February 21st 2011 – International Mother Language Day

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The aim of the day is to “promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by the peoples of the world” – in other words, to promote linguistic and cultural diversity. It is widely-held view that developing a better awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world will help achieve solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and communication.

The date represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were killed by police in Dhaka, now the capital of Bangladesh.

A day-long programme of events will take place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, including talks on bilingual education and new technologies and measuring linguistic diversity on the internet. The day is an ideal opportunity for all types of people and institutes to embrace multiculturalism and multilingualism though…

Please let us know if you have any plans to celebrate International Mother Language Day!

Read more on International Mother Language Day

10 reasons to learn English in Jersey

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Here are ten reasons to choose Jersey as an English study destination:

1. A warm, mild climate

Jersey’s location 12 miles from France in the bay of Mont St Michel means that it enjoys some of the nicest weather in the British Isles. It has lots of sunshine all year round and is mild in winter and hot in summer, which explains why it has long been a popular tourist destination.

2. An up-market feel

Within the UK Jersey is known as an exclusive island with lots of wealthy inhabitants. There is certainly a lot of money to be found there, with lots of expensive restaurants and hotels that give the main towns a very up-market feel. This isn’t to say that all of these places are expensive though – there are still budget options to be found.

3. Beautiful beaches and countryside

Jersey is home to around 30 beaches, many of which are long, sandy and golden. They’re perfect for sunbathing or for beach-based sports and are a great place to spend your evenings and weekends in the summer. As for the countryside on Jersey – only 45 square miles in size – it is green, pretty and unspoiled. There are strict planning laws in place to protect the countryside, which is also home to an array of wild flowers that prosper thanks to its ideal climate. The lovely countryside makes Jersey a great place to explore either on foot or by bike, and there are tracks and trails to follow all over the island.

4. A laid back atmosphere

Jersey’s pleasant climate and miles of sandy beaches give the island a definite ‘holiday’ vibe, which in turn gives it a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. There’s a nice pace of life on the island, which makes it a great place to study.

5. Safe and compact

Because the island is so modest in size, it’s really easy to get around. There are also lots of bus routes around the island, although cycling and bike hire is also a popular option amongst students. Jersey’s compact size and community feel also means that it benefits from a low crime rate, making it one of the safest places to learn English in the British Isles.

6. Free airport transfers and a free bus to and from school for students in host family accommodation

Any English students who opt to stay in host family accommodation in Jersey will benefit from a free bus to and from school which is laid on by the college. They are also offered a free transfer to and from the airport when they arrive/depart.

7. A wide range of activities and sights

All adult courses at the school in Jersey include two afternoon excursions plus two evening social activities (from November to February courses include one afternoon excursion per week plus two evening social activities). All summer standard courses include three afternoon excursions plus two evening social activities.

Activities may include: welcome drinks and jazz at The Blue Note, coast walk, excursion to Gorey Castle, excursion to Jersey Museum or Jersey War Tunnels, trip to St Malo, bike rides, dinner in a local pub (extra cost £10 – £15 )…

8. Interesting history image

Jersey may be British, but its geographical proximity to France has brought about many disputes over its rule, and as a result it has ‘changed hands’ many times.

Jersey only became an island about 8,000 years ago – previously it had been joined to the French mainland. From 933 until 1204, the Island was ruled from Normandy but when war broke out between King John – who was also Duke of Normandy – and France, King John lost Normandy, and the Islanders chose to break their ties with France and remain linked to the Duke. This left the Island in danger of invasion from nearby France, and so defences and castles were built around the Island – many of which still remain today.

Over the next few centuries there were several attempts by the French to take the island – some successful, others not. The last time that the island was occupied was during the Second World War, although the island was liberated once again in May 1945. The story of this time is told at the Jersey War Tunnels, the Channel Islands Military Museum and the Island Fortress Occupation Museum.

9. Unique culture

Jersey is not like anywhere else in the British Isles. Its history has forged it into an interesting mix of French and English, although English remains the official language. You will see lots of French-sounding place and road names though, and there is a definite Gallic feel to the island. There’s no doubt that it’s a part of Britain, but with sunnier weather than the mainland and a much more laid back way of life!

