Spanish course Panama Boquete

Spanish Course Panama: Feedback from Boquete

Panama is a fantastic place to learn Spanish and here, a student from our partner school Habla Ya gives us first-hand feedback from her 6-week Spanish course in Boquete learning Spanish for work

“I’m a native English speaker from the U.S., and my Spanish was at a low intermediate level when I started at Habla Ya. I really enjoyed my time at the location in Boquete, and I learned a lot. I am now quite conversational (of course I still make tons of mistakes!), and I am able to speak Spanish with my clients at work. I consider many of the Habla Ya teachers good friends after my experience at the school, and I am thrilled to have Facebook as a way to keep in touch with them.

Spanish Course Panama – Learning Spanish for Work

Spanish course Panama Boquete schoolI attended Habla Ya for six weeks, and I was extremely motivated since I need to be proficient in Spanish for my job. The professors at Habla Ya took this seriously and helped me focus most on conversation and my comfort/confidence level. Through some strange (probably uncommon) circumstances, I think I had all but maybe two of Boquete’s Habla Ya professors while attending the school. This was a terrific experience for me because each teacher has a different style and some focus more on specific things than others. I especially liked the teachers who corrected me when I made the same mistakes repeatedly, as I learned a lot from this. It can be a tough balance because correcting every single mistake would slow the flow of conversation, but the corrections were always very helpful.

It wasn’t easy to be away from home and income for six weeks, but I feel like I really turned a corner after around week four, and weeks five and six were amazing since I could actually hold a conversation and improve my fluency and confidence level. I know it’s hard to get away for so long, but I highly recommend it if you can. I also recommend you take your learning into your own hands too. Bring supplemental materials and study them. Habla Ya can sell you an excellent language dictionary, but I also highly recommend the book 501 Verbs, the Practice Makes Perfect workbooks (they are available in hard copy or downloadable format), basic children’s novels in Spanish, movies (depending on your level, you can work your way up to watching with Spanish audio and Spanish subtitles), and especially podcasts like Buenos Dias America, Notes in Spanish, and Coffee Break Spanish. I would have been lost at times without these supplemental materials, as the Habla Ya texts don’t provide a lot of explanation. The teachers do, but when you’re back at your homestay trying to study or do your homework, it’s nice to have other helpful materials. And it was a serious luxury for me to be able to study Spanish around the clock, so I tried to immerse myself in Spanish constantly, even back at my homestay after dinner. (Also, a tip: if you need office supplies/notebooks, etc. while in Boquete, I recommend going to La Reina.)

Spanish Course Panama – Homestay Benefits

I highly recommend doing a homestay during your time at Habla Ya. My Spanish would not have advanced nearly so far if I hadn’t been speaking it every day, all day. I stayed with a lovely family in which the parents spoke almost no English, and that meant I had to use my Spanish to communicate and couldn’t slack off once classes were over. It was also wonderful to experience the culture of Boquete and the culture of Panama in a family setting.

Spanish Course Panama – Best Places To Go

Boquete is a lovely town, and I was glad I stayed in one place while I studied. I’ve taken Spanish classes elsewhere at a time in my life when the travel part of the trip was more important to me than the language acquisition part of the trip, but for my time in Boquete I was very focused on my studies. Boquete was a good choice as a place where I could concentrate. You just have to be careful you don’t spend much of your lunch and free time at American-owned establishments where you can speak English – it’s easy to fall into this, but it definitely doesn’t help in the long run.

Spanish course PanamaIf you can spend a couple of days in Panama City before heading to Boquete, that is very worthwhile. A trip to see the canal and spending some time in Casco Viejo would be my two top recommendations in Panama City.

If you can get to David while you’re in Boquete, you will see a very different type of city from Boquete, and I enjoyed that too. Taking the bus to David isn’t difficult, and anyone at Habla Ya can tell you how to do it. The excursions are also really fun (you can do these with Habla Ya or a number of other outfitters around town), and Giselle at Habla Ya is amazing at helping with travel booking, rides to and from the bus station, etc. I felt like Habla Ya took really good care of me while I was there. I felt very safe in Boquete, and the people were incredibly friendly. I fell in love with the place and hope to return.

