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LEARN
SPANISH IN CHILE - SPANISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL SANTIAGO |
 Santiago, Chile
Minimum
Age: 17 years
Average Age: 24
– 27 years |
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Location |
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Considered in many
ways Latin America's most progressive country, Chile offers
the student modern amenities while still holding onto an important colonial and indigenous past. The economic growth of the past
decades has led to first world health and safety conditions
and foreigners have little trouble adjusting while learning
Spanish in Chile. Combine your language course in Chile with
adventures such as river rafting, skiing or exploring the peaks
of the Andes. |
| The capital of Chile,
Santiago is conveniently
located one hour west of the Andes
Mountains and one hour east of the Pacific Ocean. The past decade's
economic growth and investment have created a clean, modern
city, while colonial charm and historic museums and monuments
have remained preserved. Santiago's
modern subway system is both economic and efficient and, together
with an extensive bus network and taxi supply, can quickly transport
students to all parts of the city. At the foot of the Andes
and only 100 km from the ocean, Santiago provides all of the
big-city attractions of nightlife, culture, and fine restaurants
while also serving as a convenient point for starting day or
weekend trips to Chile's world-famous nature. |
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Also being at the geographical
center of Chile,
Santiago supplies
direct flights and/or long-distance buses to all corners of
the country. All of Chile's
tourist locations are easily accessible from Santiago,
by economical domestic flights, by rail, and by bus. An extremely
friendly population, low cost of living, and great travel opportunities
give students a unique experience in Chile.
Culture
and Nightlife
Santiago's
cosmopolitan area is home to 5 million people and supports many
cultural and nocturnal opportunities - from theater to all night
salsa clubs. A wide variety of activities to supplement the
Spanish language school. |
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School |
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The school is centrally
located five blocks from Plaza Italia in a quiet side street
of the residential neighborhood Providencia. Restaurants, bar
and cafes are nearby and the school is easy accessible by major
bus routes and the Metro (Station: Manuel Montt). Our school
has 13 rooms, several bathrooms, kitchen, a dinning room, library,
TV room,
common area, patio and parking zone. The school is recognized by the IALC
and for academic
credit by the Universidad
de Viña del Mar in Chile.
"The school in Chile is a hidden
gem. Strong points: wonderful staff, location, well organized,
great attention to student. I felt welcome from the first day
and look forward to coming back."
- Paul, Canada
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Courses |
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1. Standard Course
(20 lessons per
week) |
| The courses are structured
to meet your level and you can choose from either small group
(max. 6 students) or personal one-to-one courses. All teachers
are native speakers, have university degrees, language teaching
qualifications and have prior experience teaching languages
to foreigners. In addition to their professional credentials,
they were carefully selected for their abilities to keep students
interested and respond to intercultural differences. All materials
necessary are provided by the school, you just have to bring
a notebook and pen. Teachers use our own course book, developed
by a team of our teachers, for about half of the class, while
the other half of the class is devoted to special class needs
and supplements, such as selected audios, videos, and current
readings. |
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* 1 lesson = 50 min. of class teaching "face-to-face"
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Courses in
Santiago de Chile |
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Course Type |
Lessons per week |
Lessons per day |
Number of students |
| I.
Standard Course |
20 |
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4 (group) |
Maximum
6 |
| II.
Intensive PLUS Course |
24 |
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4 (group) + 1 (indiv.) |
Maximum 6
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| III. Super-Intensive
Course |
28 |
4 (group) + 1/2
(indiv.) |
Maximum
6 |
| V. One-to-One Course |
10 to 20 |
2 -
4
(indiv.) |
Individual |
| VII. D.E.L.E Exam
Preparation Course |
28 |
4 (group) + 1/2
(indiv.) |
Maximum
6 |
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There are two class schedules for group and one-to-one lessons.
