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UK: 0845 130 4775
Intl: +44 1273 725 200
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Spanish
General Course
Buenos Aires, Argentina
2 Weeks from $305
course only
Special Offer 
Spanish General Course (20 lessons per week) plus free music and tango shows
Buenos Aires (9 de julio) School
Book a course of 2 weeks or more between June and August 2010 and see a free urban tango show and a free music show.  This special offer gives you the chance to really connect with Argentine culture outside the classroom by including a free tango show and a free music show. The Free tango and music shows will take place on two evenings or at the weekend alongside other students and local people.
For the language lessons you will take part in the General Spanish course which is the most popular group course and runs throughout the year at all levels from beginners to advanced. Classes focus on the four main language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing, combined with aspects of local culture. This course is recommended for those who wish to learn the language at a steady pace and attracts students of all ages and backgrounds. Classes usually take place Monday to Friday in the morning, although in high season they make take place in the afternoon. Group classes at this school are amongst the smallest offered in South America, so you will never be lost in the crowd. By having an average class size of four, you can benefit from partner and group activities but still receive focused and specialized attention from your teacher.
Music show: You will see a contemporary Argentine band performing live in Buenos Aires. The school will invite all students to attend but students booking through Cactus are able to attend this completely free!
Tango Show: Classic Argentine tango has evolved into various sub genres over the years including the exciting Urban Tango Style. Again, the school will invite all students to this fantastic show but only students booking through Cactus gain free entry.
Course Summary
| Lesson Length |
55 |
| Class Times |
09.00 to 13.00 hrs - Your exact timetable will be confirmed at start of course. |
| Testing Methods |
On first day before your class |
| Course Materials |
Included in the course fees |
| Age Range |
18 to 100 |
| Average Class Size |
4 |
| Maximum Class Size |
6 |
| Nearest Airport |
Buenos Aires EZE |
| Language |
Spanish |
| Course Type |
General Course |
| School |
Buenos Aires (9 de julio) |
| Location |
Buenos Aires, Argentina |
Important Information
There is a Reciprocity Tax for anyone travelling with a passport from the United States, Canada or Australia. Upon arrival at the Ezeiza airport, students will have to pay the following fees:
• US: US$ 131
• Canada: US$ 70
• Australia: US$ 100
• Payable in pesos, US dollars, credit cards and travelers checks
• Collection will be at Ezeiza airport only
• US Passport: One time fee valid for 10 years (or expiration date of passport)
Activities
A number of activities are available alongside this course, including the sample activities listed below. Please not these may vary and be chargeable.
The school offers a wide array of activities 4-5 days a week for free, or at a very low cost. The activities on offer are a great way for students studying Spanish in Argentina to learn more about the culture, learn new skills, meet locals, and practice their Spanish. A wide variety of workshops are offered for students to choose from, each workshop to reflecting the culture and hobbies of Argentines. Students studying Spanish in Argentina can combine workshops with their Spanish immersion programs in Buenos Aires in order to create the ultimate study and travel abroad experience. The real advantage of the activities at this school is that all of them include local participants so that all the time you are able to speak Spanish and feel immersed in the country and its culture.
Example activities include:
• Weekly staff and student dinners
• Weekly footbol mini-tournaments against local teams and visits to Boca Juniors games.
• Day trips to Tigre
• Artisan fairs
• Weekly city tours
• Theatre & movie outings
• Running & bike tours
• Local concerts
• Asados (Argentine barbecue)
• Tango shows and classes
• Museum & exhibition visits
Accommodation Options
Prices are per person, per week and include course and accommodation. Supplementary nights may be available. Accommodation prices may vary with season. See step 1 of the booking process for the final price.
 Host Family
Staying with a host family is without doubt one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the language and culture of a country. They may not speak your language but that's all part of the learning experience - and fun! All host families are carefully selected and located within 30 mins by public transport from the school. You stay in a single room and receive meals as stated (bed & breakfast, half board or full board). Most families can cater for special dietary requirements, bed linen is provided, and laundry service and towels are sometimes included. A key is given to the outside door so you can come and go as you please. If for any reason you do not wish to eat at home please just notify the family in advance. It's great to experience the different cultural aspects of living with a family, such as different food and meal times, but please respect these too. We also suggest that you take some pictures of your family, friends and home as these can act as useful props for discussion.