Spanish Course Panama – Teachers & Classes

As I said, I had many teachers at Habla Ya, and I thought they were all very good. I enjoyed both the group and the individual classes. I started with group classes plus one hour of individual instruction each day, and the last week or so I had three hours of individual classes per day with no group classes. I didn’t plan it this way, but it worked out really well.

The group classes are great for learning grammar, learning from questions that other students ask, making friends, etc., and the individual classes allow you to ask all of your own questions, even when they don’t pertain to what you’re studying at the moment, and to talk talk talk talk talk (the most important thing you can do!).

boquete staffI’m very happy with how my experience at Habla Ya played out, as the last week or so I was literally just conversing with my individual instructors for one or two hours at a time, and this is just what I needed. And it was such fun to get to know them and hear about their lives and families and dreams. I highly recommend each of the teachers I had. Tamara was my individual professor for nearly the entire six weeks, and she helped me focus on legal terminology and the language I would need in my job. We did role plays so I could practice working with clients and get more comfortable in that format, and she helped me develop my conversational skills a lot. She is very good at correcting you without interrupting the conversation, and conversations are so pleasant and useful that the time just flies by. She speaks English well, which was helpful when I wanted to know how to convey a specific idea or sentiment in Spanish and couldn’t really explain it in Spanish.

Yubal was my group class professor, and he did such a great job keeping the group cohesive and making sure everyone had the same opportunities to share and practice their Spanish. He is very inquisitive, so it was fun to talk with him in Spanish about different political issues, problems, cultures, etc. In fact, that was one of my favorite things about the school. The lessons were structured so that we were studying and talking about major issues like capital punishment, drug trafficking, etc. The subject matter was fascinating so studying was interesting and kept your attention.

In a very short time I learned so much from Ericka and Widad. I felt like they took my Spanish up an entire level just in my last week or so. Yaira spent hours with me just chatting, which is the best way I’ve found to improve my Spanish, and she corrected some mistakes that I had been making over and over. I only had Irasema for my first week, but that was a great way to get adjusted to speaking Spanish daily, and she was very kind and patient. I think Arelis was my teacher for only one or two days, but she was an excellent teacher and a great friend and spirit throughout my stay in Boquete. Lorena, Maritza, and Alberto were very helpful and generous with their time, and I always felt like my progress learning Spanish was everyone’s biggest priority. They all speak Spanish and English, but no one ever tried to switch to English when I was taking forever to say a simple sentence in Spanish.

I definitely recommend Habla Ya, and I’m very grateful to the school and its amazing staff and professors.”

Thank you to Tiffany from Denver, Colorado, for contributing her feedback, and to Habla Ya for providing images.

Spanish Course Panama: Cactus offers Spanish courses in the thriving capital city of Panama City, the Pacific mountains of Boquete and the idyllic Caribbean beach location of Bocas del Toro.

Spanish courses are also available across Spain and Latin America.

moving abroad checklist

Succeeding in International Markets: Weekend Events

In a world where international clients are ten times more likely to do business with someone who speaks their language, taking the time to understand the language and culture of your business clients has never been more important.

Indeed, it has been estimated that the UK economy loses around £48 billion each year, or 3.5% of GDP, due to poor language skills, a lack of cultural understanding, and the assumption that everybody speaks English [source: Language skills deficit costs the UK £48bn a year, The Guardian].

With our expertise in delivering high quality language tuition combined with cross-cultural training, Cactus has designed a series of intensive weekend events entitled ‘Succeeding in International Markets’. These courses will equip you with the skills and confidence you need to establish and develop successful business relationships in specific markets, and gain a competitive edge in the global marketplace.

The Key Components to Success – Course Features:

  • Acquire valuable insights into B2B and B2C cultural behaviours and norms that will enhance your negotiation techniques and marketing strategies
  • Understand management and communication styles, values and attitudes, to help win business in your target market
  • Adopt correct body language, gestures and etiquette that will leave a favourable impression on your partners and clients
  • Learn essential phrases and expressions in the target language that will help you to establish positive relationships with colleagues, partners, clients and suppliers
  • Gain practical strategies for overcoming the challenges of conducting business in specific markets (see list below)
  • Network with like-minded professionals

Succeeding in International Markets – Available Courses:

Register your interest in Cactus’ business weekend courses now.

