spring Term Feb-May)
• Hispanic Studies Program (Fall tem Sep-Dec and Spring Term Feb-May)

The teachers have all been qualified and selected by the University of Malaga and all of them have more than five years experience in teaching Spanish as a second language to international students.

For more information visit: www.rondapiee.org

 

Jill Heffron – Study Abroad Programs Administrator City College of San Francisco

When was the last time you have been to Spain?
I visited Spain last year during the World Cup with a delegation of International Educators from the United States as guests of Eduespaña.

What do you enjoy most about Spain?
As a former dance major, I love all kinds of dance and dance music, so one of the things I enjoy most about Spain is flamenco dance and music. Living in San Francisco has also given me an appreciation for all kinds of food, and I enjoy going out for authentic and delicious tapas and sangria when I am visiting Spain.

What do you think are the advantages of Spain as a destination for American students?
For City College of San Francisco (CCSF) students, learning the Spanish language not only helps them to fulfill their graduation or transfer requirements, it can also be a useful job skill. Since there is a large Spanish speaking population in California, being able to communicate in Spanish is a desired job qualification in many fields from business and marketing to non-profit work and positions in the medical field. Also, our students love to travel while they study abroad, and being in Spain allows them a wide choice of European countries to visit without having to go far.

Could you describe the Study Abroad programs your university has with Spain?
CCSF students attend the Universidad Complutense de Madrid where they study Spanish five days a week at a variety of levels. We work with a partner named ACCENT, which arranges all of the program logistics, including a choice of homestays with Spanish families or apartment stays with other students. Our students also have the option of studying Art History and/or Spanish Civilization and Culture with English-speaking instructors, as most of our students are in their first or second year of Spanish Language study. Both classes offer a variety of experiential outings and excursions.

How satisfied are, in general, American students going to Spain?
We get great feedback on our “Semester in Madrid” Program. The students tell me that the Spanish people are friendly and helpful, and their language skills improve by leaps and bounds. One of their favorite things about Madrid is that so much of life takes place in public venues – such as parades, celebrations, and socializing. This allows our students to more quickly make friends and participate in cultural events – options that might not be open to them in a more “closed” society.