The assignment of a student´s shift takes place upon arrival
after completion of the placement test:
- Morning: 9am - 1pm
- Afternoon: 2pm - 6pm
This is what a typical day looks like (example for morning
shift):
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2. Intensive
PLUS Course (24 lessons per
week)
Intensive PLUS Course: 24 lessons per week
- Standard Course 20 lessons per week plus an
additional 4 lessons One-to-One*
- The course is ideal for students that
want to focus on specific topics in additional one-to-one
lessons
*One-to-One elements can be focused on
Business Spanish or Spanish for Medical/Law purposes (Special focus
for 25% more than the regular one-to-one cost)
- Many days include school activities in the afternoon or
the evening
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3. Super
Intensive Course (28 lessons per
week)
Super Intensive Course:
28 lessons per week
- The course is ideal for short stays with
rapid progress. Recommended for Business purposes.
- Standard Course 20 lessons per week plus an
additional 8 lessons One-to-One
- *One-to-One elements can be focused on
Business Spanish or Spanish for Medical/Law purposes (Special focus
for 25% more than the regular one-to-one cost)
- Many days include school activities in the afternoon or the
evening.
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4. One-to-One Course (min. 5 private lessons per week)
This
private
course is designed for students who would like to focus on
certain subjects following a course adapted to their individual
needs. The personal attention of their teacher allows students
to work at their own rhythm and to specialize in particular
areas of interest, e.g. business Spanish, Spanish for
medical/legal purposes. Students have two options:
- One-to-one lessons only
- One-to-one lessons combined with group lessons.
5. DELE Exam
Preparation Course (28 lessons per
week)
The DELE (Diploma de Español
como Lengua Extranjera), issued by Spain's Ministry of Education
and administered by the Instituto Cervantes, is an offical
accreditation of Spanish language abilities. It is recognized by
official institutions of Spanish-speaking countries as well as
countries where Spanish is not the official language. The exam
verifies abilities in reading, writing, speaking, and
understanding Spanish with three levels of certification:
- Certificado Inicial: beginner
- Diploma Basico: intermediate
- Diploma Superior: superior
Apart from gaining Spanish language certification, the exam
preparation course is an excellent way to arrive at a balanced
level of proficiency.
Course Details
In order to prepare for the exam, we have courses devoted
entirely to DELE exam preparation. The sessions are one-to-one
and enable you to focus on your areas needing rapid improvement.
The course is taken as a private course, either full-time or as
the private component of "group + private", 20 hours group plus
8 hours private. Fees are the same as for standard courses.
All exam levels consist of the following: reading, writing,
listening, speaking, grammar, and vocabulary. The preparation
courses cover all components with particular emphasis on your
areas of more limited capabilities.
DELE Exam Schedule
2008:
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May 24 (registration until Apr 6)
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Aug 22 (registration until Aug 10)
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Nov 22 (registration until Oct 11)
* Registration for the DELE exam is separate from registering
for the language program
Exam Fees
- Inicial: $110
- Intermedio: $125
- Superior: $140
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6. Spanish PLUS Medical Experience Program
The program we have developed for medical
professionals combines the regular Spanish immersion program
with medical-specific Spanish and cultural training. Morning
group classes never have more than six students. After morning
classes, students find themselves engaged in a variety of
medical-oriented activities in the afternoon.
Clinical Shadowing: The main portion of the medical package
is clinical shadowing in either a hospital or health clinic. You
can observe the similarities and differences between these
clinics and those in the US.
Many students also choose supplemental private Spanish lessons,
in addition to the standard group course, to focus on particular
needs or on "Medical Spanish" (such as role-playing).
Price: 100 USD per week for 2 sessions of Clinical Shadowing |
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7. Ski +
Spanish Package (18 lessons per
week) With Santiago
sitting at the foot of the Andes, the capital city provides
great access for local skiing and snowboarding opportunities. Nearby
peaks rise to over 5,000 meters (19,000 feet), giving the city a
remarkable backdrop. The Spanish & Ski package includes two
weekly lift tickets plus transportation (door-to-mountain).
One ticket during the week and another on the weekend.
Individual Supplemental Classes
Because you will miss a day's classes each week, the Spanish
& Ski program includes two one-to-one hours per week to help
cover missed topics. You may also schedule extra hours at a low
hourly rate.
The Chilean ski season runs from late June through September.
Most students may start classes on any Monday, however absolute
beginners need to follow the course schedule.
Package includes:
- Intensive Spanish course (one day missed replaced with 2
individual lessons)
- Two mountain passes / week.