10. Lots of nice cuisine, especially seafood

As you’d expect from any island, Jersey boasts some amazing seafood, and some lovely seafood restaurants. Anyone with a passion for this type of food especially will be spoilt for choice, although there’s a good range of restaurants offering all kinds of cuisine.

English courses in Jersey are available at a range of levels and lengths. Students can choose between General English, Intensive English or Business English. For full details and to book please visit the Cactus Language website.

Focus on Brazil: an economy to watch

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Over the next decade, Brazil, Russia, India and China – the ‘BRICs’ countries – are set to become an increasingly powerful force in the world economy. Together they contribute over a third of world GDP growth, and Brazil – the largest country in South America and the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world – will soon replace the UK as the world’s sixth largest economy.

Brazil is indeed in a strong position at the moment. As 2011 dawned, it swore into office its first ever woman President, Dilma Rousseff, who replaced the man who had become the most popular president in the country’s history, Luiz Ignacio Lula de Silva. Big shoes to fill, certainly, but having served within Silva’s government for seven years, Rousseff is keen to consolidate the work of her predecessor and welcome in a new era for Brazil; the eradication of poverty and reduction of inequality being two major challenges.

Rousseff’s drive to tackle poverty may well be helped by Brazil’s potential as a major global oil producer. Recently-discovered offshore oilfields such as Tupi and Libra have provided billions of barrels of oil over the last few years, their discoveries making Brazil one of the world’s top 10 oil producers. Future oil revenues will be valuable in funding the reduction of poverty as well as investing in areas such as education and technology.

President Rousseff’s term in government will also see Brazil host the Rio Plus 20 global environmental summit, in 2012, and the FIFA World Cup in 2014.

Those wanting to make the most of Brazil’s huge potential by doing business here may consider language training in Brazilian Portuguese, which can be critical to establishing relationships and to future success in this fast-developing country.

On a similar vein, cultural training is helpful for employees who are looking to relocate to, or spend a prolonged period of time in, Brazil; not only does cultural training help to prevent culture shock, it can give a valuable insight into your target destination’s core values, local business practice, hierarchies and gender perceptions within the workplace, how to address your counterparts and more. Like language training, it can give you a step ahead of your competitors when it comes to integrating into and understanding Brazilian life.

Cactus Language Training offers all types of language and cultural training for relocation and other purposes. Specialising in tailor-made language training for businesses and individual needs, training is available in many different formats and in languages and locations across the globe.

Top 5 Italian and activity courses in Italy

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1. Italian and windsurfing in Tropea

Located in the region of Calabria, in the so-called ‘foot’ of the Italian boot, Tropea is an attractive little town that boasts some beautiful sandy beaches and shimmering blue waters. It’s an idyllic place both to study Italian and learn how to windsurf – this part of the course is carried out with a maximum of four participants and is taught by an experienced instructor. Although there are a range of Italian courses on offer (from beginners to advanced), the windsurfing course is specifically for beginners.

More about Italian and windsurfing in Tropea

2. Italian and tango in Turin

As the location for the 2006 Winter Olympics and the home of Fiat cars, Turin might seem like an unlikely candidate for the title of ‘Italy’s capital of Tango’.  In recent years though, this is exactly what the city has become and the Italian language school in Turin is now offering students the chance to make the most of this new found accolade.  Choosing a combined Italian and Argentine tango course will allow you a one evening or Sunday dance class per week, although you can also book extra private tango lessons.

More about Italian and tango in Turin

3. Italian and ceramics decoration in Salerno

Looking out over the Bay of Salerno, with the stunning Amalfi coast extending north, Salerno enjoys a wonderful location with magnificent sea views. image The town has a well preserved and attractive medieval centre and is full of buzzing piazzas with cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy the area’s warm climate. The Italian and ceramics course offers students the chance to learn about the local art and decoration of ceramics in a typical local crafts laboratory in Vietri (Salerno), the most famous centre for ceramics in Italy. Teachers are professional craftsmen specialised in the teaching of ceramics, and will demonstrate the age-old methods of creating and decorating objects and vases to students.