Supplementary nights - $30 pp per night
Shared Apartment
The shared apartment option is the best fit for independent students seeking to live with other young native Spanish speakers living in Buenos Aires. These individuals are well acquainted with the city of Buenos Aires and provide an excellent resource for expediting the student’s immersion process. Apartment mates are students or young professionals living, working, and/or studying in Buenos Aires, generally between the ages of 20-32, and students may have from one roommate to eight other young people (relative to the size of accommodation) living in Buenos Aires. Students in shared apartments cook their own meals and experience a great deal of independence, yet are still able to take advantage of the knowledge of their apartment-mates also living in Buenos Aires as well as practicing their Spanish.
Supplementary nights - $23 pp per night
The School - Buenos Aires (9 de julio)
School facilities
       This school is housed in a beautifully French-style building and acts as an oasis perched just above the hustle and bustle of the thriving business and tourism of the Microcenter. Served by three subway lines and all major bus lines, it is a strategic and secure neighbourhood central to distinguished architecture, lush public park and ritzy hotels of Plaza San Martin, along with up and coming café /bars and only minutes away from the exclusive shopping at Galerias Pacificas on the charismatic pedestrian walkway Calle Florida. It is not far from the famous avenida 9 de julio, the widest avenue in the world. Teatro Colon, the Casa Rosada and the Obelisco are all close by. The building itself boasts tall windows, high decorated ceilings, and beautiful, well-lit classrooms – the perfect environment in which to study! The school also boasts internet and computing access, break time areas with large comfortable furniture, snacks and eating areas, air conditioning, and a small library.
It is run by a team of a dedicated and knowledgeable locals and expatriates who work together to provide you with the best possible language study program – and overall experience – in Buenos Aires! This school gives you the chance to fully immerse yourself in the language and culture of Argentina both inside and outside of the classroom.
Teachers and lessons
In class you will develop the language skills you need with the help of native teachers local to Argentina. Each language teacher is fully qualified, with university-level language certifications. Spanish language teachers and staff members are professional, energetic, and committed to providing you with the best learning experience possible! You will participate in many oral exercises mimicking real life situations, as well as an eclectic mix of written tasks, games, songs, and other fun activities to help you learn and understand Spanish quickly and efficiently. Emphasis is placed on improving knowledge of communication, grammar, and the surrounding culture, but with a careful eye to balance all three areas. We can provide instruction for all levels, from complete beginner to advanced, and you will be taught both a “neutral” form of Spanish as well as the local variation here in Argentina.
Immersion
You will put to use what you are learning in class by living with other Spanish speakers regardless of whether you choose a homestay or a shared apartment. This school places an emphasis on contact with local Argentines and native Spanish speakers so you can really put the skills you are learning in class to use! Through language exchanges or “intercambios”, the school's workshops, and local living, you will have the opportunity to build your confidence and start speaking like a porteno! Although the school discourages staying in a backpacker hostel or hotel, because of lack of contact outside class with Argentines, we are able to arrange these types of accommodation on request, but prices change so please contact us if you require this accommodation type.
Activities
Activities ar considered one of the major selling points of this school. The real advantage of the activities here is that all of them include local participants so that all the time you are able to speak Spanish and feel immersed in the country and its culture. Outside the classroom you will get to know real porteño life by participating in weekly cultural and social activities in addition to the many different workshops offered at this school. At the weekends you can discover the amazing and diverse landscapes the country has to offer on the school's many and varied excursions.
Example activities include:
• Weekly staff and student dinners
• Weekly footbol mini-tournaments against local teams and visits to Boca Juniors games.
• Day trips to Tigre
• Artisan fairs
• Weekly city tours
• Theatre & movie outings
• Running & bike tours
• Local concerts
• Asados (Argentine barbecue)
• Tango shows and classes
• Museum & exhibition visits
More on Buenos Aires (9 de julio) School
Accreditations
CEF, DAAD, Associacion de Centros de Idiomas, Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires
Nationalities represented at this school
Mostly North American and British.
What other students have said...
