Posts

Cactus Language Newsletter – July 2015

Welcome to the Cactus Summer newsletter!

Our new quarterly newsletter brings you top tips and ideas for the coming months, as well as some offers and incentives to learn a language while the sun’s shining…

1. Junior language camps – a wise choice for the summer

newsletter-junior-language-camps

The summer holidays may be upon us, but it’s not too late to book a holiday of a lifetime for your children. Our junior language camps for 5-18 year olds are fun-packed, educational and confidence-boosting!

2. 10 top locations to learn Spanish this summer

newsletter-spanish

Tropical beaches, magnificent colonial cities, superb water sports, Mayan ruins, sumptuous food, wine tasting and nightlife…whatever you want from your holiday, you can find it with a Spanish course!

3. Sneak Preview! Ollie Phillips in Spain

newsletter-ollie-spain

Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips has recently jetted off to Spain with Cactus, to practise his Spanish in Seville and catch some waves surfing in Cadiz. We asked you what you wanted to see Ollie do in Spain and you voted flamenco…so see Ollie dancing flamenco and look out for the upcoming video of his trip!

4. Join Cactus at the Language Show and The Expat Show – Autumn 2015

newsletter-language-show-expat-show

Whether you’re learning a language for relocation, work, love or brain power, join us at these two fantastic shows where you can try a language class for free, win a language course and claim your free language learning voucher.

5. NEW Corporate Language Training Website

newsletter-tm-site

June 2015 marked the launch of our new Cactus Language Training website, your new platform for private and corporate language training worldwide. To celebrate we are offering a £50 voucher off your next course!

Have a great summer and we’ll see you in September!

The Cactus Team

The verdict – can Ollie surf?

We did it! We promised that Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips would try surfing in Spain, and here is the proof!

A welcome visit to the beach after 40°+ temperatures in Seville (more on that later) saw Ollie swap rugby boots for surfboard and take a few lessons with Escuela de Surf Cadiz (Cadiz Surf School).

The lessons took place on Playa de la Cortadura, one of Cadiz city’s beautiful blue flag beaches. Known for its small waves and warm water, Playa de la Cortadura is perfect for learning to surf – and water lovers can also try paddle boarding and body boarding through the surf school.

So how did Ollie fair? For his first time surfing, and with lessons in both Spanish and English, we were impressed!

Ollie-surfing-youtube-videoOllie managed to get to his feet and catch a few waves with expert guidance from his surf instructor…before taking a dip in the sea!

Check out the video of Ollie surfing on YouTube

 

Ollie-surfingWell done Ollie! Keep posted for our next instalment of what it’s like to learn Spanish in Seville.

And while you’re waiting, why not check out his flamenco moves

¡Hasta luego!

Cactus offers Spanish and surf courses in Cadiz through CLIC, and Ollie also brushed up his Spanish in Seville at their excellent school in central Seville.

 

 

 

 

So you want to see Ollie dancing flamenco?

Last week we asked you what you wanted to see Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips doing in Spain…and the overwhelming response was to see Ollie Phillips dancing flamenco!

We listened to your feedback and whilst Ollie was in Spain earlier this week he not only danced flamenco, but he did so at the highly prestigious Museo del Baile Flamenco in Seville.

museodelbaileflamencoThis 18th century Museum of Flamenco Dance, founded by respected flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos, is a flamenco dance institution housed in a traditional Andalucian palace. Cristina is one of the most important flamenco dancers in Spain and she has worked with the legends of flamenco, many of whom are honoured in the museum. For those interested in learning about flamenco’s roots and appreciating the beauty of the art of flamenco, this is the place to come.

And so to Ollie.

Ollie was invited to join dancers on stage at one of their evening performances, in front of an audience of some 100 flamenco fans. Undeterred by no previous dance experience – and no doubt helped by the natural agility that comes with being a professional sportsman – Ollie gallantly copied the experts and proceeded to dance flamenco to everyone’s delight.

So here we are folks – the proof:

ollie-phillips-flamenco

Keep posted for the complete video of Ollie’s trip to Seville and Cadiz which will be released shortly – including footage of him dancing flamenco on stage!

clic_logoOllie travelled to Spain to study Spanish with Cactus partner CLIC in Seville. Cactus offers Spanish courses in Seville and in many locations across Spain and Latin America.