More about Italian and ceramics decoration on Salerno

4. Italian and cooking/wine in Bologna image

Let’s face it – food in general in Italy is good…in fact, it’s great! There’s one city in particular that seems to be synonymous with gastronomy though, and that’s Bologna.  With its Italian and cooking/wine tasting course, our partner school in Bologna offers students the chance to get a real insight into how the region’s best food and wine is made.  Included in this is two evenings of cooking (Tues + Thur from 7pm – 11pm) when students learn the basic skills necessary to prepare authentic Italian dishes, a wine tasting event where students are taught how to recognise different types of wine and to choose the best combinations of wine and food, and lastly, a visit to a weekly market where students learn about choosing and buying the best ingredients. A unique opportunity to learn from the best!

More about Italian and cooking/wine in Bologna

5. Italian and scuba diving in Taormina image

Situated on a terrace of Mount Tauro, overlooking the enticing Ionian Sea and with spectacular views of Mount Etna to the west, it’s easy to see why Taormina has been long been a popular tourist destination. One of its greatest attractions is its warm climate and clear waters, which make it a perfect place to learn how to scuba dive. The scuba diving course, held over one afternoon, is offered in conjunction with a general Italian course, and is designed for people with no previous diving experience.

*Please note that a scuba course for experienced divers is also available in Taormina

More about Italian and scuba diving courses in Taormina

Top 5 French and activity courses in France

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Here’s our pick of five of the best French and activity courses currently on offer in France:

1. French and painting in Aix en Provence

Whether you’re the next Dali, or painting by numbers is more your thing, you can’t help but be inspired by Aix’s great painting legacy. Aix en Provence was the home of Paul Cézanne, one of France’s best post-impressionist painters, and one of the city’s premier tourist attractions is the atelier in which he produced so many great pieces of work. The French and painting course combines the General French Course with an introduction to painting with Monique Faillard, an impressionist painter, who has been managing the Atelier du Soleil painting school for 40 years. Originally from Aix, she will pass on her passion for painting “in the light of Cézanne” – given that the lessons are all in French it’ll be a great way to immerse yourself as much as possible in the language.

More about French and painting in Aix en Provence

2. French and gastronomy in Lyon

Lyon is well-known for its gastronomic prowess – in fact, it’s often referred to as the ‘food’ capital of France. What better place therefore to take a French and gastronomy course? In the cooking programme offered by the school in Lyon you’ll discover and create the traditional recipes of Cuisine Lyonnaise, as well as more general French gastronomy including a practical cooking workshop with demonstrations and tastings. Also included in the programme is a diverse range of local visits, which will give you an insight into French cooking traditions and the world-famous specialities of Lyon and its region.

More about French and gastronomy in Lyon

3. French and hydrotherapy/spa in Vichy image

When it comes to the French and relaxation course in Vichy, we could say that it’ll give you an important cultural insight into the French way of life – there’s no denying that spas are as popular in France as they are in the UK after all. Let’s be honest though, the French and hydrotherapy course in Vichy is just a great way to let your hair down and unwind whilst you brush up your language skills, and there’s nothing wrong with that! What better way to let everything you’ve learnt in the morning soak in than by enjoying a sauna, whirlpool bath or rehydrating massage? Stimulation for the brain as well as the body!

More about French and hydrotherapy/spa in Vichy

4. French and surfing in Biarritz image

Situated on France’s wild Atlantic coast, Biarritz is an up-market resort town that has also become one of Europe’s premier surf spots. French study destinations don’t really get much better than Biarritz, with its golden beaches, array of bars and restaurants, and laid back atmosphere. Combining your French course with surfing lessons will allow you to learn a new skill, make the most of the warm weather and, of course, give you ample opportunity to practise your French outside of lessons.

