I'm just wondering with all these posts---is anyone else doing the Vaughan Englishtown during their stay? Or have you done it in the past?

(I hope I put this subject in the right area...)

Yes I will be there in June. It sounds very interesting and fun. What week are you there?
Ward

Question: What is Vaughan Englishtown and where in Spain is it???

Saludos, MadridMan

I just realized I sent you an email verses posting, sorry about that! :-D

Our dates are totally different-- I'm going in September. Its my first time in Spain and the program sounds great, so I'm really looking forward to it.

You'll have to email/post all your experiences upon return for us newbies.

Check out http://www.vausys.com/englishtown/

Long explanation short--A company (Vaughn systems) pays for total room and board in Spain for 7 to 10 days if you agree to speak non-stop 'real' English to Spanish speaking people who are trying to learn every day conversational English.

They call it "Englishtown" but its really in two locations - Barco De Ávila (Gredos) or Soria (Valdelavilla)

I am going to Soria (Valdelavilla) at the end of July. I am really looking forward to this, and the solo trip. Whether you are going to Gredos, or Valdelavilla, there are some websites that have pictures of past visitors to the program.

Gredos: http://www.buildersmatrix.com/eurokaren/gredos51a.html

Valdelavilla: http://peterbolland.com/val/10/Index.htm

Hope you enjoy your visit to Englishtown.

I am going to Valdelavilla next week. It is my first time going and it sounds SO interesting! A friend of mine went to the Gredos site in February and she had a blast. Lots of looooonngg days of chatting, lots of smoke (choke!) and lots of Sangria and another very potent local drink that I can't remember the name of. She made some very good Spanish friends who have already come to visit since the program!

I'm wondering if the smoke/smoking is really going to be that bad? Since its emphasized so much I'm curious.

Either way, I'll deal with it and be happy to do so because the experience sounds like a blast.

Please post/email about your experiences (smoking and otherwise) when you get back. September isn't coming fast enough for me...

Regarding your question about smoking. For someone coming from the US, if you are a non-smoker, you may be bothered by the amount of second-hand smoke you are subjected to in most public establishments in Spain. I know that whenever I've been in restaurants, bars or cafes in Spain, I come out smelling like the bottom of someone's ashtray (even the non-smoking section of someplace like VIPS!). My recommendation if second-hand smoke bothers you is to try and eat in outdoors venues as much as possible. I prefer that anyway!

The "Englishtown" is quite known in Spain (it has appeared in the news a couple of times) and it's used by multinationals and businessmen to learn english in intensive courses of a week duration. It seems they are usually worth of it because they help people to get more fluent in english by practicing it just a week.

I don't know how it is from an english-speaking people point of view, but it should be interesting: The villages in which it takes place have incredible landscapes and environments, the food should be ok and the spaniards who participate in the courses are usually eager to speak and to have a good time.

Fernando

Fernando

This sounds like a great reason to add an extra week onto a trip to Spain. Why not give a little to the community, and get something in return?

I'm strongly thinking about doing this myself. It sounds like a great experience. One that can make lasting friendships.

Wolf