Language World 2011 conference and exhibition:  7th-9th July 2011

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The Language World 2011 conference and exhibition is a two-day celebration of language teaching and learning. There is a varied line up of speakers, ranging from key figures in language education to teachers who want to share their classroom experience.

There will also be a range of workshops to attend on subjects such as teacher collaboration across curriculum areas, sectors and schools; the international dimension; and the links between languages and sport in the run-up to London 2012.

For full details of the event and to book your place please visit the Association for Language Learning website.

Top 5 beach locations for an Italian course

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1. Alghero

Located on Sardinia’s North East coast, Alghero has long been a favourite amongst holidaymakers, and it’s very easy to see why.  It’s astonishingly blue waters and white-sand beaches give it a tropical feel, and every summer there’s weather to match. Alghero itself is a compact, historic city with a real Catalan flavour that dates back to the fourteenth century. It has plenty of history and culture for those who want it, and some delicious local food to enjoy. Anyone who wants to combine a language course with more active seaside pursuits has the option of learning how to windsurf via the school in Alghero too.

The school in Alghero offers a range of courses at a variety of levels. Currently on offer are General Italian, Individual Italian, Combined Italian, Italian & Painting and Italian & Watersports. Accommodation is available with a host family or in a shared apartment.

Find out more on Italian courses in Alghero

2. Viareggio

Viareggio is a traditional and lively seaside resort on the Versilian Riviera in Tuscany. Just down the coast from Pisa and not far from Florence and Lucca, its long, wide beaches, inviting climate and Mediterranean lifestyle have been attracting visitors for years. It is the ideal place to combine holiday and culture, as you can hit the beach one day, explore the town’s art and history the next, and round off the day with a night out dancing or a classical concert in traditional surroundings.

The school in Viareggio currently offers General, Individual, Combined and Academic Year Italian courses. Accommodation can be booked with a local host family, on a shared apartment, an apart-hotel or a student residence.

Find out more on Italian courses in Viareggio

3. Tropea image

Although Tropea is popular holiday spot for Italians, it’s not that well-known amongst foreign tourists – something which in itself adds to its appeal as a place to learn Italian. Tropea is located in the region of Calabria, in the so called ‘foot’ of the boot. It’s a really attractive little town perched above the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea, which is bordered by long, sandy beaches that are just a short walk from the town. Tropea enjoys a lovely pace of life and a small town feel, and is perfect for anyone looking for Italian lessons in the morning and relaxing on the beach in the afternoon.

The school in Tropea offers General, Individual, Combined and Academic Year courses. Accommodation is available in private or shared apartments.

Find out more on Italian courses in Tropea

4. Island of Elba image

Elba is located off the coast of Tuscany between the Tyrrhenian Sea and Ligurian Sea, and about 50 kilometres east of Corsica.  It is well connected to mainland Italy, with a regular ferry service going from Piombino (Tuscany) to Portoferraio, one of the main towns on the island. Elba is relatively undiscovered as a beach destination, in comparison to places like Viareggio and Alghero in any case, but it has beautiful, unspoilt beaches, clear waters, and some lovely scenery inland too. Elba enjoys a really laid-back atmosphere, and is great for anyone who would like to spend time both on the beach and enjoying watersports outside of lessons. 

Italian courses available on the Island of Elba include General Italian, Individual Italian, Combined Italian and Young at Heart Italian. Accommodation is offered in either a guest house or hotel.

Find out more on Italian courses on Elba

5. Taormina image

Situated on a terrace of Mount Tauro, overlooking the sparkling Ionian Sea and with spectacular views of Mount Etna to the west, Taromina enjoys a setting that is second to none.  It is arguably Sicily’s best known resort, and enjoys an up-market image that reflects its fascinating history and culture as well as its golden sands. Every summer Taormina hosts an internationally renowned arts festival that attracts thousands of visitors, highlights of which this year include performances by Placido Domingo and the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Italian courses in Taormina include General, Individual, Combined, Intensive, Exam Preparation, Young at Heart, Italian & Cookery and Italian & Scuba Diving.

Find out more on Italian courses in Taormina

Other coastal Italian course destinations to consider include Sorrento, Salerno, Cagliari and Genoa.

The Siena Palio

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Held in the Italian city of Siena on 2nd July and 16th August every year, the much-anticipated Palio di Siena has taken place since 1656.

Representatives from ten of the city’s seventeen wards, or contrade, take part in the race and are dressed in colourful costumes that represent their contrade.

