IH Valladolid/ California School, S.L

There are currently two IH Valladolid schools. The central Spanish language teaching branch is located in the Main Square (Plaza Mayor 3) in the historical part of the city, and registration is open year-round. Closed groups sometimes prefer classes in the more modern English School located in the main square (Plaza Mayor Marcos Fernandez 1) of the safe new suburb, Parquesol. Between the two schools there is a total of 15 classrooms, social areas, self-access resources, computers for internet use, and friendly teachers and staff always available for consultation. The Spanish Department has a capacity of 100 students and there are never more than 11 students in a group, which makes for a very personal atmosphere. However, there is a lively school activity and social program that is also open to the students at the University of Valladolid, so there is always an opportunity for new experiences and new people to share them with. The Spanish Dept. Premises Plaza Mayor # 3 is one of the few later buildings in the Main Square. It was constructed in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century and is one of the most elegant buildings in the city. Students and staff often meet in the bars on either sides of the entrance to the school. They are old and new, fancy or homey, Castillian or turn-of-the-century Arte-Decco, and they are a great place to have a refreshment and a tapa (snack) indoors, or out in the plaza during the summer months. The school sits on the first floor, above the bars, and all the rooms are exterior with lots of natural light, leading from the Plaza Mayor to the well-known Plaza Corrillo. There are high ceilings and hard-wood floors, reminiscent of the grandious residence it once was. The furniture and resources are all new and everyone comments on the wonderful feeling walking through the school gives them.

VALLADOLID History and culture are inevitable themes within the language courses and even more so when leaving the school. Two hours north of Valladolid are the cave paintings of Altamira, dating back 15,000 years. An hour north are the caves of Altapuerca with evidence of being inhabited, as far back as 780,000 years ago, by the first men in Europe. Within an hour's distance there are numerous ruins, and monuments still standing, which reflect the history of the Iberian Peninsula from pre-Roman to modern times. The number of castles alone is impressive. They are used as museums, schools, private residences, grain silos, decoration, and even chicken coops. Once capital of Spain and now capital of Castilla y Léon, the city of Valladolid and its surrounding towns embody the history of Spain. It is worthwhile, and highly recommended, to read up on a little Spanish history and the important part that this region of Spain plays in it. 10 REASONS TO VISIT VALLADOLID CERVANTES: Here, in the Casa de Cervantes, is the home where the famous author lived and wrote some of his most known works including the first part of Don Quixote. VALLADOLID, CAPITAL OF CASTILLA-LEÓN and former capital of Spain in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century. VALLADOLID, has been recognized as the region that speaks the purest Spanish in the world. VALLADOLID and its ROUTE OF CASTLES: castles, towers, and medieval forts are located in villages all over the province. Some of the most well known are in Fuensaldaña, Peñafiel, Simancas, and La Mota (former home of the Reyes Católicos). VALLADOLID and its ROUTE OF WINE: Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Cigales… offer some of the most select wines in Spain. In the castle in Peñafiel you can visit the Wine Museum. VALLADOLID and DON JUAN TENORIO: See the house of the famous romantic poet, José Zorrilla, author of the most well known Spanish version of Don Juan. VALLADOLID and its MUSEUMS: the National Sculpture Museum, the Military Academy Museum, the Oriental Museum, the Museum of Anatomy, the Museum of Wine, the Museum of the Monastery of San Joaquín and Santa Ana... VALLADOLID and CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: Here is where the "discoverer of America" lived, was jailed for his abuses of the indigenous people, and died. His house now stands as a museum of pre-Columbian art. VALLADOLID is very easy to reach and within an hour’s distance from other major places of touristic importance: Salamanca (Historical City of Europe 2000, and home of the oldest university on the continent), Segovia (a Disneylandish palace-castle, a large Roman aqueduct . . .), Burgos (City of El Cid). VALLADOLID and its UNIVERSITY: the second oldest in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe.