More about French and surfing in Biarritz

5. French and wine-tasting in Toulouseimage

France as a country has a huge association with wine production, but the southwest of France is especially well-known for its vineyards. The French and wine-tasting course that is offered in Toulouse is a must for any wine-lover, and is open to students of all levels. Included as part of the programme is a wine tasting evening at the school, an evening-long course on the history and geography of French wines and the vocabulary of wine, a half day excursion to the local wine producing region of Fronton (includes a tour of 1 or 2 domaines, including explanantions and demonstrations of wine-making techniques and on-site tastings) and a Toulouse city tour on the theme of wine, followed by a full tasting in a local “cave” including local specialities such as cheeses and sausages, etc. A perfect to spend a week or two!

More about French and wine-tasting in Toulouse

May Day celebrations around the world

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The origins of May Day

The earliest May Day celebrations are generally acknowledged to have taken place in the pre-Christian era, with the festival of Flora (Roman Goddess of flowers), the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries, and the celebration of Beltane in Gaelic countries. Most of these were a celebration of the coming of summer, and of the fertility that accompanied the season.

More recently – since the 19th century to be more precise – May Day has also become synonymous with the labour movement, and is often viewed as a day to recognise the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day (or International Workers’ Day as it’s also known) has its origins in the ‘eight-hour day movement’, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

The revolutionary nature of Labour Day’s history has lead to its adoption by many organisations and communities across the world as a day for political protest or rallies, which in turn was responsible for the American government’s decision to rename it ‘Loyalty Day’.

May Day (Loyalty Day) celebrations in the USA

Loyalty Day was first observed in 1921 as “Americanisation Day” to counterbalance Labour Day on 1st May, which was celebrated in other parts of the world and perceived as communist.  On May 1, 1930, about 10,000 Veterans of Foreign War members staged a rally at New York’s Union Square to promote patriotism. Through a resolution adopted in 1949, May 1 evolved into Loyalty Day, when Americans are supposed to show their loyalty to, and love of, their country with appropriate ceremonies in schools and other public places.

Read more about English courses in the US

May Day Celebrations in Scotland and Ireland

May Day celebrations in these two countries generally relate to Beltane – a Celtic calendar feast to mark the start of summer. Bonfires were common features of Beltane celebrations and still remain so today. Related rituals included driving cattle between two fires, and burning witches in effigy. One of the biggest and most-well known celebrations today is the fire festival in Edinburgh, when a huge bonfire is lit on Carlton Hill.

Read more about English courses in Scotland and Ireland

May Day Celebrations in Germany

In Germany, particularly in the more rural areas, people celebrate what is known as ‘Walpurgisnacht’ on 1st May. Walpurgisnacht stems from the legend of the abbess of a monastery of Heidenheim, who helped St. Boniface bring Christianity to 8th Century Germany. As her remains have been moved on multiple occasions, several days have been designated in her honor, one of which is the first of May. This date coincided with a pre-existing pagan festival, which, in Germany, included activities intended to protect against witchcraft. This brought about the development of a hybrid legend, in which witches were said to meet the Devil on the eve of May 1, on the Brocken peak. The night of April 30th became known as “Walpurgisnacht”. If you visit Germany at this time of year, you will find pagan celebrations that include bonfires and lots of partying – all night long in most cases!

Read more about German courses in Germany

May Day celebrations in the UK

In medieval England, people would celebrate the start of spring by going out into the countryside —”going a-maying”— to collect greenery and flowers. Another English tradition was dancing around the maypole. Some towns had permanent maypoles, whilst others put up a new one each May. Every year the pole would be decorated with greenery and ribbons, colourfully painted, and served as a focus point of the celebrations.

These days, many of these traditions have been lost, although if you’re lucky you may find the odd Maypole in rural villages with communities keen to honour the tradition! One rite that has steadfastly remained, though, takes place in Oxford when the Magdalen choir sing from Magdalen Chapel Tower to celebrate the dawn of May Day. This tradition dates back to at least the 17th century. During the celebrations, people are also known to jump off the Magdalen Bridge in full evening dress – an activity that, although very traditional, is attracting increased safety concerns! As a result, the festivities may not remain the same for much longer, so a visit to Oxford on May Day this year would give you a glimpse of what could soon be an extinct British tradition…

Read more about English courses in Oxford

San Isidro - Party in Madrid

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If you want to experience the most quintessential of Spanish traditions then head for Madrid during its San Isidro festival, or fiesta de San Isidro.