Succeeding in International Markets courses run throughout November 2015 in Holborn, Central London.

“If I want to sell you something, we speak English. If you want to sell me something, dann sprechen wir Deutsch.” Willy Brandt, Former Chancellor of Germany

Cactus Language Training specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. We are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you. In addition to language training we also offer cross-cultural training, translation services, HR language assessment and elocution and pronunciation.

If you have a language learning or language teaching query that you can’t find the answer to, please get in contact with us either by Facebook or by Twitter, or contact us here.

10 Reasons Why Website Translation Is Crucial

There can be no underestimating the importance of a good business website in a day when internet usage is at an all-time high – and growing. With huge numbers of people searching for products and services via the internet all over the world, a major competitive advantage can be achieved through the relatively simple act of website translation: presenting the information to people in their own language.

10 reasons why you should consider website translation:

  1. Increase your search engine ranking

It’s all very well having great website content, but you need to make sure the right people can find it! Search engines lead people to your website, and in many countries where internet usage is high (France, China and Japan) the default search engines are not necessarily in the English language. In fact, more than half of all Google searches are NOT conducted in English. Translating your website is key in making your company appear on search engines in the countries you are targeting and drive traffic to your website.

  1. Less English-speaking internet users

Seoul, South Korea skyline with Namsan Mountain and Seoul Tower.It used to be that English was the primary language of the internet, and English speakers were the main users of the internet. This is all changing as countries across the world show substantial increases in internet usage, consequently opening up the worldwide web to huge numbers of non-English speakers. Almost 70% of internet users are non-native English speakers, yet 57% of websites are available only in English: translate your website while the imbalance is evident and you will catch these new markets at the vitally important growth stage where opportunity is wide open.

  1. Increase your customers

Website translation will make your website available to thousands more people from all corners of the globe, and this in turn will bring you new and relevant customers.

  1. Gain trust

Offering your website in another language will earn you trust from speakers of that language, which in many cultures carries high importance. We cannot always assume that people across the world will feel confident enough in their English ability to use English-language websites – especially when they are located a long way away. Let them know that you speak their language and they are more likely to purchase from you.

  1. Understand cultural sensitivity

On a similar vein to trust, a multilingual website will help to overcome cultural barriers and portray the information in a way that is sensitive and relevant to the target culture. This will help the user to feel comfortable navigating your site and trusting your product.

  1. Portray a positive image

Before you even start reading a website, seeing that it is multilingual sends out an immediate and positive message that you are international.

  1. Beat your competitors

Give any non-native speaker the option of using a company whose website is in their language, compared with a company whose website is available only in English, and it is not hard to guess who they will choose. By translating your website you will be putting yourself a step ahead of your competitors and establishing yourself as the market leader.

  1. Make it easy for your customers

website translation laptopThe harder it is for visitors to read your website, the more likely they are to give up and leave your site. Make the journey for your customers as easy as possible by offering the information in their own language, and they are more likely to stay on your site and ultimately become consumers. A report by the Common Sense Advisory discovered that, even in our globalised world, 85% of consumers will not make a purchase if information is not available in their native language.

 

  1. Gain a valuable marketing tool

Website translation will not only enhance your sales potential, it is also a brilliant marketing tool. Having your website available in multiple languages is an easy and cost effective way of capturing new users, giving your brand a global outlook and marketing your company to a whole new international audience.

  1. It’s about them, not you

Finally, everybody likes to think they are important, and by translating your website you are telling your customers that you think they are important. Their opinion matters and their business matters. The simple act of presenting information in their own language is a great way to demonstrate that you value them, and this will make them want to do business with you.

Cactus Language Training is a leading provider of language training, translation services and cross-cultural training. Please contact us here or call 00 44 (0) 1273 830 960 for a competitive quote for professional translation. You can be sure of high quality and accuracy as well as prompt service and fair prices.

 

Learn a Language Your Way Video

Learn a language with the experts

Cactus is a leader in language learning, with many years’ experience designing and implementing language courses for all needs and interests. We know that different people learn in different ways, and we can help you to learn a language your way. Discover all the options with our Learn a Language Your Way Video.