They race on horseback around the Piazza del Campo to the cheers and encouragement of some 50,000 spectators, who often wear the colours of their contrada and sing their local anthems. The winner is the first horse across the finish line, whether or not its rider is still on it – it’s not uncommon for riders to fall from their horses during the 90 seconds that it takes to complete the course.

Preparations for the race are taken seriously and each contrada spends a lot of time and money trying to ensure that they will win. There is also considerable rivalry between the contrade and intense competition for who gets to ride in the race. On the evening before the race the contrade each hold big, outdoor banquets which are ‘rehearsals’ for their victory celebrations, and which are attended by about 25,000 people in total. Banquets are held after the race as well, whether the contrade won on not.

After the horses receive blessings at churches in their contrada, they and the crowds all converge on the Piazza del Campo for the 3 hour pre-race pageant, and the race itself. The pageant includes a parade with people dressed in brightly-coloured medieval costumes, floats, bands, horses and chariots. In the four months before the first Palio in July, each contrada puts on a parade to celebrate their patron saints, and the horses are chosen for the race.

Siena is beautiful, compact city in the hills of Tuscany in the north-west of Italy. The medieval centre of Siena with its many fine buildings and traffic-free winding lanes is a World Heritage Site. To the north of the city is the Chianti region with its spectacular views, vineyards and numerous historic towns, and to the west are nature reserves and the coast.

More about language courses in Siena

International Food and Travel Writers Association - July 2011

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Programs Offered in 30 Languages in 60 Countries – Four Bonus Offers Announced

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – (July 2011) Cactus Language Training teaches more than 30 languages in 60 countries at 500 destinations worldwide, each year adding new destinations, immersive cultural opportunities and enticing incentives that enhance the process of learning a new language through culturally enriching vacation experiences.  With an emphasis on affordability and authenticity, Cactus’s new 2011 vacation programs include learning Spanish and Latin Dance in Leticia, Colombia at a school on the banks of the Amazon; studying German in the low-key, less touristy Bavarian town of Lindau overlooking the Swiss Alps; and mastering Russian in culturally diverse Kiev, Ukraine near Belarus.  One-week programs begin at US/Cdn $123 per person.  Accommodations are additional and are customized according to desired budget to include home stays, resorts, hotels and other options. Prices for all Cactus programs are guaranteed in US /Cdn dollars.

The new Colombia location is one of 70 destinations in which Cactus offers Spanish language instruction; others include Argentina, Costa Rica, and two in Spain. Likewise, those who seek to speak French fluently can choose among 26 destinations, including Monaco; coastal Biarritz and Bordeaux in France; or Montreal. If ease with Italian is the goal, Cactus offers 22 locations across Italy.  Thai, Turkish and Brazilian Portuguese are among the 30 languages offered by Cactus.

Special Offers

Seasonal bonus offers include:

· 4 weeks for the price of 3 in Annecy, France. US/Cdn $1032. Accommodations are additional.

· 3 weeks for the price of 2 in Sorrento, Italy. US/Cdn $660. Accommodations are additional.

· Free private lessons in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. US/Cdn $543 for a 2-week group course, with free private tuition.

· Free half-day tour in Faro, Portugal. If you book a two-week course (starting now through October 3), a half-day bird watching or luxury boat tour is included. US/Cdn $703 for a 2-week course.

Cactus believes that “one size does not fit all” and tailors its broad range of programs to fit the individual needs of the learner.  Adding a further dimension to its in situ programs, Cactus incorporates cultural experiences, ranging from wine tasting and cooking to dance and diving, to strengthen and reinforce the day’s language lessons.  Cactus also offers courses for children, teenagers, families and mature travelers, as well as executives.

Now Magazine - July 2011

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This health special from Now Magazine, covers a range of holidays where you can get fit and learn a new skill.  The magazine is one of the highest-circulation women’s weekly magazines in the UK.  Laurie Hadleigh, features editor, writes: “Capoeira in Brazil – Perfect for those who have a passion for culture as well as adventure, this is an amaxzing fitness holiday in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.  Not only can you tone-up with capoeira clases, which combine dance. sport and martial arts moves, but you can also give your brain a workout with a Portuguese language course too!  A toned tummy and a new language skill? Obrigado, we say!  Prices start from £299 for one week (course only).  Visit cactuslanguage.com for more info.