Not only is this the world’s most important bullfighting festival, marking the start of the bullfighting season in Madrid, it is also an excuse for flamboyant Spanish fiesta in the form of music, dancing, fairs and what is known as the romeria, or pilgrimage, to the shrine of Madrid’s patron saint, San Isidro.

It is historically a religious celebration of the generosity of San Isidro, a poor farmer who gave food to the poor, but today food is in ample supply and forms an important part of festivities, from the street-side organ-grinders selling traditional sweet snacks to the ceremonial cooking of a huge Cocido Madrileño (Madrid’s speciality dish, a traditional chickpea-based stew with meat and potatoes) on the last day of the festival.

Celebrations for San Isidro often start a few days in advance, kicked off by the Mayor’s speech, but it is on the day itself, 15th May, that the locals, or Madrileños, go all out with their traditional dress – flat cap, waistcoat and neckerchief for the men, long dress, headscarf and shawl for the women – and head to the magnificent Plaza Mayor for traditional dancing and open-air concerts.

Throughout the capital there are varied events over the course of the week around San Isidro, notably the much-anticipated bullfights in Las Ventas bullring, rock concerts in the Casa de Campo, and open-air dancing in Vistillas Park.

Book tickets to specific events in advance, or just turn up and soak up the exhilarating atmosphere – this is a chance to experience Spain’s capital in all its glory, a perfect add-on to a trip to Europe.

Get into the swing of things with our Top 10 cheeky Spanish chat-up lines. If you are interested in learning Spanish, sign up for one of Cactus’ many Spanish classes in the US and Canada: Boston, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver.

Or combine learning Spanish with a fun-filled trip to Madrid and learn Spanish in Spain!

Spanish courses in Madrid >

France’s ‘pink city’ - what makes Toulouse a great study destination

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Toulouse, the capital of the French region of “Midi-Pyrénées”, is one of the most colourful cities in the south of France, where the weather is nice all year round.

It’s an attractive, historical university town but is actually also well-know for state-of-the-art technology – one of the city’s main attractions is La Cité de L’espace, a technological and educative theme park based on astronautics.

Culture and gastronomy

Toulouse’s 440 000 inhabitants are proud of the unique culture of the “Occitanie” territory, also called the Oc Country (Occitan: lo País d’Òc). The common culture of Occitanie is found throughout the whole of southern France, and is made up of Spanish, Italian and French influences. L’Occitanie reveals all its beauty through the people, the language, the monuments and obviously, the food!

It is a highly cultural city, with lots of museums exhibiting, for instance, the Cathare heritage of Toulouse. And many art exhibitions, festivals and concerts take place throughout the year in the city. In addition, big markets are organised every week, offering a wide range of typical food of the region, including bread, sausages, fresh fruits or vegetables.

When it comes to gastronomy, Toulouse offers lots of delicious typical meals. We could mention the Cassoulet, the confit of duck, Toulouse’s sausages, mushrooms, products issued from the Violette flower (candies, jam…) etc. The typical dessert is the Fenetra, a marzipan, apricot and lemon cake. The typical beverage is Armagnac, the oldest eau de vie of the South west.

Architecture and historical sites

The particularity of the town is that every building is built with pink/red bricks, whose shade varies with the sun! Moreover “La Ville Rose”, as it is commonly known, has plenty of monuments which are classified by UNESCO, such as the Canal du Midi or the St Sernin Church. The main square is La Place du Capitole where the symbol of Occitanie, a twelve point cross, is engraved on the floor with a birth sign at each corner.

People and lifestyle

There are more than 100 000 students in Toulouse, which makes it the 3rd largest university town in France. It is a very lively and warm city by night, where bars and streets are often busy all night long, mainly when the weather is mild. During the day the “Toulousains” like to saunter around the town centre streets, or along the beautiful river – La Garonne. They also love sitting at a table outside a café, or in one of the many squares.

Perhaps due to the balmy climate of the region, the art of living in Toulouse is different from all other cities in France. The melodic accent goes hand to hand with the happy nature of the Toulousains, who are well-known in France to be friendly, frank and warm-blooded people.