Learn a Language Your Way Video

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Your language learning options

Whether you are looking for a 10-week evening language course to fit into your working week, a private language course via Skype or face-to-face, a TEFL course to enable you to teach English the world over, or a language course abroad where you can truly immerse yourself in the language and culture, Cactus has the language learning solutions you need.

 

 

 

If you have a language learning or language teaching query, please visit our blog or get in contact with us either by Facebook or by Twitter. Alternatively, feel free to contact us here or call to speak to one of our advisors on  00 44 (0) 1273 830 960.

 

How much language can you learn in one year?

New year is a great time to learn a new language, as it not only ticks off a worthy resolution but it gives you valuable skills to take forward. But the big question is – how much language can you really learn in one year?

Whether in preparation for an overseas business trip, to secure a deal with foreign partners or to maximise your employment potential, learning a language will put you one step ahead in the global community and bring you instant respect and admiration.

By making it your goal to learn or improve a language in 2015, you can track your progress from January to December and see how much you’ve learned over the year. Be honest about the time you can commit each week to your target language and make realistic short-term goals; this is the secret to keeping focused and energised!

So how much language can you expect to learn in one year?

This depends on factors such as:

  • Your existing level
  • Your learning style
  • The amount of time you have
  • The amount of self-study you do
  • The number of participants in your group
  • If you can spend time in a country where the language is spoken

We can offer a general guideline to help you plan your language training. Let’s take the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which all Cactus courses are designed around, whereby A1 is beginner level and C2 is proficient.

If we take the most extreme case of wanting to progress from beginner level (A1) in January to proficient (C2) by December, you will need 375 hours of 1:1 class time* plus 255 hours of self-study.

That’s a one-hour class every day of the year – but of course, realistically, you’re more likely to study for a couple of hours at a time, and may put it many more hours on a holiday or business trip.

Let’s say you know the basics in a language and want to gain a bit more confidence, but there’s no rush. Transitting from beginner (A1) to elementary (A2) will require 45 hours of 1:1 classes, plus another 30 hours of self-study. If you do two-hours a week you will reach your goal in under six months!

Break it down into days, weeks and months and it’s easy to design a course that complements your learning style, suits your lifestyle and reflects your end goals. Whatever your language learning resolutions, your teacher will sit down with you at the beginning of your course to plan the content and make sure that you end the year on a linguistic high.

Bon nouvel an…feliz año nuevo…guten Rutsch…happy new year!

Cactus Language Training specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. Our expertise in the field of face-to-face tuition is second-to-none. With an extensive network of approved teachers and a strong in-house academic team, we are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you.

 

Business travel: why it pays to prepare yourself both culturally and linguistically

Business Travel: there are lots of good reasons why you should try to pick up some of the local language before you go on a business trip.  First of all, it will help massively with the practicalities of foreign travel – like getting from A to B, whether you’re asking for directions, for tickets or for maps for public transport. It can also be imperative when it comes to getting receipts – not something that many people think of prior to their arrival, but given that the accounts departments in many companies won’t reimburse the cost of anything that you don’t have a receipt for, it’s very important!

Secondly, being able to speak some of the language will go down well with your potential business partners. Being able to order your own food at a business lunch without relying on them will not only impress them in the sense that you’ve been committed enough to learn some of the language, but will also indicate that you are an independent, respectful and intelligent person…all good attributes when it comes to doing business.

Culturally-speaking, doing some degree of training, or reading up on, the culture of the country you are going to can be priceless. Not knowing the cultural norms of your foreign counterparts can lead to embarrassing situations, and sometimes even offence. Not a great start to any potential business partnership…

Some business associates that you meet may be accustomed to western ways, and may be more understanding when it comes to cultural faux-pas, but this cannot be said for all. Often people don’t realise the extent of the cultural differences that can exist between nationalities, or the importance that is placed on certain norms by people from other countries.

To highlight some examples, did you know that….

1. In Japan, the exchanging of business cards involves a degree of ceremony. The card is viewed as a representation of the individual, so should be treated with due respect. Before travelling to Japan, you should make sure that you have plenty of cards, and have one side translated into Japanese.

When exchanging, you should offer your card with both hands, and make sure that you hand it over with the Japanese side up. When accepting a card, always use two hands too.