- Free transportation.
- Housing (optional).
- TOTAL HOURS SPANISH: 16 lessons group + 2 lessons private
per week
- Supplement for Ski Package: 140 USD per week
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8. Spanish + Wine-Tasting
Combine your Spanish Course with a wine-tasting
course. You will and learn about Chile's
famous vineyards and the effects of Chile's varied geography.
Wine-tasting topics from recognizing smells to selection for
meals.
Spanish Course: Choose from any of our
general Spanish programs (Standard, Intensive Plus, Super-Intensive,
One-to-One). Wine Course: The class meets once per week,
starting the first week of every month.
Sample Topics:
- Typical Chilean wines
- Wine and Chocolates
- Aromas and Flavors
- Wine and Cheeses
Course lengtht: 1-4 weeks
Supplement for Wine Course: 50 USD per week |
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9. Spanish + Internship
Internships are ideal for students who want to gain practical
experience via an unpaid internship or volunteer project. All
internships are evaluated and supervised throughout the
placement.
Duration is a minimum of 12 weeks (4 weeks Spanish Program
+ min. 8 weeks Internship)
You choose the duration of your internship completely according
to your schedule and your wishes (2 months to 1 year). In order
to have sufficient time to become familiar with the country and
the people and to adjust to the language and to your internship
position, we recommend you to allow at least two months for your
internship.
Requirements:
- 18+ year old
- High Schools Certificate
- Intermediate Spanish level
- Basic computer skill
Work Fields Examples:
- Business: Marketing, selling, accounting, costumer
service, exportation
- Health: customer services, nurses, emergency, (different
specialities)
- Tourism: costumer services, tour guide, travel
agencies, hotel & restaurants.
Among our partners are well-known international and national
companies, medium-sized and small Chilean enterprises, private
and public institutions, non-profit organizations as well as
governmental authorities. Internships are unpaid work experience
opportunities.
Spanish Classe: 4 weeks prior your internship
Choose from any of our general Spanish programs (Standard,
Intensive Plus, Super-Intensive, One-to-One).
Credit Transfer: You will receive a certificated for
your Spanish Program and your Internships experience. Credit
transfer is generally possible. The number of credit is up to
your home University.
From the time of your application for an internship a one-time
registration and handling fee of US$ 50 will be due. This fee
includes the translation and/or adjustment of your resume as
well as the approach with possible companies for your internship.
This program includes:
- Orientation
- 4 weeks of Spanish Program (minimum)
- Internship placement (2 -12 months)
- Ongoing support
- Spanish Course & Internship certification
Starting Dates: any Monday
Price: 4 weeks Spanish Course + 360 USD for 8 weeks internship +
50 USD one-time handling fee |
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10. Spanish + Volunteering
In co-operation with different social institutions and non-profit
organizations we offer various voluntary work projects. Usually,
you work directly with the relevant people and are responsible
for the care of ill and homeless children, handicapped or old
people, homeless or support of the Mapuche Indians.
Duration is a minimum of 8 weeks (4 weeks Spanish Program
+ min. 4 weeks Volunteering)
You choose the duration of your volunteer completely
according to your schedule and your wishes (1 - 6 months). In
order to have sufficient time to become familiar with the
country and the people and to adjust to the language and to your
volunteer position, we recommend you to allow at least two
months for your volunteer.
Projects:
- Day cares
- Sports supports
- Mature adults help
- Hospitals
- Indigene villages, etc.
Spanish Classe: 4 weeks prior your internship
Choose from any of our general Spanish programs (Standard,
Intensive Plus, Super-Intensive, One-to-One).
From the time of your application for a volunteer a one-time
registration and handling fee of US$ 50 (non refundable) will be
due. This fee includes the translation and/or adjustment of your
resume as well as the approach with possible companies for your
volunteer.