Those who are native of Toulouse often consider it as a town that belongs to their heart, and as a result they would never want to leave. An example is famous French singer Claude Nougaro, who was born in Toulouse and who used to sing for his beloved city…

Cactus offers general, individual and combined French courses in Toulouse, as well as a French and cookery course.

Who teaches Cactus’ foreign language evening courses in the US and Canada?

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We are fortunate to have a hugely talented pool of teachers, and consider the standard of the teaching on offer to be fantastic. All of our teachers are experienced, enthusiastic and either native speakers of the language they teach, or of native speaker level. To give you an idea of the kind of skills and qualifications they have, we spoke to Spanish teacher Enrique Gonzales (pictured), Brazilian Portuguese teacher Alice Ishii and French teacher Christelle Durandy.

Enrique Gonzales

Enrique is originally from Trujillo, Peru and has been living in the United States since 2006, first in San Francisco and now in New York.

He has been a foreign language learner since the age of 7 and started teaching English in Trujillo in 1999. He later worked as a private tutor in English, French, and Spanish to foreigners living in Peru. He has a degree in Mass Communications and several years of classroom experience.

Enrique has been working with Cactus since 2007 and is currently teaching group and private Spanish classes in all levels. He always tries to get his students to expose themselves to the language as much as possible and New York is a great environment for Spanish learners – they can easily find people to listen to, talk with and plenty of cultural and artistic manifestations to experience a variety of accents.

Alica Ishii

Alice is one of our Vancouver-based Portuguese teachers. Alice was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and graduated from USP -University of São Paulo with a major in Portuguese Language and Literature and minor in English as a Second Language. She gained her certified teaching degree in British Columbia at SFU – Simon Fraser University in 2000 and also taught ESL for 10 years in a public school first in British Columbia and 5 years in Wisconsin, at the Technical College. She has been teaching in Vancouver for Cactus since 2008.

The reason she has a passion for teaching, especially adults, is that she can really interact with them, exchanging experiences and learning about different cultures, customs and connecting with a wide range of people.

At the end of each year when she sees her students’ improvement her enthusiasm rises and as a result she wants to learn more. Therefore, she’s always in constant learning process, doing research, experimenting, questioning and adjusting lessons plans to her students’ needs.

Alice’s top tips for successful language learning are:

1. Organise your schedule: manage your time and material

2. Review each class : 15 minutes each day

3. Practice/Use the target language at home, with your friends, family

4. Listen carefully to tapes, podcasts and watch films, clips, songs in the target language as many as you can

Christelle Durandy

Christelle has lived in the US for five years, although originally comes from France. She currently teaches for Cactus in New York –normally two or three sessions a week.

She’s been teaching for 10 years, and is a graduate of the University of Rennes. She also has a GRETA (certification) – GRETA (GRoupements d’ETAblissements) is a national network of public and adult education centres in France.

When asked about what she most enjoys about teaching she said the interaction; finding personalized ways and keys to make the students understand, and their happiness when they do.

Cactus offers 5 and 10-week evening language courses in New York, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, Vancouver and Toronto. Languages offered include French, Spanish, German, Italian, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Russian. Please visit the Cactus Language Courses website for full course listings, to test your level, or to book.

Goodtoknow.co.uk - February 2011

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Cactus set-up a special competition on the GoodtoKnow.co.uk website to win two evening language courses.  The website is a hugely popular women’s lifestyle site published by IPC media. 

Enter this competition and you could be speaking a new language in a few months time!

With spring in the air and summer holidays just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to try your hand at a new language.  Cactus Language Training is offering one person the chance to win a 10-week evening courses in Spanish, French, Italian or German – and one for a friend!

Evening classes are a great way to meet like-minded people and absorb a new language, whether you’re learning before jetting off on holiday or want to impress friends or colleagues.  And with Cactus courses available at 47 locations around the UK, there’s sure to be a location to suit.

Cactus is one of the world’s leading language training companies and every year we help more than 15,000 people learn over 30 languages in 60 countries and at 500 destinations worldwide.  To find our more about all our courses visit https://www.cactuslanguagetraining.com.”