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

Nope, smoking doesn't really bother me. I just keep reading about it in guidebooks and such and was surprised they emphasize it so much. The books make it sound like 99% of the people smoke, which is interesting.

I'm guessing I'll have the smokie smell on my clothes that I have after a night at a dance club. Nothing a hot shower and a washer won't take care of, lol.

I'll definitely try to eat outside anyway so I can people watch. Thanks for the tip.

I've just come back from a week at the Englishtown in Valdelavilla, near Soria.
It was great!
I was very worried about the smoking issue, since, being from California, I haven't been around smokers for a looong time. But though a lot of people were smoking (not just the Spaniards) it truly wasn't bad. Most of the people were very thoughtful about it, and most of us spent most of our time outdoors there anyway.
I wish the program would consider suggesting no smoking during meals, but that was the only time it ever bothered me.
One thing about the Valdelavilla location, it is VERY remote. No towns nearby, no cell phones or computers, nothing to do but participate in the program. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to do in the program, I was never bored. But just keep in mind, it's kind of like being at summer camp, you're there and you can't really do anything else. Also, for people that haven't ever been to Spain, it might be a tiny bit frustrating to be in this lovely but remote spot and not see anything else. Luckily the fantastic conversations you'll have with the interesting people you meet makes up for it!
The scenery was beautiful, the food delicious, the people interesting and fun. I hope I can do it again sometime!

I'm happy to share more, if people have questions.

Martha

Martha-
Glad to hear you had a great time. I'm really looking forward to my trip and its nice to hear all this feedback.

I'm going to take you up on the questions offer.

Where did you stay before/after the program?
Did you do any daytrips/tours from Madrid that you'd recommend?

Hi aurorajinx-

All the Englishtowners in my group were asking each other the same thing! Where to stay in Madrid since we had to be there a day before the program actually starts.
I stayed in 3 different hostals in Madrid, 2 before Valdelavilla and one after. Probably should post this on the Hostals board instead of here? Maybe Madridman will move it if he thinks it should be there.

I first stayed at Hostal Chelo, which has been reviewed very positively and frequently on this message board, my first night in Madrid. Great location, pleasant room with bath for 30 euros, but there was some confusion about my reservation and though I'd booked for 2 nights, the management said I might have to move for the 2nd night into a tiny room with no bath, because a couple was possibly going to check in.
Hmmmm. I didn't think that was really very hospitable, so since other Anglos who were on their way to Valdelavilla as well were staying just 2 blocks away, I moved the next day to the hostal where they were staying.

Number two was the Casa de Huespedes Dolcevita, Calle de San Bartolome, 4, and it was pretty fun. Three flights up, no elevator, comfy lobby with internet available (2 euros per hour). My room was tiny but cute and, strangely, had toilet and shower both in the room (not in a separate room at all), but it was fine and only 25 euros, continental breakfast included.
When we got back from Valdelavilla (the bus brought us back to Madrid around 7 or 8 pm) I stayed at the Dolcevita again (booked it before we left on the program) but the next night moved with another Englishtowner to a great place just one block away. This was a nice byproduct of the program, that I met someone I liked enough to share a room with and do some sightseeing over the weekend.
We stayed at the Hostal Vazquez Mella, right on the Plaza Vazquez de Mella, fantastic location with restaurants all around and little kids playing soccer in the plaza. Our double was 48 euros, and the room was lovely, two double beds and a very nice bathroom. There were little sitting rooms throughout the hostal too, like personal living rooms. Very nice.
I didn't do any daytrips or tours from Madrid, though I had thought I would. Ended up just spending the weekend with my Valdelavilla buddy, walking around and seeing the sights. Meant to go to Toledo and other places, but just took it easy instead!

Martha

I just returned from Englishtown in Valdelavilla and would echo some of the things already said. There was LOTS more smoke than I am use to being around, but you get use to it and I didn´t notice it after awhile. You get so involved in the conversations that you do not care, if it get´s too much you go outside, and it´s BEAUTIFUL scenery there!

We had such an amazing mix of people at our program, I cannot imagine having the same experience again. It was truly a "life changing" experience to some degree. In conversations with the other Anglos and Spaniards the feeling was universal. In a group of 35 people there is usually SOMEONE you don´t like or get along with, there was NO one that fit that bill here.

I would highly recommend Valdelavilla as the choice if you like rustic, authentic Spanish charm. A number of the Spaniards commented on the location and how you cannot find villages like this in Spain very easily. The village was restored about 9 years ago. It retains all it´s rustic charm but has all the modern ammenities you would want. If you are looking for more of a hotel/resort expeinece go to Gredos. Valdelavilla is REMOTE, although cell phones did work most of the time for those that brought them, but that is not guaranteed. There is TV if you HAVE to know what is going on in the world, but I rarely saw them turned on except to check out the royal wedding. Also if you have knee or leg problems, Valdelavilla may not be the right choice for you. Rough cobblestone streets, LOTS OF uneven stairs and hills. Now if you are adventurous and like the real deal, Valdelavilla is it!

I would also tell you that it is no picnic. We all came away from the program exhausted. You are talking or interacting for 12-16 hours per day for 7 days! Now in our program they added a special "award ceremony" for the Stayed Up Later awards. There were a number of people that stayed up into the wee hours of the morning with enough time to shower and get to breakfast. This certainly contributed, but the interaction was so great it was hard to cut down, and it did not interfere with the learning environment.

As for my lodging in Madrid, I chose Hostal Adriano and have not been disappointed (except for the 5 flights of stairs at the end of a long day) For 43 euros a night, private bath, refridgerator, safe and DSL internet connection in room, you cannot beat it for the location. It´s about a 3 minute walk up the street from Puerta del Sol and a 5 min walk from Plaza Mayor. Convenient Metro connection at Sol. I also used the Aerocity shuttle from the airport (due to being tired from multiple connections to reach Madrid)and I would recommend them. Other Anglos used the Metro and found it very convenient and easy.

Off to Toledo today!
Diana

Excellent information to have, thank you.

Hopefully some of the participants in my group will have time to hang & play tourist together afterwards too.

One more thought for this summer, since you're not going until September.
You might consider contacting the other Anglos in your group ahead of time.
We did that, and it enabled some of us to meet the day before the official meeting time. Just a jumpstart on the week to come.
Also, we shared what we found out about hostals and hotels, and it was because of those early emails that several of us ended up staying in the same place or at least neighborhood.

I had the same thought.

I contacted a few, but so far only one person responded. I'm guessing the others are either thinking 'who is this stranger contacting me' or 'is she kidding..September is too far away', lol.

I'd love to get to know some people early, but I'm sure they're busy with 'real life' right now.

Aurorajinx, hi.
I was interested in getting in touch with my group before I go in July. If you go to www.vaughanvillage.com and click on Anglo sign in, you can get a id and password, and if you been accepted to the program already, it creates a page for you.
Then, you can go into your program page and find out everyone who is supposed to be in your program week. You can create a profile, and read about what's happening. It's cool. Hope you'll check it out.

kmax

Hi kmax- I did that a while ago, but when I went back to the site it wasn't working properly. (it wouldn't let me log on) The one time it let me in inititally was great though, lol.

Maybe its a glitch and has been fixed by now. I'm off to try again now...

Update--it's working! Thanks so much for reminding me to check on it.

Cool, I hope you're able to contact a few of your teammates. I'm not sure many people know about it because of our group, only a couple of us have really created a profile and set it up.
At any rate, I hope you enjoy your adventure. I'm busy now looking for things to do for the one night I'm in Madrid.
Also, I'm wondering if we can contact the Spaniards that will be attending.

Have fun,

kmax