Easy Languages

Program

Destination

Marbella is located in the south of Spain, in the Andalusian province of Malaga. It has a population of slightly more than 100,000. This city is one of the most exclusive summer resorts in Europe; a typical, historic Andalusian town that has preserved its character. It is also close to major cities and legendary cultural centres: Málaga (an important commercial and cultural centre with many historic monuments that attract numerous visitors from all over the world), Granada (with the wonderful Alhambra), and Seville (one of the most popular cities in Spain). Marbella has the typical Andalusian flavor and is well-connected with two nearby international airports: Malaga and Gibraltar.

Marbella is also well known for being the "golfers' paradise". You can play golf every day and even at night in the first illuminated golf course in Europe. Marbella is also famous for its breathtaking beaches and blue sea, world-renowned yacht harbors, beautiful landscapes, luxury hotels, shopping centres and vibrant nightlife. The average temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, year-round, and the sun shines around 320 days.

School

The school is located in the main central terrace of the Edifice Granada, in the top of the famous clothes store ZARA, just 5 minutes from the beach. It is a large and modern building, close to everything in Marbella. The facilities are first-class, featuring a 3500 square meter private terrace, a large common room and a study hall equipped with Internet, a reading room and a well-equipped literature library and video library. A refreshment and coffee machine is also available.

Activities and Excursions

In addition to the activities offered by the city and its surroundings, the school organises a variety of activities such as:

• Afternoon Excursions & Activities
  Cuevas de Nerja "Costa del Sol", beaches, Old Town, Tour Mijas, Ronda, Puerto Banus
• Full-Day and Weekend Trips
  Granada, Cadiz, Antequera, Gibraltar, Tarifa, Seville, Córdoba, Málaga

Courses

Class sizes are small, generally with an average of 8 participants. We accept students of every ability level, from absolute beginners to advanced speakers. Courses begin every Monday. Our programmes combine different teaching techniques, centreed on a communicative approach in order to reach every kind of learner.

We offer three basic programmes in our catalog:

• Semi-intensive, Intensive or Extra-intensive Spanish courses
  Semi-intensive courses consist of 20 Spanish lessons (of 55 minutes each).
  Intensive courses are composed of one Semi-intensive course plus 5 Spanish culture and civilization workshops (see below).
  Extra-intensive courses consist of 25 Spanish lessons plus 5 Spanish culture and civilization workshops (see below).
  
• DELE exam preparation
  The DELE (Diploma for Spanish as a Foreign Language) is the only official certificate for foreign students recognized by the Instituto Cervantes. This certificate is an invaluable asset for students who wish to study at a Spanish university or would like to work in a Spanish-speaking country.
  
  This 20 lesson course is designed to prepare you to pass the DELE exam at any of its 3 levels.
  
• One-to-one Spanish
  This option, which we offer only in conjunction with our other courses, is designed to allow students to work privately with a teacher on their own specific weakness and strengths. This is without a doubt the fastest way to learn Spanish. 5 or 10 lessons per week.
  

Each lesson is 55 minutes in length.

Cultural Workshops

We believe that learning Spanish involves more than grammar or conversation lessons and that a strong understanding of Spanish culture is essential to communication in the language. Our afternoon cultural workshops are not only intended to serve as opportunities for students to practice their Spanish, but also as ways to learn the basics of Spanish history, art, and mass communication. The four workshops we offer are:

• Spanish Radio: In this workshop, students produce their own radio programme based on national and international newscasts. The class requires students to listen to, collect and summarize information from Spanish broadcast media.
• Press Workshop: In this workshop, students produce their own newspaper/magazine based on news, cultural events, popular traditions. The class requires students to conduct research in Spanish print media, as well as interview locals.
• Drama Workshop: Here, students learn and perform extracts from well-known Spanish plays. In addition to the obvious cultural education that this workshop provides, it also aids students in learning to express themselves quickly in idiomatic terms
• History, Literature, and Art: In this workshop, students learn to analyze some of Spain’s most famous writers and artists reflecting Spanish history. Students will also discover Spanish customs, gastronomy and popular events.

Accommodation

We offer accommodation in:

• Host Family:
  Probably one of the most effective ways to practice your language skills outside of class is to stay with a host family. Host families also offer an opportunity to experience Spanish culture firsthand and really get to know the country. Our host families provide bed linens, blankets and either half or full-board (2 or 3 meals a day) depending on student’s request.Students share a room with one other person.

• Student Residence:
  Student residences offer dormitory-style living for students who wish to have a more independent lifestyle. Private rooms or rooms shared with up to 2 people are available and half or full-board (2 or 3 meals a day) is provided depending on the student’s request.

• Shared Apartment:
  Apartments are made up of 3 to 6 rooms and include all comforts to ensure a pleasant stay: well-equipped kitchen, TV, washing machine, bathroom etc. Linens are provided and amenities (water, heat, electricity) are included. It is possible to request a private bathroom at an elevated price. A deposit of 100€ will be required (cash or credit card) to obtain the keys. Apartments are located in close proximity to shops and restaurants.

Accommodation is available the Sunday before the start of classes until after the end of class the following Saturday.

Prices & Dates

Dates 2012

Courses begin on Sundays and end Saturdays, year-round.

The DELE exam preparation courses begin:

• 4 weeks from 25/04, 25/07, 24/10.
• 5 weeks from 18/04, 18/07, 17/10.

DELE exams: 20/05, 19/08, 18/11.

Holidays: 01/01, 06/01, 28/02, 21/04, 22/04, 01/05, 02/05, 09/06, 15/08, 12/10, 25/10, 01/11, 06/12, 08/12, 25/12.

These dates can be subject to modifications. Please contact us for more information.

Course prices can be found in the table above. Our prices include accommodation and are detailed for each type of accommodation (host family, residence, apartment).
Prices include:

• The chosen course programme
  
• The chosen accommodation with or without meals as chosen
  
• All administrative and enrolment fees

Prices do not include:

• Transportation to the destination
• Academic materials (to be paid at the destination)
• Exam fees (120-200€)
• Public transport

Practical Info

Transport

• Arrival airport: Malaga
  

An (optional) transfer is available between airport and accommodation - see price table.

If you prefer, we can book your flights for you. This must be made clear at the moment of enrolment.

If you intend to book your own flight, try to arrive the Sunday before the start of your course and leave the Saturday following its end.

Visa Information

EU residents do not normally need a Visa to enter Spain.

Citizens of other countries, such as the USA, Brazil, Japan, Korea, etc, can stay in Spain without a Visa for up to 3 months.

If you intend to stay for longer than 3 months, you will need to apply for a Student Visa (type D) before arriving.

Students coming from such countries must acquaint themselves with the visa application procedures involved at their local Spanish Embassy or Consulate.