GENERAL INTENSIVE COURSE. All levels This course consists of 4 fifty-minute sessions per day, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. The average number of students per group is 7-8 and there are never more than 11 students in a class. A social program of excursions and activities is offered for all students. (For all language courses there is a minimum of two weeks, except for the spring holiday, when there can be only one.) ONE TO ONE CLASSES. All levels The contents, times and start dates of these private classes can be arranged to suit the students' preferences so classes can, for example, be scheduled to combine with an Intensive Group Course. Note: If two people want to take individual classes together, the price will be increased by 25%. D.E.L.E PREPARATION COURSE The D.E.L.E. is the Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera). The exams can be taken in Valladolid in May, August and November. International House Valladolid gives intensive preparation to obtain this internationally recognized Certificate, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. Courses consist of ten fifty-minute sessions per week. TEACHER TRAINING IH Valladolid in collaboration with IH Madrid offers Teacher Training Courses for Spanish Teachers (E/LE) several times a year. These are three-week courses: sixty hours of theory in the morning and 45 hours of hands-on training in the afternoon. These courses are good for anyone thinking about teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language or for experienced teachers looking to catch up on the latest teaching methodology and techniques. SPECIAL COMBINED COURSE: MORNING SPANISH LANGUAGE CLASSES & AFTERNOON WINE TASTING PROGRAM A fantastic way of learning not only Spanish but also about Wine Tasting and the local wine culture. Mornings will be spent in General Spanish classes. The Wine Tasting Course in the afternoon consists of: six one-hour-and-fifty-minute lessons, two private expert wine tastings in well know wine cellars, participation in a wine harvest festival, and a visit to the Peñafiel Wine Museum. CLOSE GROUPS Closed Groups come on a regular basis, each having individual needs. IH Valladolid can offer different courses for all ages, number of students and length of stay. Courses can be given at either of the two IH Valladolid schools. For more information please contact the school at: spanish@ihvalladolid.com. HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM IH Valladolid has a high school Program that is both fun and academically challenging. This program can be for one to eight weeks and is available for clos

WITH A FAMILY All of the families have been carefully selected by International House. Bedrooms will not be shared without previous consultation, and the price will be reduced if they are shared. Students will not be housed with other students from the same country. After receiving a course confirmation, detailed information will be sent about the location of the home and family that the student will be staying with. There are two options: Room and half board (continental breakfast and dinner). Room and full board. Given the local gastronomic culture, it is highly recommended that students choose full board. IN A STUDENT RESIDENCE Selected by International House, individual or shared rooms are available. They can be half or full board, and all the necessary facilities are at hand. The residences are located around the city centre and the university. Contact us for current prices. SHARED FLAT Selected by International House, but this option is available for students who are going to spend an academic year, (at least 9 months). APART – HOTEL This is an option to stay in a new private apartment (bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom) with hotel services. The Apartments may be shared at an additional fee. Consult Dates and Fees for current prices. HOTEL If you prefer this kind of rooming, please contact us and we will send information about the different possibilities. Once you have made a decision, we will take care of the reservations. The hotels are all of a very high standard, but remember that this is the least economical option.

Learning goes way beyond the classroom at IH Valladolid and having fun is inevitable. Enthusiastic students and staff members are responsible for keeping a daily selection of things to do. Students go on excursions to surrounding cities and even to other provinces. They visit local points of interest, go out in the evenings, and have parties in homes, at bars, or in the school. The University of Valladolid is full of life but doesn’t have a social program of its own, so many of the university students come to participate in the IH activities, boosting the life and reputation of the group events. Many times it isn’t even necessary to leave the school to participate in local cultural activities. The following events can be seen from the school’s balconies: January 5 – CABALGATA, ‘Three Wise Men’ celebration and parade to mark the next day’s holiday. February – CARNAVAL, The Spanish Mardi Gras, with costumes and activities in the surrounding streets. April – SEMANA SANTA, A week of processions, ended on Good Friday by arguably the best Easter week procession in all of Spain. May – FESTIVAL OF STREET THEATER, a week of free plays and shows of all types and sizes throughout the city. The most elaborate are in the Plaza Mayor. June 23 – NOCHE DE SAN JUAN, “ Night of the Witches,” when all the students celebrate the end of the academic year and burn their school papers in giant bonfires. July through September – FESTIVALS, This is festival season. There are festivals and celebrations in the city and in the surrounding villages. The most important festival is of the city of Valladolid, which lasts an entire week in early September. There are activities everywhere and concerts every night in the Plaza Mayor. September – PARTYDANCE, 18 flat-bed trucks filled with dancers and House music in an evening parade ending in a massive party in the middle of the Plaza Mayor. (Comparable to the Berlin Festival.) November – SEMINCI, International film festival, dating back to 1955. December – CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AND DECORATIONS. Each year there is something different. There has been everything from an elevated train for children to an outdoor ice-skating rink. There is always a giant nativity scene in front of Town Hall. The IH International Peña PEÑAS are a fundamental part of traditional Spanish social culture. A peña is simply a group of friends that go out together under a common name and image. IH Valladolid has its own peña, marked by yellow IH bandanas, and can be seen in summer months participating in village festivals that are truer to Hemmingway’s vision of Spain than the festivals of Pamplona. It’s worth noting that the running of the bulls in Pamplona is just one of several such outings included in the Social Program.