2. In the Middle East, handshakes are the usual way to greet business associates, and they can last a long time! It should always be the right hand that is used. You may also find that your hand is held while you are led somewhere – this is common in the Middle East and doesn’t have the same connotations as in western cultures.

3. In China, physical contact is not something that is widely accepted – especially when doing business. Be sure not to slap, pat or put your arm around any associate’s shoulders.

Body language and movement are both areas you should be aware of when doing business in China. You should always be calm and controlled. Body posture should always be formal and attentive – this shows you have self-control and are worthy of respect.

4. In India, when negotiating, you should try to avoid high pressure, or aggressive tactics. Criticisms and disagreements should be expressed with diplomatic language as it is considered very impolite to say “no” in Indian society. Listen carefully to Indians’ responses to your questions – if terms such as “maybe” are used then they might be disagreeing.

5. In Italy, hospitality plays a key role in business culture. Invitations to lunch and dinner should be expected when doing business there. Normally, the most ‘important’ guest will sit at the middle of the table or on the right of the host; the host always pays; it is not considered acceptable to take any phone calls at the table.

Cultural training courses are a great way to learn about the cultural etiquette and norms of the country that you’re going to. Programmes can be tailor-made to suit your specific needs, and offer great value for money. To find out more, or enquire about prices please visit the Cactus Language Training website.

Language opens the door to new markets: the increase in Brazilian Portuguese, Turkish and Korean

Diversifying into new markets is a smart way for businesses to survive in hard times; having the appropriate language skills is key to tapping into these markets and forming long-term partnerships.

A few years ago we spoke about the increasing importance of Arabic, Russian and Mandarin as languages that were opening the door to valuable, developing markets – markets that were less affected by the latest global recession and which had the ability to maximise the earning potential of traditional western economies. These languages have indeed proved to be key in establishing successful business relationships with Russia, China and the Arab world, investments that will reap long-term reward.

It is now time to turn our head towards new markets that may for the same reason represent a smart business move in the current economic climate.

Brazil: Brazilian Portuguese

A prime contender here is Brazil, home to Brazilian Portuguese, and host country to major worldwide sporting events including next year’s FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics. This vast South American country may have experienced a slight decrease in growth over the last year, but with the world’s eyes set on Brazil for a good few years to come and its status as one of the advancing BRICS economies, it is unlikely to lose its place in the spotlight. Brazilian Portuguese is certainly a popular language at Cactus, with students taking evening courses mostly for work reasons – a positive sign of commercial investment in the country and recognition of the need to communicate in the local language rather than relying on our own. With Brazilian Portuguese being spoken by nearly all of Brazil’s 200 million inhabitants, and the language rated as Category 1 difficulty for English speakers to learn (Category 1 being the easiest, Category 3 the most difficult*), that makes a lot of extra people you can do business with, relatively easily.

Turkey: Turkish

Second on our list of markets to watch is Turkey. A rich historical land sitting on the European-Asian divide, it is Turkey’s imminent accession to the EU that promises a significant leap in business potential. As has been witnessed with other member states, the country can expect increased overseas investment and access to economic development aid, both of which should drive economic growth.

It’s fair to say, however, that Turkey has been enjoying something of a transformation even before their EU membership comes into effect. Slowly appearing amongst Istanbul’s extravagant Ottoman mosques and exotic bazaars are ultra-modern shopping malls, fashionable bars and sleek art galleries, all frequented by a young and culturally diverse crowd who have money and time to spend it; in turn, this makes Istanbul an attractive city break for foreigners, bringing in additional foreign currency.

Turkish is a language with over 63 million native speakers and is generally classified as a language of Category 2* difficulty for English speakers. For a country such as Turkey with strong cultural traditions and deeply rooted beliefs, the ability to communicate on a personal level through knowledge of Turkish gives anyone considering doing business here a distinct advantage.