"Buenos Aires is an amazing city to learn spanish I recommend it to anyone who want to have a multiculturel experience. I really enjoyed the number of possibilites that the city offer." (Hélène Haralambis, February 2010)
"Buenos Aires is a dynamic world city, and it is a great city to walk around in if you want to hear the music of Spanish in your ears. The reputation of the steak is well deserved, it is delicious and the tango on the streets is great. Calle Florida is tourist-friendly. Take a book and read under the leafy trees of San Martin Plaza, I really can recommend it. The school was very good and the classes were excellent, taught by one very strong teacher. I loved the international feeling and made good friends."
(Alex Pollack, December 2009)
“I found the booking process on the Cactus’ website very easy and the support and information provided by the co-ordinator for Argentina was excellent. The school classes were excellent and the city of Buenos Aires has a great atmosphere.”
(Daniel Phillips, October 2009)
“Cactus is a really organized company; when I requested details I received a quick answer with all the information I needed. The people at the school while in Buenos Aires made students feel welcome. The teaching standards were very high and we learnt a huge amount in just 2 weeks, so I went from not being able to say a word of Spanish to being able to hold a basic conversation and getting by in a Spanish speaking country. I also did the tango course and one again the teaching standards were very high and the teachers treated us as if it was a professional dance class and not a tourist dance class. The accommodation I had was excellent and the owners made us feel very comfortable and encouraged us to treat their home as if it was our own. I really enjoyed all aspects of my trips and I made a lot of great friends.”
(Emma Jenkinson, September 2009)
“It was not my first time to book a language course abroad with Cactus; I did an English course in Toronto and Spanish in Malaga before. Once again Cactus gave me all the information I needed before my departure and my journey was very good.”
(Jan Kaltoun, August 2009)
“It was my first time to book a course with Cactus and it was really easy because everything is well explained on the website. Both Buenos Aires and the Spanish courses were very good. The school people there are very friendly and they are good at putting people in the right levels and at organizing activities outside the lessons.”
(Gillian Yeomans, August 2009)
"The school and classes were a great fit for what I was trying to get out of two weeks of study. The instructors that I had were wonderful and tailored the one-on-one classes to help me make the most out of the time that I had there. The people of Buenos Aires are super friendly and very helpful. There are the normal tourist things to do in BA, but I liked just watching the pace of life there and interacting with the locals. Shopping in Palermo was also good. Make sure to try the local sweet, dulce de leche. On the last day of my studies I was able to have a conversation with a taxi driver entirely in Spanish, with both me and the driver understanding most of what the other person was saying, that was really great. I was also thrilled that I was able to be placed with a host family that was able to provide me with vegetarian meals. I chose Cactus because of their competitive prices, the choice of courses they offer and the clear website. The travel pack was very thorough and helpful prior to my arrival in Buenos Aires. The service was fantastic. I am telling all me friends and family what a great job Cactus Language did of setting everything up and keeping me informed."
(Adam Troner, November 2009)
"Very good. My teachers were excellent. Buenos Aires is fantastic! It´s probably a better city to actually live in, rather than to just visit for a few days. I recommend trying to get to know a few Portenos, especially to practice Spanish. The food is great, and great value, for meat lovers like me. Try to take a few day trips to places like Tigre, Colonia, and San Isidro. And definitely check out a soccer game! Great people in Expanish. Great city. Really enjoyed playing soccer and eating delicious food at very reasonable prices."
(Eric Showen, October 2009)
"So far this is the best language course I've ever been to!10 out of 10 for the course and accommodation."
(Jan Kaltoun, August 2009)
We encourage all of our students to review the courses and schools they have visited. It helps us maintain the quality of our courses, and can help other students make informed choices.
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Spanish General in Buenos Aires (9 de julio) School:
Book a course of 2 weeks or more between June and August 2010 and see a free urban tango show and a free music show. Choose your...
No hidden fees - Our prices include registration fees, course materials and taxes.
Deposit option
Does your course come to more than $200? Pay only $200 today, if you are booking at least 8 weeks before the course starts! Choose the deposit option at the payment stage of your booking.
Booking information
Public Holidays for this school
2010
October 11
December 8
Airport Transfer Options
Nearest Airport Buenos Aires EZE
An airport transfer service is available. $70 pp one way.
Choose the option in step 2 of the booking process.
Other Spanish courses at this school
Map of Buenos Aires
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Single, Breakfast + Dinner
