Spanish language school in Cadiz

[Traveller]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good Spanish language school in Cadiz. I have been searching on the internet and there are so many that I am finding it hard to choose between them. Any advice would be appreciated.

[dxf]

Hi

In Cadiz itself NO, but I have been using "Cenuen" in Chiclana, for five years and if they can teach an old duffer like me, then they can teach anybody

Davexf

[Traveller]

Thanks Davexf. I have just taken a look at their website and it looks interesting. Unfortunately they still have the price list from 2007. As you are a resident of Chiclana I wondered if you could give me your opinion of the the area. I am considering the Cadiz area for moving to next year and want to get an idea of what towns are nice etc.

[dxf]

Hi,

Chiclana is just an inland town, its magnificent beach being La Barossa some 8 kms away; to get to the sea from Chiclana, follow the river across salt flats etc. You get the picture. The town itself is quite small, used to be 25/30,000 people but has expanded over the last 10 years to 70,000. It has a reputation, justly deserved, as "Wild West" as the councillors seemed to "bend" the rules to suit themselves etc. You can buy legally here, but beware, a lot are "illegal" but that is nothing untoward in Spain, some day when pigs fly, mine will be completely legal to.
The town itself has all you could wish for from a Spanish town, it has a small ex-pat community, so you would need to learn Spanish. Somewhere like Marbella has lots of english spoken in posh voices. Here we don't do posh.
It is my kinda town, but not for everyone, so best thing is to have a holiday in the area

Davexf

[Traveller]

Thanks once again. You're right and its best to explore the whole area to get a feel for it. I used to live in Nerja a couple of years ago. I really liked the Tarifa area when I visited and I drove up to Barbate and Vejer de la Frontera but didn't go any further. I get the impression that its has a lot less ex-pats and more Spanish tourists which is nice. And I must admit I do kind of have a "wild west" image in my head about it, but its like that in most places in Spain anyway I guess. Well you sound as if you are happy living there which is a good recommendation. I actually speak Spanish pretty well (in theory) but thought I would take an exploring holiday and fit in some Spanish conversation practice with a school. As you can be an expert at grammar but is isn't any good if you never get to speak to anyone in the language. Oh and by the way I don't do posh either

[antonia]

Hi, not in Cadiz, but in Conil De La Frontera there are 2 language schools, the Atlantica and the accademia de Andalucia. They both offer accommodation with courses and Conil is a beautiful town, as i am sure Dave would agree. In Vejer De La Frontera is another one and i think it is called La Janda, not too far away. Have a google and see what you think.

[Traveller]

Thanks Antonia. I like the look of Conil and the schools are both very reasonably priced and look very relaxed and informal...I may even be brave and stay with a Spanish Family. I guess Jerez is your nearest airport I am off to investigate car hire now. Thank you all for being so helpful.

[frank]

. In Vejer De La Frontera is another one and i think it is called La Janda, not too far away.

Yes, La Janda in Vejer.
http://www.lajanda.org/
Haven't attended the school, but have looked around it, with a view to maybe going there sometime.
It's small, and that for me that is a plus, it's looks very friendly. We spoke with a few people there, and I liked the look of the place. Just a personal view, but we have travelled most of that coast, and stayed in Vejer several times, and that's the spot I would prefer. We first went there quite a few years ago, and it was very, very Spanish, but over the years there seem to be guiris moving into the area. Certainly not as many as on the coast, and it still has a very Spanish feel. I will certainly go there again, some of the others on the coast I would not rush back to, although I liked Cádiz. A sort of shabby chic! But it's horses for courses, those that live on the coast probably wouldn't like Vejer, and viceversa.

[dxf]

Hi

One thing I forgot to mention is the "corrupt" Spanish accent we have around here. Like geordie or perhaps the Birmingham twang, it is very different. Go to Seville for a better (TV) accent

Dave

[frank]

Indeed, the "gaditano" accent can be very strong. Not sure Sevilla is "better", but it´s different! They reckon that places like Salamanca are the best for developing a good Spanish accent, the andalucian accent is generally regarded as a bit "paleto", "palurdo", a bit country bumpkin!!! But if you intend living in say, Cadiz, you´ll soon pick up their accent anyway.
I don´t think it matters too much where the language schools are, the teachers will speak in a neutral accent anyway, wherever they come from, that´s the way they will have been trained. I have attended twice in Nerja, and I had 3 main teachers, from Córdoba, Málaga and Cádiz, and they all sound the same in the classroom, but outside, having a beer, they tended to revert to their local accents. It can be difficult because the accent you hear in the classroom can be radically different to that you will hear in the street.

[Traveller]

Thanks for description of Cadiz itself Frank. I like the "Shabby Chic" it sounds just like my kind of place. With regards to the accent I think the whole of Andalucia has a pretty lazy Spanish accent, in fact it is very similar to that in Latin America. I have actually studied Spanish in Salamanca and I agree that in the classroom most teachers make an effort to be understood and speak much more clearly than in normal life. When you listen to them in the bars they ramble on so fast its hard to understand anything. Saying that I think its a good idea to have an experience with all the ranges of Spanish accents in order to become truely fluent. So bring on that thick "gaditano" accent!

[frank]

Thanks for description of Cadiz itself Frank. I like the "Shabby Chic" it sounds just like my kind of place.

Yes, I quite liked wandering the shabby streets of Málaga, all narrow alleys covered in graffiti, but they seem to modernising a lot now!

With regards to the accent I think the whole of Andalucia has a pretty lazy Spanish accent, in fact it is very similar to that in Latin America.

Yes very lazy! As you probably know, they say that los andaluces casi se comen las palabras, they almost eat their words. And it´s true, especially the end of words, and the "d" in supermercao.
I remember the first time I said "maomeno" for "más o menos" in the language school, the profe said you are starting to sound like an andalucian now!

I have actually studied Spanish in Salamanca and I agree that in the classroom most teachers make an effort to be understood and speak much more clearly than in normal life.

Lucky you! I haven´t had the pleasure, but I would like to.

Saying that I think its a good idea to have an experience with all the ranges of Spanish accents in order to become truely fluent. So bring on that thick "gaditano" accent!

Yes, indeed. I speak with a guy from Asturias, and it´s so easy to understand, but have really struggled to understand someone from Huelva.