South Korea: Korean

Finally, our look at emerging markets turns to Asia. While China’s growth shows signs of slowing, its trading partner South Korea last month (July 2013) boasted its fastest growth rate in over two years. This is partly thanks to the country being home to some of the world’s most successful hi-tech and manufacturing corporations – Samsung and Hyundai Motors among them – which contribute to South Korea’s buoyant export figures. As a language to invest in, Korean is rated at Category 3* difficulty for English speakers so more time and money is required to achieve a proficient working knowledge of the language. That said, the effort to speak the local language is rarely more appreciated than it is in Asia, especially in the business environment. Add to this the fact that linguistic training invariably includes an appreciation of the relevant social and cultural contexts and building bridges with a new market such as South Korea becomes far more feasible.

The British Foreign Office has recently re-opened its language centre and is dedicating more funding to linguistic training, believing that senior diplomats working abroad command much greater respect and credibility when they can speak the language of the country where they work. The same goes for businesses wishing to expand into new markets; having a workforce who can communicate with the locals in an overseas posting puts them streets ahead, not only in terms of business success but also on a more personal level of settling into a new territory should they be relocating.

* International bodies including the British Foreign Office and the US Foreign Service Institute grade languages according to their difficulty, assuming that students are native speakers of English: Category 1 (most similarity to English; mostly Western European languages); Category 2 (siginificant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English); Category 3 (exceptionally difficult, primarily due to the complex writing system).

Cactus specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. Our expertise in the field of face-to-face tuition is second-to-none. With an extensive network of approved teachers and a strong in-house academic team, we are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you.

Language training for the legal profession

Cactus has been designing and implementing language training programmes to a wide range of industries – including global corporation, SMEs and individuals – since 2000. Here, we look at our experience working with legal organisations in Europe and worldwide.

Over the years Cactus has organised language courses for individuals and groups all over the world, catering to all needs and interests. One of our great strengths is designing courses that cater to specific industries, delivering business-specific course content to firms in sectors as diverse as marketing, fashion, technology, mining and relocation. We understand that each of these industries requires language training in order to communicate more efficiently with colleagues and clients, but that the vocabulary, etiquette and business environment that go with this may be vastly different for each different sector.

It is here that our clients reap the benefit of our extensive network of qualified, native speaker trainers, who between them cover a multitude of skills and experience. This gives us the ability to match a trainer to a specific training request, no matter how niche the industry. In other words, we can always find the right person for the job.

One area in which we have had particular success with language training is Law. Our courses have covered sectors of the legal profession from corporate law through to intellectual property law, equipping employees with the precise skills they need to meet the demands of their legal roles head on – from articulating complex ideas to high level audiences to understanding the nuances of written and verbal communication within their industry.

The implementation of a training programme

Whether training is to take place on an individual or group basis, the first step will always be for Cactus to take time to find out more about the exact role, current legal projects and language ambitions of the invididual(s) involved. A training programme is then devised with course participants contributing ideas as to what they would like to cover, such that they are involved in their own course design from the outset and remain motivated throughout. The resulting course may be 1:1, group, in-company, online, full immersion or blended learning.

First-hand experience with law firms

A long-standing client for us in the UK is international law firm Olswang, for whom we are currently providing tuition in French, Spanish and German, while in the US we have provided Mandarin language tuition for San Francisco-based Cooley LLP. Our team has also provided language training to the legal counsels of some of the UK’s top financial institutions including Lloyds TSB, Barclays and Standard Chartered.

Having spoken more in depth with the Training Coordinator at Olswang, it is clear that delegates at their London office have enjoyed benefits from their language training both inside and outside the work place. Not only have classes been an ideal opportunity to network within the firm and meet people they wouldn’t have otherwise, they also provide valuable skills to enhance communication with overseas offices and international clients. Classes are set to continue into the future and expand to other areas as we continue to listen to and fulfill their language training needs.

Anyone within the legal profession wishing to discuss how language training can work for them can contact Cactus at either our UK or US offices. Please email contact@cactuslanguagetraining.com or call us on 0845 130 4775 (UK) or +1-888-577-8451 (US toll free). You can also Request a Quote or complete a Needs Analysis & we will get back to you within 24 hours.

Cactus specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. Our expertise in the field of face-to-face tuition is second-to-none. With an extensive network of approved teachers and a strong in-house academic team, we are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you.

Language training via Skype

For those wishing to learn a language the most flexible and economic way possible, language training via Skype is the ideal option.