This program includes:
- Orientation
- 4 weeks of Spanish Program (minimum)
- 4 weeks of volunteer work (1-6 months)
- Ongoing support
- Spanish Course & Volunteer certificate
Starting Dates: any Monday
Price: 4 weeks Spanish Course + 280 USD for 4 weeks volunteering
+ 50 USD one-time handling fee |
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Levels: |
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| Our program is
divided into
7 main
levels of study (12 levels incl. sublevels). The first four are
concentrated on grammar, vocabulary, practical situations, and
conversation. The fifth and sixth level, advanced and superior,
are focused mainly on conversation and advanced reading and
writing topics while the seventh includes Electives courses
(Spanish composition, Literature, Advanced Oral and listening
Skills, Culture) One elective open per week.
A student can expect to advance through each of the first four
levels in three weeks each
while the advanced course can be taken for several months. In
order to get a better idea what level you should take you will
be given a quick Placement Exam upon arrival.
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Beginner 1:
(No Spanish)
pronunciation, identifying people and things, present tense,
family members, "ser" and "estar", interrogative
pronouns, indefinite/definite articles, greetings, demonstative
adjectives, present progressive tense, "hay" and
"tener", days and months, possessive adjectives.
Beginner 2:
reflexive verbs and pronouns, sports and activities, future
informal ("ir" + ), preferences and desires, "nunca"/"siempre",
imperative tense, ordinal numbers, "tener que",
"haber que", and "deber que", prepositions
of time and place, imperfect tense.
Intermediate 1:
relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns, "para"
and "por", past perfect irregulars, future imperfect,
conditional tense, present subjunctive, uses of subjunctive
verbs, "seguir" and "quedar", preterite
perfect "estar" + gerund, irregular subjunctive
verbs. |
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Intermediate 2:
preterite perfect subjunctive, passive voice, uses of
"se", verbs with prepositions, adverbial expressions,
diminutives and augmentatives, idomatic expressions, preterite
imperfect subjunctive, prepositional phrases, synonyms and
antonyms.
Advanced:
advanced writing, reading, and conversation. Topics vary |
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| There is a variety of elective courses available to
Advanced students: Spanish Composition, Literature, Culture,
Advanced Orals and Listening Skills. NOTE:
For a printable version of the course curriculum, please click
here.
NOTE: Content descriptions are examples of
topics covered. Discussion topics and themes vary.
Beginner 1:
(No Spanish) |
Pronunciation, identifying people and
things, present tense, family members, "ser"
and "estar", interrogative pronouns, indefinite/definite
articles, greetings, demonstative adjectives, present
progressive tense, "hay" and "tener",
days and months, possessive adjectives. |
| Beginner 2: |
Reflexive verbs and pronouns, sports and
activities, future informal ("ir" + ), preferences
and desires, "nunca"/"siempre", imperative
tense, ordinal numbers, "tener que", "haber
que", and "deber que", prepositions of
time and place, imperfect tense. |
| Intermediate 1: |
Relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns,
"para" and "por", past perfect irregulars,
future imperfect, conditional tense, present subjunctive,
uses of subjunctive verbs, "seguir" and "quedar",
preterite perfect "estar" + gerund, irregular
subjunctive verbs. |
| Intermediate 2: |
Preterite perfect subjunctive, passive
voice, uses of "se", verbs with prepositions,
adverbial expressions, diminutives and augmentatives,
idomatic expressions, preterite imperfect subjunctive,
prepositional phrases, synonyms and antonyms. |
| Advanced: |
Passive voice; review of
preterit v/s imperfect; indicative v/s subjunctive;
subjunctive with expressions of emotion, influence, will
and doubt; Greek and Latin prefixes; subjunctive in
subordinate clauses; use of different prepositions,
conjunctions; pronominal complements; Greek and Latin
suffixes; literal orthography. |
| Advanced
Superior: |
Advanced Superior:
Punctuation; common errors of speech; “queismo” and “dequeísmo”;
accents; neologisms, foreign influence and barbarism;
Topics of conversation vary; composition and writing
exercises. Oral practice is the main focus of the course.
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There is a variety of elective courses available to
Advanced students: Spanish Composition, Literature, Culture,
Advanced Orals and Listening Skills.
University Credit:
All
students receive a certificate upon completion of the course.
This certificate is signed and stamped by the school Director
and includes the course dates, attendance percentage, level(s)
approved and grades.