 

 

Ollie Phillips Spain – what do you want him to do?

Ollie Phillips Spain – Is Spain ready?

So we’ve told you that Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips is jetting off to Spain this weekend

Now we want YOU to tell us what you want to see him doing!

Reply in the Comments box with your choice of the following:

I would like to see Ollie Phillips in Spain…

  1. Dancing flamenco
  2. Kite surfing
  3. Making a paella
  4. Ordering sangria and tapas in Spanish
  5. Pretending to bullfight
  6. Playing Spanish guitar

…and we will do our best to make it happen!!

But quick – he goes on Sunday 5th July, so get your votes in now!

Ollie Phillips Spain: Ollie is going to learn Spanish in Seville and try Spanish and Kitesurfing in Cadiz. Cactus offers Spanish courses in Seville, Cadiz and across Spain, many of which offer the great opportunity to combine Spanish lessons with activities such as surfing, tennis, flamenco and cooking.

Ollie Phillips in Spain – Sneak Preview

Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips is all set to go to Spain to make us want to learn Spanish…

You’ve seen Ollie tell us why he learnt French in France as a player for Parisian team Stade Français – now he’s learning Spanish and is all set to go to Spain to get the rest of us in the mood, too!

Next month Ollie will jet off to Seville with Cactus – a vibrant city of flamenco, tapas and fiestas – before heading to the coast to try Spanish & Surfing in Cadiz. We’ll be making a video to show what this beautiful part of Spain has to offer and to highlight the many benefits of learning Spanish in a country where it’s spoken.

About Ollie

ollie_phillipsA professional sportman who has travelled the world playing rugby, sailing in the Clipper Round The Wave Race, commentating for Eurosport and Sky (in French) and delivering workshops to global brands, Ollie has first-hand experience of the importance of language in international communication and understanding.

He has come on board as Cactus Ambassador as he is passionate about sharing his experience to inspire Britain’s younger learners in particular to learn a second language – opening the door to infinite career and other opportunities.

Cactus runs language courses in over 120 destinations abroad, as well as private and corporate language training, evening courses in the UK and TEFL courses worldwide.

 

What does Ollie Phillips want for Christmas?

With letters to Santa on their way to the North Pole, we asked our much-loved Cactus Ambassador Ollie Phillips to tell us 5 things he would like for Christmas…

1. Salsa Lessons

“My twinkle toes have always been prone to a strut on the dance floor, but I think now is the time to inject a tad more rhythm into them so that I can keep up with all those Latin dancers out there!”

Latino Dancers. Painting of Merenge or Salsa Dancing Couple

2. To Learn Spanish

“Having learnt French and experienced the benefits – particularly culturally – in doing so, I am now desperate to get a grasp of the world’s most spoken language. Spanish culture excites me and the only way to really immerse yourself in it is to be able to speak the language.”

spanish_food

3. Hair Transplant

“It’s swiftly becoming apparent that the ‘monk’ style haircut that I have been sporting for the last few years is now going out of fashion! In order for me to keep up with the times and grow a mohawk I feel that my hair follicles are going to need some help!!!”

ollie_phillips2

4. Polar Bear-Proof Pants!

“With my up-and-coming trek to the North Pole for the charity Wooden Spoon, I feel that a pair of iron-rod pants will prove to be essential! With the threat of polar bears very real, I could do with these bad boys to protect the crown jewels!!”

Polar bear cub of the year. Canadian Arctic

5. Cocktail-Making Lessons

“My ambitions to go to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games are still very much apparent and I feel that in order to celebrate winning an Olympic Gold Medal, I am going to need to know how to make the Brazilian classic caipirinha in order for the team to have a fitting end to the whole experience!”

mojito cocktail and fresh ingredients in a tropical landscape

We’re sure Cactus might be able to help make some of Ollie’s wishes come true – we’re thinking a Spanish and Salsa course in Spain, Cuba, Guatemala or Colombia! – and would like to wish him and all our customers a very happy Christmas!

Find out more about Ollie Phillips’ inspiring role as Cactus Ambassador.