Study Travel Magazine - July 2011

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This article, by Alex Wolfson at Cactus, describes a typical week in the life of a language travel consultant: “Monday: The week starts afresh to hopefully lots of new bookings taken over the weekend and hopefully no phone messages from clients who have arrived at their course destination over the weekend and are unable to find their transfer/host family street/the language school! June/July is our busiest season so at this time of year Monday is mostly taken up with processing new orders, collecting information on host family accommodation etc for existing ones and following up new enquiries. Monday is always the busiest day for any kind of client activity (new bookings, enquiries, chasing information) so today I’m at my desk drinking lots of tea.

Tuesday: This is usually my “School Groups day”. We have a few teenage groups accompanied by their school teachers going on language trips in July, though most go in October or at Easter. Tuesday is my day to focus on them. I could be preparing information packs, putting together a proposal, negotiating with a group leader on price, discussing a proposal with one of our partner schools. Last Tuesday I was visiting a potential school group client close to Southampton armed with sample quotes, Powerpoint presentation and dressed in a sharp suit in contrast to our usual Cactus dress-down style! That’s the advantage of being an online company – as clients don’t tend to come to our office, we can wear what we like!

Wednesday: Today a colleague in our marketing department approaches me for advice about where she might go abroad to take a Spanish course at one of our partner schools. She wants to go somewhere in September where there will be nice weather, a beach and a great school. I recommend our partners in Nerja, Malaga, Denia or Valencia. One of the main perks we get as employees of Cactus, whether we work in sales, marketing, finance or on our UK courses is that we can take a week’s language course at any of our partner schools in Cactus! This is great for keeping us in touch with language learning, and in keeping up our product knowledge.

Thursday: It’s getting to the end of the week so I run a report to check all the clients leaving to start their courses at the weekend have the information they need. I also take time to look at what destinations to put on our flash banners on our website. I take a look through what destinations have sold well in the past at this time of year and contact our partner schools in these destinations to see if we can get a special promotion or offer for our clients.

Friday: Manic day as we round off the week and send out any unsent information, have a team meeting, field calls from clients who have decided they want to start a course on Monday! With accommodation! I finalise my colleague’s course and follow up on School Groups proposals. An impromptu meeting with the Product Manager for our UK courses to discuss how we can cross market our courses takes me almost to the end of the day, so I run a final departure report, field one more call and dash off to the Wagon and Horses for a pint of cider, a laugh and a chat with my fantastic colleagues.”

Cactus German course locations – fantastic options for all

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Here are our recommendations:

1.The outdoor enthusiast

Located right on the edge of the Black Forest (die Schwarzwald), Freiburg is a great base for any students who like the Great Outdoors. Just a short car ride or train journey out of the city and you’re in the midst of some of Germany’s most stunning scenery, with the option to go hiking, mountain-biking and in the winter, skiing.

2.The culture vulture

There can be no doubt that Berlin holds the title of cultural as well as political capital of Germany. Berlin is a place that has become well-known as one of Europe’s most exciting and vibrant cities. It has a character all of its own, and wherever you go, you’ll find interesting things to explore, whether it’s art galleries, music venues and cafes, museums, theatres or other live performance venues. Berlin is an all-embracing city that celebrates both traditional and more modern forms of culture, and that caters for all tastes.

3.The foodie

There are lots of German and Austrian cities that boast an enviable prowess when it comes to food, but Vienna has got to be one of the best, even if only for its Kaffee and Kuchen! It has also given its name to one of the most famous dishes from that part of the world – the Wienerschnitzel. These days though, Vienna has a reputation not only for good cakes and meat, but in general – it has an astounding range of restaurants and cafes, where you can find food from all over the world.

4.The history buff

Again, there are scores of German cities with an interesting history to explore, but Munich certainly takes some beating. It has formed the backdrop to some of the most pivotal, and in some cases shocking, events in modern history and as a result has more than a few stories to tell. It’s also home to some of the most impressive architecture in Germany, along with a great range of museums and galleries.

5.The party animal

When it comes to party towns, Cologne has developed a reputation as one of the most fun and lively cities in Germany – especially during Karnival in February, when the whole city parties non-stop! Of course, late week-night partying is never a great idea during a language course, but you can certainly let your hair down at the weekend. Cologne has a massive array of pubs and clubs to suit all tastes all year-round, especially in the Rudolfplatz and Heumarkt areas of town.

6.The student on a budget

One of the most affordable options for students wishing to take a German course in Germany is Hamburg. These days the city is known as a lively, vibrant and cosmopolitan place, but it can still offer affordability when it comes to course fees and accommodation, and in fact a current offer provides students with a four week intensive course for the price of three!