SPANISH AND ARGENTINIAN PAMPAS CULTURE  

We offer a specially designed training that allows foreign students to achieve a true knowledge of oral and written Spanish language through a global approach that goes beyond the classroom.

On this account, our courses are carried out together with a great variety of guided tours and different activities planned to expand the Spanish language learning experience and also to promote the discovery of the culture, traditions, natural attractions and other resources belonging to a portion of our country’s territory, known as “Cordoba’s Argentinian Pampas”

TYPES OF COURSES

• Intensive Courses: Organized in three levels: elementary, intermediate and advanced. DURATION: students can choose between courses of 40, 60 and 80 hours long (daily classes length: 4 hours).
• Special Intensive Courses: Designed according to the needs and interests of the applying Institution (universities, companies, sporting bodies, etc.)
  • Spanish and Volunteering: 80 hours of group classes + 10 hours a week of volunteer work.
  • Spanish and Cooking: 40 hours of group classes + 6 hours a week of regional cooking.
  • Spanish and Tango: 40 hours of group classes + 4 hours a week of tango classes.
  • Spanish and Golf: 40 hours of group classes + 8 hours a week of golf classes and participation in a tournament.
  • Spanish and Folk Dance: 40 hours of group classes + 4 hours a week of folk dance classes.
  • Spanish and Horse Riding: 40 hours of group classes + 4 hours a week of horse riding classes.
  • Spanish and Specific Contents (Music, History, Art, Literature, etc.): 40 hours of group classes.
  • Spanish and Business: 40 hours of group classes + business meetings (industries, agricultural production).
  • Training Courses for International Exams: DELE (diploma that proves Spanish language knowledge and usage level, awarded by Instituto Cervantes in the name of the Spanish Ministry of Education), CELU (diploma endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of the Argentinian Republic) and DIE (diploma acknowledged by
  • Universidad Pontificia of Salamanca).

COURSE FEATURES

Courses are focused on the development of communicative skills and social interaction through the use and improvement of the four basic skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Aspects of Argentinian and Latin-American culture, history and society are included in the courses. Said aspects promote reflection on and systematization of language use.

Courses mix academic training and cultural activities. This combination is achieved by means of theoretical classes on Spanish language and Argentinian culture together with workshops, day trips and other different cultural activities.

Theoretical contents are based on basic/intermediate communication aspects; and workshops are focused on the improvement of oral skills through the implementation of recreational activities.

Courses incorporate the European reference framework.

GROUP CLASSES: Small groups of 10 to 12 people.

DURATION

Minimum length for courses is two weeks, although it is advisable a 4-week course at least.

Students can choose between courses of 40, 60 and 80 hours long (daily classes length: 4 hours). 

ORGANIZATION AND TIMETABLES

Classes are from Monday to Friday at the appointed time.

COURSE PURPOSES

Acquire basic/intermediate communication skills in Spanish language.

Get to know, understand and “live” the most relevant aspects of Argentinian Pampas culture.

 CREDITS AWARDED

Certificate awarded by Instituto Superior FASTA that proves attendance to the course and/or level achievement passing mark (according to the European reference framework for languages) and the quantity of hours taken.

LODGING IN SAN FRANCISCO

Lodging in San Francisco can be in a hotel or in a native family’s home. If the student applies for the half board system (breakfast and dinner) at a hotel, he/she will benefit from the possibility of having dinner at the Institute dining hall and enjoy typical dishes of our pampa gringa.

Ask for fees.

• MAY, simultaneous with the Dairy Products Trade Fair (Mercoláctea).
• JULY, simultaneous with winter break.
• OCTOBER, simultaneous with the Agricultural Trade Fair (Exposición Rural).
• NOVEMBER, simultaneous with the Traditional Dishes Festival (Festival de la Buena Mesa).
• FEBRUARY, simultaneous with summer holidays.

OUR TEACHERS

All our teachers are university graduate native speakers specialized in Spanish teaching.

INTERNATIONAL EXAMS

Training courses for DELE (Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language), CELE (Certificate in Spanish Language and Use) and DIE (International Diploma in Spanish Language).

TOURISM
Some of the programmed touristic activities are:

INCLUDED IN THE COURSE

• Guided tour to the City Hall Palace. Interview with the city mayor.
• City tour over San Francisco. Trip around the city and its surroundings to appreciate the architectural monuments, churches, cemeteries, archives and museums, all of which treasure a great deal of San Francisco’s history and contribute to the conservation of our roots. Day trip to Plaza San Francisco where the city original founding took place (small village near San Francisco city). Tour to the Rock Woodland, home of the regional native wildlife.
• Lectures and conferences will be carried out on topics related to historical, linguistic and cultural heritage of San Francisco and its surrounding areas. Visit to the Graphic Archive.
• Guided tour to the city’s Industrial Area.
• Folk music and dance club (peña).
• Guided tour to the Museum of Tango. Wine and cheese tasting. Singing and dancing.
• Tours to different museums and trade fairs.
• Debate sessions on Argentinian films.
• Visit to artisans from our Pampa gringa.

ORGANIZED UPON REQUEST (ask for fees)

• Tours to Rural Sites: trips to farms, milking yards and cottages. Typical cattle slaughters.
• Tours to Relgious Sites: visits to farm chapels (built between the end of 19^th century and the beginning of 20^th century). These chapels used to summon European immigrants, especially on Patron Saint festivities.
• Gastronomic Tourism (typical regional drinks and dishes such as “bagna cauda”, cowhide barbecue, sausages covered with animal fat, wines, grappa, sugar cane alcohol, absinthe, etc.). Traditional Dishes Festival (November).
• Regional Tourism: day trips to agricultural events and fairs (Dairy Products and Agricultural Trade Fairs). Visit to SanCor Devoto (dairy products factory). Arcor Arroyito (food multinational). Manfrey Freyre (dairy products factory).
• Miramar: Visit to Lake Mar Chiquita (biggest lake in the country). Guided tour to an otters farm.

FEES:

Fees corresponfing to the requested services (courses, lodging, tours/trips, etc.) should be paid at least three weeks before starting the course program.

COURSES FEES INCLUDE:

• Welcome snack
• Diagnostic test
• Study material and general information handbook
• Certificate
• Farewell dinner.

SERVICES:

• Free of charge faxes reception
• Free of charge phone calls reception
• Free Internet access (WiFi)
• Counselling on tourist trips
• Business meetings organization

Payment can be made with:

• personal cheque;
• credit cards (Visa, Mastercard);
• debit cards.

You will be able to contact us from this web site to clear up your doubts or make suggestions.

We offer you many possibilities to contact us; for example, by filling in the form, calling us via Skype or by making a phone call to one of our representatives.

Important

Remember to check your email junk folder after contacting us. It is probable that our response goes into that folder depending on the settings of your email serverENROLMENTS

PRE-ENROLMENT FORM TO BE COMPLETED BY THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF THE GROUP