At Cactus Language Training, Skype is fast becoming a popular and effective means of delivering language tuition to corporate and private clients who require results fast. Doing away with the need for a classroom, Skype, or video conference, requires no more than a computer, web cam and good internet connection – and for this reason it allows lessons in almost any language to be delivered to any location worldwide, any day of the week and any time of day, with no price variation.

Prospective students may be forgiven for thinking that they are missing out by choosing a computer-based course over a traditional classroom setting, but to the contrary. The feeling of learning via Skype is almost identical to being in the same room as the trainer. Your trainer is right in front of you, virtually, and the picture and sound quality is usually excellent; the optional use of headphones and a microphone makes listening and speaking even clearer.

As for course content, remote learning brings with it distinct advantages. For a start, your trainer can be based anywhere at all, meaning that Cactus can choose from its vast network of trainers to find the very best person for the job, given your specific interests and requirements. This facilitates the provision of very specialised business or academic-specific language by native language experts located anywhere in the world. Furthermore, since there is no need for the trainer to travel to the student’s home or office, there are no additional costs such as trainer travel expenses, and the minimum lesson duration is 60 minutes as opposed to the customary 90 minutes for face-to-face training.

Once you’re up and running, both you and your teacher will work from the same course book and learning materials, which ensures access to the same texts, documents, exercises, grammar and vocabulary. In addition, Skype’s chat box or messaging facility allows your teacher to write corrections or suggestions during the lesson, without interrupting you as you speak. Your conversation in the chat box is then available at the end of the lesson for you to copy and paste into your own personal documents for subsequent self study – and, crucially, all these notes are specifically geared to you and no-one else.

If you would like to trial this smart new approach to language training and find out whether it’s for you, simply contact Cactus and request a ‘taster lesson’ at the standard hourly rate with no further commitment.

Cactus specialises in organising language courses for individuals and groups, having done so since 1999 for clients all over the globe and for diverse needs and budgets. With an extensive network of approved teachers and a strong in-house academic team, we are able to tailor a language course to suit your specific learning needs, anywhere in the world and whenever is convenient to you.

Corporate Training Experience: Italian tuition in Costa Rica

The Republic of Costa Rica is a small country located in Central America. It is bordered to the north by Nicaragua, to the south by Panama, and it is bathed by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the East and West respectively. Costa Rica is widely known for its pacifist tradition and democracy, along with its rich and exotic landscapes of mountains and beaches, that make tourism one of the most important industries in the country.

Its Spanish speaking population of 4.615.518 inhabitants is quite diverse. Especially in San José, the capital city, it is common to encounter people from all over the country. This diversity, along with the country´s level of education and good international relations, have made English and other languages very common in Costa Rica´s business world.

As a result of expanding their services in Europe, a large corporate Costa Rica-based company was faced with the challenge of providing their services to thousands of Italian customers in a rapidly-growing new market. Therefore, I and my colleague were asked to jump on a flight to San José, to train 20 customer service specialists to work directly with Italian speaking customers.

The challenge was to take this group of eager learners from a beginner to an intermediate level in 3 weeks of intensive training – a daunting task, considering that it normally takes months for a class to advance this much. This definitely required skilful time management and a lot of strategic and tailored planning.

As Cactus teachers, we approached this very ambitious goal with a carefully designed program that focused on their specific needs. We immediately recognized the need for a very strong language foundation, in terms of speaking, writing, reading and listening. Moreover, we constantly applied the relevant vocabulary used daily in their industry and in subjects they could relate to.

The students definitely stepped up to the challenge and did their part. Although it was really demanding to meet such a challenging target in a such a short time, students attended the course with enthusiasm and they thoroughly enjoyed it. After an intensive 8-hour daily training program, they were successfully tested and certified at Intermediate level. As a teacher, I found this experience amazing and incredibly rewarding, and I am really glad to have taken part in this exciting opportunity made possible by Cactus. Nowadays, constantly evolving business environments require adaptability, efficiency and accuracy: our own success story proves that Cactus incorporates all these skills into its language training.

Cactus is one of the world’s leading providers of tailor-made language training, providing general, business and industry-specific language courses in over 50 countries and in over 30 languages worldwide. All forms are training are provided, including 1:1, in-company, public group courses, immersion courses abroad and online courses.