For University
credit, we can also provide the student University certification
upon request. This is submitted by Universidad de Viña del Mar
in Chile.
For credit
approval, the process goes as it follows:
1.- We contact the
student’s Study Abroad
Advisor to get the approval of the course. Most of the
universities have different requirements to approve courses. We
appreciate that the student help us to get the Advisor contact
information.
Then we provide the Advisor any documentation required for the
course acceptance.
2.- We inform the
student, once approval is confirmed.
3.- Student study
abroad at our school(s).
4.- Upon completion of course. We submit transcripts to
university for credit. Transfer
credit fee: 200 USD
*
Minimum course length for university
certification= 3 weeks(one level)
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Universities that have already approved our courses for
credit |
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Boise State University |
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Carthage COllege |
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City College of San Francisco |
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East Carolina University |
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Eckerd College |
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Georgia State University |
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Grossmont College |
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Grove City College |
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Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis |
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Intensified Learning Opportunity Programme (ILOP) |
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Long Island University |
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Marietta College |
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Murray State University |
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Northwestern University |
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Oxford University |
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Penn State University |
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Philadelphia University |
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Pittsburgh State University |
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Portland State University |
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Towson University |
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University of Alberta |
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University of Arizona |
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University of Colorado at Boulder |
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University of Colorado Denver |
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University of Georgia |
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University of Massachusetts |
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University of Nevada Reno |
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University of North Florida |
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University of Oregon |
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University of Virginia |
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University of Wisconsin - Whitewater |
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Weber State University |
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Dates |
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Group sessions begin every second Monday for compete beginners. Students with no Spanish background should
begin on one of the official start dates, while those with prior
Spanish can generally join an existing group on any Monday. Individual courses may begin any time.
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Start dates 2008
for COMPLETE BEGINNERS:
Jan 14, Jan 28, Feb 11, Feb 25, Mar 10, Mar 24,
Apr 7, Apr 21, May 5, May 19, Jun 2, Jun 16, Jun 30, Jul 14, Jul
28,
Aug 11, Aug 25, Sep 8, Sep 22, Oct 6, Oct 20, Nov 3, Nov
17,
Dec 1, Dec 15, Dec 29
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- OFFICAL HOLIDAYS CHILE (No classes held
- classes NOT made up):
- Jan 01
New Year’s Day.
- Mar 21
Good Friday.
- May 01
Labour Day.
- Sep 18
Independence Day.
- Dec 25
Christmas Day.
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- OFFICAL HOLIDAYS CHILE (Classes* held
from 9:30am to 1:30pm):
- May 21 Navy Day
- Jul 16 St. Peter + St.
Paul Day
- Aug 15 Assumption of
Virgin Mary
- Sep 19 Army Day
- Dec 08 Inmaculada
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*On these days special classes focusing on conversation and
with no maximum number of students will be offered at 5 levels.
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Activities
+ Excursions |
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Clearly visible and
less than 100 km from Santiago, the nearby Andes mountains have
peaks of over 6000m and provide world-class ski resorts plus
trekking, rafting, biking, and climbing. Chile has maintained numerous national parks, giving vacationers
snow-peaked volcanoes, unrivaled scenery of the lakes district,
salt-water fjords, and spectacular geysers. Less than two hours west of Santiago lie many beaches, including
the famous resort of Viña Del Mar.
- Every Monday free welcome lunch for new students.
- Three activities a week, week days
- Two weekend excursions a month
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The far south, in Chilean
Patagonia, houses an area rich in marine life as whales, sea
lions, and penguin colonies can be witnessed in this sparsely
populated area.
Specific highlights include:
- Chile's port city of Valparaiso and nearby Isla Negra,
home to Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda's most famous
house.
- Weekend excursions in Chile include trips to the nearby
mountains for white-water rafting .
- Santiago vineyard tours.
- School parties featuring regional cooking lessons and
salsa practice
You still have
questions? Visit our FAQs
More about Chile,
Culture |
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NOTE: Airport transfer: 25 USD one way; 50 USD two ways
Airport transfer service available from 6.30am to
11pm
- Accommodation
- Check in: Sunday at 12:30 PM
Check out: Saturday at 10:00 AM
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